Start bouldering from zero
An independent reference for first-time climbers, built from measurable gym standards: wall angles, mat thickness, shoe sizing, chalk weight, rope specs and recovery windows.
Not a gym, not a coaching service, not a shop. Nothing here is for sale or booking, and no company stands behind the name.
Find the V0 / Font 3 band and choose 4-6 problems from it — that is the entire first-day strategy.
Two scales share the board. The V scale runs V0 to V12; the Font scale starts at 3 and climbs to 8C+. Memorize two anchors — V0 is roughly Font 3, V5 is roughly Font 6C — and the whole chart becomes readable.
Choice is not the bottleneck: a gym typically sets 15-25 routes per grade band across a 40-60 hold wall section. The V0-V1 rows alone hold more problems than one session can finish.
Pick 4-6 problems and photograph the board. A short list beats wandering, because you rest between attempts anyway — and the list keeps you off harder angles your fingers are not ready for.
Stay on 15-30° walls; the 40-60° overhangs are where advanced problems live.
Wall angle is the quiet half of grading. Beginner boulders are set on 15-30° walls, where feet carry real weight; advanced ones sit on 40-60° overhangs that load fingers and shoulders immediately.
Standard indoor walls are 3-4.5 m high, so ropes are not part of bouldering. The safety system is the floor: mats 100-150 mm thick, extending 1.5-2 m past the wall base.
Learn to land early: downclimb when you can, and when you drop, land on both feet with soft knees. The mat is engineered for falls; your job is to fall into it, not fight gravity at the top.
| Item | Standard size or range | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Climbing shoes | 1-2 sizes below street size | Toes straight or lightly curled; loose shoes slip on 20-30 mm footholds |
| Chalk ball | 20-40 g of magnesium carbonate | Covers roughly 8-12 attempts before recharging |
| Safety mats | 100-150 mm thick | Extend 1.5-2 m past the wall base — the fall zone is engineered |
| Beginner wall angle | 15-30° | Advanced problems move to 40-60° overhangs |
| Wall height | 3-4.5 m | Bouldering height: no rope, mats only |
| Routes per grade band | 15-25 routes | Set across a 40-60 hold wall section — choice is never the problem |
| Top-rope, for later | 60 m dynamic rope, 9.8-10.5 mm | Stretches 1.7-2.3 m on a factor-2 fall |
Warm up off the wall, climb in short attempts, stop before the pump wins — in that order.
Minutes 0-10: shoes snug — 1-2 sizes below street size, toes straight or lightly curled — then easy movement on the gentlest wall. Cold fingers fail early.
Minutes 10-40: work your 4-6 problems. Each attempt lasts 20-40 seconds before grip fails; that is the normal first-timer window, not a flaw. Rest 2-3 minutes between attempts, and let the chalk ball count your work — one fill covers 8-12 attempts.
Minutes 40-60: finish what is close, then cool down. Sustained forearm pump arrives after 60-90 seconds of continuous effort; once it lands, the session is over whether the clock agrees or not.
The figures reflect standard published ranges for indoor facilities — wall geometry, grading scales, equipment sizing and recovery physiology — not any single gym's rulebook.