The earliest rock climbers were undoubtedly ancient humans. It’s imaginable that, in order to escape predators or enemies, they leapt in critical moments, thus giving birth to the sport of rock climbing.
The earliest recorded human climb was in 1492 when King Charles III of France ordered Domp Julian de Beaupré, Captain of Montélimar, to scale a limestone tower called Inaccessible, which stood 304 meters tall. At the time, they carried simple hooks and ladders and successfully reached the summit using experience and skill. That mountain was later named Mt. Aiguille, and this climb became the first recorded and equipped mountaineering event in history. However, for several hundred years afterward, no new climbing records were documented.
It wasn’t until the mid-17th century that activities of high-altitude climbing began to be recorded again. Glacial terrains and snow-capped mountains became challenges actively embraced by these early mountaineers, whose footprints spread across the Alps. By 1850, climbers had developed some simple tools to help them navigate rock faces and glacial terrains, such as spiked shoes and modified axes and hatchets—precursors to modern crampons and ice axes.
In the Alps, others attempted to rely less on equipment and instead use their own bodies to scale mountains. In 1878, Georg Winkler made the first ascent of the west face of Vajolet Tower without any tools. Although he used hooks and wore modified shoes, he is still credited with pioneering free climbing.
Sport Climbing
As one of the extreme sports, rock climbing eventually evolved into a modern competitive sport. Initially, however, climbing was used for military training within the army, and it wasn’t until 1974 that it was included as an official world competition event. While the concept of rock climbing may seem straightforward—ascending a rock wall—it is far from simple in practice.
In international competitions, rock climbing is mainly divided into two types: speed climbing and difficulty climbing. Difficulty climbing judges competitors based on the difficulty of the climbing route. The outcome is determined by how high a climber reaches on the wall within a set time. During the competition, climbers are protected by ropes from below and ascend while tethered, attaching intermediate protection points in sequence as per regulations. The climbing wall is typically 15 meters high, with routes set by route-setters according to the participants’ skill levels. Speed climbing, on the other hand, involves racing up a predetermined route, with performance judged solely on time.
Aside from these two styles, indoor climbing is likely the most familiar to urban dwellers. Indoor climbing takes place in a large room featuring artificial walls set at various angles and difficulties, equipped with numerous holds of different sizes for climbers to use as they ascend using their hands and feet.
Although safety equipment such as ropes and harnesses are present during competitions, competitors are not allowed to use them. Athletes must rely solely on their hands and feet to grip protruding holds, edges, or cracks on the wall to ascend. This sport demands courage and technical skill, making it highly thrilling. As a result, it is often hailed as “artistic gymnastics on cliffs” and “ballet on rock faces.”
Principles of Rock Climbing
Unlike endurance sports that require sustained use of major muscle groups, rock climbing seems more intuitive. But in actual practice, it places many demands on climbers.
There are some basic principles applicable to all climbing activities. First, maintain smooth hand and foot movements to ensure fluid motion. Second, balance, agility, and flexibility greatly aid in climbing. Third, endurance is far more important than raw strength during a climb. Fourth, it’s better to rely on placing your weight on your feet rather than pulling yourself up with your arms—the goal is to complete the climb using minimal effort. Fifth, try to stay relaxed; relaxation conserves energy significantly, and many climbing movements come naturally with a calm mindset.
Of course, before climbing, it’s essential to know some basic techniques. Warm-up is crucial, and skipping it can easily lead to injuries. The best warm-up is jogging for 10–15 minutes. For outdoor climbing, there’s usually no wide track near the wall, but climbers can run in place, lifting their knees high while adding jumps and kicks. This helps prevent muscle strains during the climb.
Additionally, bouldering can be used to improve balance. Bouldering is not vastly different from climbing. Generally, climbing walls are around 20 meters high, whereas bouldering is limited to under 6 meters. Because of this, bouldering doesn’t require ropes, harnesses, or quickdraws—only a 30–50 cm thick foam mat is placed under the wall to cushion falls. Climbers also don’t need safety equipment, just a pair of climbing shoes and a chalk bag. The advantage of bouldering is that you can return to the ground anytime, though care should be taken to avoid ankle injuries.
Difficulty Climbing
The creation and development of climbing difficulty grades were primarily to meet the needs of regional exchange and competitions. When climbers arrive at an unfamiliar site, having a general idea of the overall difficulty allows them to effectively choose suitable areas. On the other hand, difficulty grades also enable climbers to accurately assess their own abilities, compare them against universal standards, and determine their training direction.
Establishing difficulty levels for competition routes also makes the sport more transparent for both participants and spectators. In the 1950s, American climbers classified mountains and rock faces into six grades based on steepness and climbing difficulty:
Grade 1: Level walking
Grade 2: Trekking over terrain
Grade 3: Steeper paths where ropes are seldom used
Grade 4: Paths where ropes may be necessary
Grade 5: Technical rock climbing—which falls under our definition of climbing
Grade 6: Direct aid climbing
Corresponding to the U.S. standards, the UK, France, and other countries have their own grading systems. The international climbing community has unified these for easier global communication. Nowadays, climbers with a grade of 5.12 are considered intermediate, those at 5.13 are advanced, and elite climbers reach strengths of 5.14 or higher.
For climbers, the level of the world’s hardest routes has been slowly but steadily increasing, continually turning the unclimbable into the climbable—that is the very goal of climbers.
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Physical Requirements for Rock Climbing
Although rock climbing does not have as strict physical requirements as sports like basketball, volleyball, or throwing events, it still has its own distinct demands. In rock climbing competitions, when the distance between holds is large, taller individuals with longer arms have a clear advantage. Additionally, body weight to some extent reflects physical robustness. Excessive weight can directly impair climbing agility, increase the inertia of the body and its parts, thereby reducing muscle contraction efficiency. Therefore, climbers need to maintain a body weight proportionate to their height to achieve optimal performance. The ideal body weight for a rock climber = (height - 110) × 90%.
Basic Techniques of Rock Climbing
Grip: Use your hands to hold onto protrusions on the rock.
Hook: Use your fingers to hook into edges, corners, cracks, or ridges of the rock.
Pull: With a firm hold above and in front secured, press your forearm against the wall and grip cracks or other features.
Push: Use the side or lower part of the rock or nearby objects, leveraging arm strength to move your body.
Crimp: Insert your hand into a crack, then curl your palm or fingers to grip the rock as a hold and shift your body.
Edging: Use the inside edge of your toes or your toes' push-off power to support your body, reducing the load on your upper limbs.
Mantle: Use your flexibility to avoid difficult sections and find favorable holds.
Toe Hook/Heel Hook: Use the toes or heels to hook onto the rock to maintain balance and facilitate movement.
Step: Press down with the front part of your foot on a larger hold to reduce the strain on your arms and shift your body.
Types of Rock Climbing
Rock climbing has evolved into three main types of activities:
1. Traditional cliff climbing. This is especially popular in countries like those in Europe and America, as well as Japan in Asia, as it is a fundamental skill that mountaineers must master, attracting many hiking and climbing enthusiasts.
2. Recreational climbing (also known as bouldering). Essentially, climbing is an extension and expansion of bouldering, which is more dynamic and practical.
3. Artificial wall climbing. Since the 1980s, this has gained global popularity. Due to the many inconveniences of climbing natural cliffs, people have started developing artificial walls in densely populated urban areas, most of which are used for competitions.