Interview: Learning to climb

Tips for getting started with bouldering

Do you want to aim high? No problem – with the right technique, even as a beginner, you can make quick progress in climbing or bouldering. Ninja warrior and bouldering expert Isabell Sabellek tells you in an interview what is important if you want to learn to climb. Read here how you, as a beginner, can quickly achieve your first successes on the wall or on the mountain.

Isabell Sabellek is an active Ninja Warrior - and has been since the TV show “Ninja Warrior Germany” was born in 2016. Her own sporting background: calisthenics training, which is all about exercises with your own body weight. The 35-year-old discovered her love of climbing with the Ninja Warriors. In the TV show, participants master obstacle courses that contain functional strength training but also lots of climbing and bouldering elements. Isabell is so convinced of the “Ninja Warrior” format that she founded the European Ninja League .

Here it enables aspiring “Ninja Warriors” to prepare for competitions. Those interested - and recently, in a special Junior League, even children and teens - can simply try out what it feels like to be a real “Ninja Warrior”. We talk to Isabell about what's important in climbing , what typical mistakes climbers newbies should avoid and why she prefers climbing to working out in the gym.

Isabell Sabellek is the head of the European Ninja League. In addition, as a trainer at the Stuntwerk Cologne , she supports beginners who want to learn bouldering or climbing.

@Isabell Sabellek, location: Innsbruck

Hello Isabell. We're glad you're taking the time to talk to us! Bouldering or climbing: what's the difference?

When climbing, you are secured by a climbing harness and you hang from a rope. In a climbing hall, for example, you are secured with what is known as self-protection. A circuit breaker on the ceiling slowly lowers you down when you run out of breath or when you reach the top and let yourself fall. Or you climb with a partner who stands at the bottom and secures you. Teamwork and communication play an important role. You tell your partner if you need more rope so you can move further.

Even if you are unsure how to continue climbing or you need a break because your fingers hurt, for example, you tell your partner that he or she should close the belay. Once the fuse is closed, you can get an overview and see where things go next.

In contrast, when bouldering you are completely unsecured, which means you are not hanging in a climbing harness, but rather move completely freely on the wall. But not higher than the jumping height – this is what the so-called “playground standard” stipulates. In Germany this is a maximum of 4.50 meters. You are not allowed to climb any higher. Once you have reached this height, you either climb or jump from above onto a mat.

From a height of 4.50 meters? That sounds pretty dangerous!

(Laughs) Don't worry! Bouldering halls like the Stuntwerk Köln are lined with thick mats. They cushion your fall. This way we ensure that no one “breaks their neck” when jumping off and that you land softly.

Learn to climb or boulder: What do you recommend to people without previous knowledge?

Personally, I see bouldering as the starting point. Because you can try out bouldering very easily and simply and see if it's something for you. Of course, it can be intimidating, especially for absolute beginners, to climb unsecured at a height of up to 4.50 meters. I have to say that as a beginner, you obviously don't climb all the way to the top straight away - you start small or at the bottom. Bouldering walls also have a lower level of difficulty for beginners.

Thanks to the lower level of difficulty, even beginners can experience success and make it to the top. This increases the motivation to stick with it in the long term and – with a little practice – to try out more difficult bouldering walls.

You are safe when climbing, but the disadvantage is that you always need a partner and your life literally depends on your partner - and vice versa. You also can't just buy any climbing harness and rope, go to the nearest climbing gym and get started straight away. Securing must be learned. And in many halls you are only allowed to climb if you have a safety certificate. Climbing therefore requires preparation and advice from experienced specialist staff and trainers. The barriers to entry are higher overall.

Speaking of difficulty: How do easy bouldering walls differ from difficult ones?

In general, there is no uniform evaluation guideline. Particularly in climbing or bouldering halls, levels of difficulty are assessed according to different criteria. You can tell how difficult the walls are by the fact that they have different colors or are marked with different letters. Of course, there are also international standards that experts use to measure and assess the difficulty of climbing walls. The best-known design guideline is the Fontainebleau scale. It is named after a well-known climbing area near Paris and ranges from 2 to 9a.

In general, it can be said that the level of difficulty in halls depends on two factors: the inclination of the wall and the use of holds. The higher the difficulty level, the more negatively inclined the wall. A negatively sloping wall has an overhang - like a sloping roof in a roof truss. There are also different handle sets with different frames, for example in the form of handles or strips that look like the strips on door frames. Or they are shaped like door handles. So-called “slopers” are also used. These are large, smooth surfaces that you hold or grip with your whole hand. When bouldering or climbing, they create pressure on the entire hand. On the mountain, the length of the climbing route also influences the level of difficulty. But climbing areas are also rated according to different guidelines.

Should beginners generally try out simple walls first?

