Grade I involves walking on rocky slopes, generally without using hands for balance.
Grade II sometimes requires the use of hands, but beginners and less agile individuals do not need ropes for protection.
Grade III poses considerable danger in case of a fall, often requiring the use of hands, and it is advisable to prepare a rope.
Grade IV requires certain climbing techniques. Most believe that since a fall can be life-threatening, a rope is necessary. Generally, climbers need protection, and protection points are relatively easy to find.
Grade V necessitates the use of ropes and protection to prevent serious consequences from a fall, demanding varying degrees of specialized climbing and protection techniques. From this grade onward, it is referred to as “technical climbing.”
Grade V was originally divided into 10 levels of difficulty, known as the “Yosemite Decimal System” (YDS, also referred to as Yosemite), with grades like "5.0," "5.1," "5.2"… up to "5.10." By definition, anything above 5.10 is considered Grade VI, meaning artificial aids must be directly used to climb. However, with advancements in climbing techniques and gear (such as climbing shoes and chalk), the YDS became an open-ended grading system, leading to grades like "5.11." To further refine grading, after 5.10, each “number grade” is subdivided into four sub-“letter grades”: a, b, c, and d. Currently, the world’s most difficult routes are around 5.14c or 5.14d. The difficulty of new routes is initially estimated by climbers based on their own subjective experience with previously climbed grades, and as more people climb them, the subjective grades gradually become standardized. For example, when the hardest grade was still 5.10, someone climbed a new route and felt it was significantly harder than the difference between 5.10 and 5.9, thus breaking the artificially set Grade V limit and naming it 5.11. Generally speaking, untrained individuals can manage up to 5.6, those with basic technical training can handle 5.6–5.9, and starting from 5.10, regular technical and strength training is required — though this is a very general guideline.
The YDS grades a route based on the most difficult “technical move” on that route. A route with ten 5.10 moves and one with just a single 5.10 move near the ground are both rated 5.10. Moreover, comparing grades across different types of routes (slabs, cracks, friction, etc.) can sometimes be difficult. But as more people climb, the grading becomes more objective and strict. The UK, France, Germany, and Australia have their own grading systems. The UK system combines technical difficulty and risk factors. With strict grading in place, choosing routes and improving skills become easier. However, chasing numerical grades can make climbing less enjoyable — that’s a matter of personal preference.
China’s Mountaineering Athlete Technical Grades:
To promote the development of mountaineering in China, the China Mountaineering Association, under the unified arrangement of the State Sports Commission, introduced the “Mountaineering Athlete Technical Grade Standards” in recent years. Friends who enjoy mountaineering and outdoor sports should be aware of these standards. Although we may love outdoor activities...not for the sake of earning a grade certification, these standards can indeed help assess one’s mountaineering ability and level, and also provide mountaineering enthusiasts with a continuous goal to surpass themselves. The entire grading system is divided into six levels: International Mountaineering Master, National Mountaineering Master, First-Class Mountaineering Athlete, Second-Class Mountaineering Athlete, Third-Class Mountaineering Athlete, and the title of Mountaineering Athlete. The title of Mountaineering Athlete only requires having climbed an independent peak above 3,000 meters in elevation or having reached an altitude of 3,000 meters to earn the title. For a Third-Class Athlete, men must have climbed an independent peak above 6,500 meters in elevation, and women must have climbed an independent peak above 6,000 meters. For example, if a woman climbs a mountain peak at an altitude of 6,180 meters, she has met the national Third-Class Mountaineering Athlete standard. Building on this, every additional 500 meters in elevation corresponds to the next higher title, up to the international level at 8,500 meters.It’s not about obtaining a certification, but this standard can indeed help assess one’s mountaineering ability and skill level, while also providing mountaineering enthusiasts with a goal to continually challenge themselves. The entire grading system is divided into six levels: International Mountaineering Sports Master, National Mountaineering Sports Master, First-Class Mountaineering Athlete, Second-Class Mountaineering Athlete, Third-Class Mountaineering Athlete, and the title of Mountaineering Athlete. The title of Mountaineering Athlete can be achieved simply by having climbed an independent peak above 3,000 meters in altitude or having reached an altitude of 3,000 meters. For the Third-Class Athlete, men need to have climbed an independent peak above 6,500 meters in altitude, and women an independent peak above 6,000 meters. For example, if a woman reaches the summit of a mountain at an altitude of 6,180 meters, she has met the national standard for a Third-Class Mountaineering Athlete. From there, for every additional 500 meters in altitude climbed, the athlete advances one level in title, all the way up to the international level at 8,500 meters.
Climbing Route Planning
A rock face is equipped with numerous holds, and choosing different holds can create multiple climbing routes. Everyone has different physical conditions, resulting in their own optimal routes. During practice, you can first observe others’ climbing routes, choose an optimal route based on your own physical condition, and train your ability to spot and plan new routes. During formal competitions, you cannot watch others’ routes — you must plan your own. This requires a detailed understanding of your height, arm length, leg lift height, finger strength, and more.
During practice, even after you’ve managed to reach the top of a rock wall, there is often still untapped potential. You can increase the difficulty by planning different routes, usually by consciously limiting yourself — for instance, foregoing some holds, deliberately bypassing a key point on the original route, using only holds on one side or in the middle of the wall, or transitioning from one route to another.
Basic Methods of Rock Climbing
The three-point fixed method is the basic technique of rock climbing, and the key lies in specific posture and movement requirements for different parts of the body.
Body Posture: When climbing a rock face, your body should be naturally relaxed, using three contact points to stabilize your center of gravity, which shifts along with the changes in climbing movements. This is key to maintaining stability, balance, and efficiency in rock climbing.
Arm Movements: When climbing an artificial wall, you are required to grip the hold tightly with your first knuckle while keeping your wrist firm, your palm flat against the wall, and your lower arm hanging closely along the wall. During a pull-up, your fingers (on the hold) perform a downward press and upward arm motion. However, movements vary greatly when climbing natural rock faces — depending on the type of hold, various techniques such as grabbing, clutching, hooking, pinching, scraping, pinching, pulling, pushing, pressing, and bracing are used.
Foot Movements: The key to footwork is to rotate your legs outward, keeping the inner sides of your big toes close to the rock surface, with your knees slightly bent, using your feet to press against holds to maintain your center of gravity. On natural rock faces where holds vary in size and direction, flexibility is essential. But remember, do not let your knees touch the rock surface. Additionally, when pressing your feet against holds, avoid using excessive force and pay attention to the direction of the force.
Coordination of Hands and Feet: Learning to climb starts with building upper body strength, especially focusing on the fingers, wrists, and arms, complemented by the strength of your ankles, toes, and legs. This allows your center of gravity to shift smoothly with the direction of applied force, making hand-foot coordination more natural.
Fascinating Rock Climbing Techniques
Climbing Protection
Climbers ascend under the protection provided by a belayer through a climbing rope. One end of the rope is connected via a carabiner or directly to the climber’s harness, while the other end passes through a carabiner and descender connected to the belayer’s harness, with a carabiner in between attached to one or more fixed safety anchors. As the climber ascends, the belayer continuously pays out the rope (or takes it in); if the climber slips, the belayer tightens the rope to stop the fall. During a sudden fall, the impact force is significant, and it is nearly impossible to hold the rope directly with bare hands — the force is mainly absorbed through the friction between the rope, carabiners, and descender. Due to the high friction at the protection anchor, a lighter person can protect a heavier climber. Protection methods are generally divided into the following two types based on the relative position of the protection anchor:
Top-Rope Protection:
The protection anchor is located above the climber. As the climber ascends, the belayer takes in the rope to ensure there is no slack in front of the climber’s chest, but not so tight as to hinder movement — this is especially important during steep ascents. Top-rope protection places no special demands on the climber, and the impact force in case of a fall is relatively small, making it safer.