That's certainly not wrong, so that you don't overwhelm yourself as a beginner. So that everything doesn't hurt after three rounds and you can move on to the next level of difficulty, the technique has to be right first. Because if you overwhelm yourself and everything hurts after a short time, beginners in particular can quickly lose their interest in bouldering. I think that's the case with any sport that you're starting out with - for example, when you start weight training. My job as a trainer at the Stuntwerk Cologne is to teach those interested the right technique. In principle, anyone can learn it – regardless of their individual fitness level.

What does the right technology look like?

The goal is for the body to stay on the wall - this requires high tension in the torso. So you have to learn to tense your core. You train this using exercises for the stomach and lower back. However, you quickly build up the tension in your core when bouldering regularly. The position of your legs is also important. For example, you often have to push yourself up from a sharper knee angle - you need a lot of “power” in your leg. In principle, bouldering is a mixture of cardio and strength training . It trains your whole body, but especially the upper body, arm, back and core muscles and of course the legs.

Typical climbers or boulderers can usually be recognized immediately by their muscular, well-trained legs. They don't look "pumped up" like bodybuilders do, but simply beautifully defined. Of course, you also train your grip strength when bouldering or climbing. Many beginners are surprised at what they can hold - especially when they say themselves that they can't do a pull-up. This “underestimating yourself” is a typical beginner’s mistake.

Do you prefer bouldering or climbing to training in the gym?

I really enjoy bouldering. Simply because it is a very creative sport. Nevertheless, and precisely because I enjoy it and want to do it for a long time, I advise beginners who want to stick with it and get deeper into climbing: Don't fixate on the same movements - challenge your body and don't think in terms of sports. but sequences of movements. If you do different movement sequences regularly and with fun, use different muscle groups and train your endurance, for example when running , you will compensate for deficits. You ensure that your body remains in balance.

Do you have any tips specifically for beginners who want to learn to boulder?

On the one hand, don't underestimate yourself and have confidence in yourself. On the other hand, you should also set yourself realistic goals. This means: First try on simple walls with a lower difficulty. This is especially important if you're a bit afraid of heights. I'm also a candidate like that - I used to really struggle with a fear of heights. Bouldering helped me face this fear and overcome it.

Exciting! What advice do you have for people who struggle with fear of heights?

Stay tuned. Regular bouldering and climbing led me to consciously face my fears. Precisely because I stuck with it, didn't give up and continually confronted myself with my fear.

If you climb, I also advise you: have faith. Firstly, into your equipment and the rope. If you don't buy your equipment at a discount store and invest in high-quality, certified accessories, it will last you. Believe in it. Secondly, of course, also in your partners. Your climbing partners should be people you really trust.

In general, trust is very important so that you can let go. And I don't mean that metaphorically. The first time I climbed with a partner, the person encouraged me to let go of the wall. I really had to get over myself. But with some persuasion it finally worked: at a height of almost ten meters I pushed myself off with my feet and was just hanging on the rope.

The moment I let go of the wall, something clicked for me. I knew then: Nothing would happen to me if I lost my strength on the wall or mountain. This has deepened my confidence in my equipment. I knew: The rope will hold me – no matter what happens. I also realized once again that I can trust the assessment of my climbing partners. This strengthened our bond.

If I'm being completely honest, sometimes I still find myself getting a little uneasy - for example when I'm hanging at the top of a boulder and then look down. Now I no longer have any panic that I might fall, just a slight feeling of discomfort.

In addition to trusting the material and the climbing partners: What other tips do you have for beginner climbers?

Listen within yourself. Many beginners tend to have too little confidence in themselves. When bouldering you can test yourself in peace and calmly perceive your body and your own limits. If you want, you can do it all alone and at your own pace. When climbing, however, you are much more dependent on others. In addition to the low entry barriers, this is certainly one of the reasons why bouldering has become so popular in recent years.

What is the ideal diet for climbing or bouldering? And what are the benefits of carbohydrate bars or protein powder?

You can't avoid a balanced diet. For me, balanced also means that you can treat yourself to something. The occasional pizza or burger and fries are simply part of it. Food is life – and you shouldn’t lose the fun of it.

If you do endurance sports, you need an appropriate intake of carbohydrates to meet your increased energy needs. If I'm on the mountain all day, I pack energy concentrates in the form of gels or bars that quickly provide me with carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate bars like the Energy* Bar from Dextro Energy * are available in really delicious varieties like Salted Peanut or Lemon Cake . When I have these with me, I just know that I will have enough energy all day long. A really good feeling. And to be honest: a bar like this in your backpack is simply more practical than a banana that is quickly mashed.

I cover my protein needs for the whole day at breakfast in the form of protein powder such as Plant Protein in delicious vanilla or chocolate nut flavors. I also like to put protein powder in my shaker, take a bottle of water with me and prepare my protein shake fresh before bouldering or climbing. Really practical – and effective. I'm also a big fan of BCAAs . I find supplements like these very useful during or after intensive training.

Thank you for the interesting conversation, Isabell!

* contains carbohydrates

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.