During bottom-rope protection, the typical equipment includes a harness, carabiners, and a descender. When taking in the rope, the belayer should always keep one hand on the rope behind the descender (or hold both ends of the rope together at the descender), as gripping only the rope in front of the descender makes it difficult to stop a fall.
Bottom-Rope Protection:
This is a protection method where the anchor point is located below the climber. There are no pre-set anchors above; instead, as the climber ascends, they continuously clip the rope into carabiners on intermediate protection points. This is the only viable protection method for the lead climber, highly practical, and also the mandated method in international competitions. However, this technique requires the climber to place their own protection, and in the event of a fall, the distance and impact are significant. Therefore, it is generally used by more skilled climbers.
Climbing Techniques
Rock climbing requires good physical condition, but even more importantly, it demands proficient technique. Learning climbing techniques is highly practical—you must practice continuously while climbing. Having a skilled climber guide you can significantly improve your learning efficiency.
Hand Techniques:
The fundamental purpose of using your hands while climbing is to move your body upward and maintain contact with the wall. There are many types of holds on the wall, with dozens being commonly encountered. Climbers need to familiarize themselves with these holds—knowing where and how to grip them based on their shape. Depending on the position and direction of protrusions (or indentations) on the hold, techniques include hooking, pinching, pulling, gripping, clutching, and pushing. However, don’t be rigid—many holds can be gripped in multiple ways. For example, a common hold might be a rounded lump with a small flat platform. Usually, you’d dangle your fingers downward to pull, but to keep your body closer to the wall, you could instead pinch the entire hold and pull horizontally. Similarly, when both hands need to use the same hold, the leading hand might sacrifice the optimal grip to let the trailing hand take it, avoiding the hassle of switching. When gripping holds—especially applying horizontal force—keep your elbow low to increase horizontal friction through downward pull. Make full use of your thumb’s strength by placing it on the hold. For shallow horizontal grooves, you can twist your thumb so its pad fits into the groove or rest it across your index and middle fingers, significantly increasing grip. Finger strength is crucial in climbing, and you can train it with exercises like finger push-ups, pull-ups, finger hangs, and lifting weights. Some elite climbers abroad can even perform one-arm pull-ups. On longer routes, switch hands at easier sections to rest. Choose rest spots with minimal or no overhangs and larger holds. While resting, keep your feet firmly planted, arms straight (bent arms won’t allow rest), lean back slightly, but thrust your hips forward to keep your lower body close to the wall, shifting weight onto your feet to reduce arm strain. Wiggle your fingers, shake out your hands to relax, and apply chalk to prevent slipping.
Foot Techniques:
To reach an advanced level in climbing, mastering leg and foot usage is essential. Legs have immense load-bearing capacity, explosive power, and endurance, so make full use of them. Climbers typically wear specialized climbing shoes with stiff rubber soles, slightly thicker at the forefoot, durable leather uppers, a pointed toe, and high friction. These shoes allow you to stand stably on holds as narrow as less than a centimeter wide. When buying such shoes, ensure they’re not too big—the fit should be snug, with your big toe just touching the end without being able to straighten. The tighter the shoe, the more stable your power transfer. Some competitors even use quick-draws to forcibly jam their feet in during competitions. Beginners often buy shoes that are too large, leading to a loose fit and loss of power over time. A foot can contact a hold in only four places: the toe tip, the inner edge (big toe), the outer edge (four smaller toes), and the heel (mainly for edging over roofs). Contact should be limited to about a finger’s width—don’t flatten your entire foot—to allow for rotation and movement, enabling foot swaps and body rotation. Foot swapping is a basic technique used frequently. Some beginners swing their front foot forcefully, leap, and land their back foot precisely where the front foot was, which seems efficient but is incorrect. This strains the fingers, destabilizes the body, and becomes impossible on higher holds. The correct method ensures smoothness without overloading the hands. For example, switching from the right to the left foot: lift the left foot above the right, rotate the right foot counterclockwise (when viewed from below) on the hold’s far right to free space on the left, keeping weight on the right foot. The left foot then steps into the newly freed space, the right foot withdraws, and weight shifts to the left. The motion should flow seamlessly, like greased feet, with the right sliding out and the left sliding in while weight remains balanced on both feet. Hands only adjust balance. Feet also help maintain equilibrium. They don’t always need to be on holds—sometimes extending a leg outward adjusts the body’s center of gravity, stabilizing weight on the other foot.
Center of Gravity:
While climbing, you must be aware of your center of gravity and control its movement flexibly. Adjusting your center of gravity primarily reduces hand strain and maintains balance. Beginners often act blindly, focusing solely on ascending rather than technique. New climbers shouldn’t rush to climb higher; start with horizontal traverses—moving sideways along the wall—to practice balance, weight distribution, and basic techniques. During the basic three-point stance with one-hand transitions, shift your center of gravity to the opposite side so your hand is unloaded before leaving the original hold. During lateral moves, lower your center of gravity to avoid over-gripping holds. Generally, plant your feet firmly before reaching for the next hold, rather than relying on hand pull to lift your body. Focus on using leg power to lift your center of gravity, with hands only aiding balance. While it’s often said to stay close to the wall, some experts deliberately stay farther away to prepare for moves like side pulls, foot-on-foot balances, or other techniques requiring space. Typically, center of gravity adjustments rely on hip and leg movements. The hips, being central, directly affect balance, and larger shifts can create elegant movements. Extending legs outward to counterbalance is also common.
Side Pull:
The side pull is a crucial technique that conserves upper-body strength, making difficult holds more accessible, especially on overhanging sections. The basic method involves positioning your body sideways to the wall, using the opposite-side limbs for contact while extending one leg straight to balance. The other leg generates upward force to lift your body and reach the next hold. For example, if your left hand is fixed on a hold, orient your body leftward, bend your right leg to step on a hold, keep your left leg for balance, and push off with your right leg as your right hand grabs the next hold. Due to human anatomy, knees naturally bend forward—if facing the wall, lifting your leg would push your body outward. By turning sideways, you stay closer to the wall, transferring more weight to your feet and utilizing your full height to reach higher holds. Key points: Step on the hold with the outer edge of your foot to facilitate foot swaps or turns. For higher holds, you can pull yourself in, hinge at the hips to create space, lift your foot, then pull your center of gravity back onto that foot. Keep the non-weight-bearing leg extended for balance, while the fixed hand pulls your body toward the wall. The leg alone should generate the upward force without relying on hand pull. Before pushing, press your ribs and hips against the wall to transfer weight to your feet—never hang loosely, especially on overhangs. Raise your hands upward and press your ribs against the wall before pushing off; otherwise, bringing your hands up mid-motion will detach your body from the wall and strain the fixed hand. After a side pull, if possible, execute a second consecutive pull by rotating around the pushing foot, turning your face to the opposite side, crossing your balancing leg in front, and stepping on the next hold with the outer edge of your foot. The balancing leg then becomes the pushing leg, and the moving hand becomes the fixed hand for the next pull. Keep foot contact minimal to facilitate rotation. Side pulls are mainly used on overhangs or when holds are aligned linearly.
Foot-and-Hand Same Hold:
This technique involves stepping onto the same hold as your hand (when it’s waist-high) and pressing your body upward and forward to shift your center of gravity onto your foot. Then, push off to lift your body while reaching for the next hold with your hand, using the other hand for balance. This method requires fewer holds and allows greater upward progress. Key considerations: For higher holds, angle your body slightly, face the hold, and hinge at the hips to create space for your leg. After planting your foot, drive your center of gravity forward onto your front foot, push off with one leg, release the original hold with your hand, slide your hand sideways to grab the next hold, and use the other hand to adjust balance. This technique is mainly used on sparse-hold routes.
Rhythm:
Climbing emphasizes rhythm—the flow and sequencing of movements. After each move, your body retains momentum, and if the previous move was well-executed, balance is maintained. Leverage this inertia to reach the next hold without pausing, often making difficult moves feel effortless. Overthinking and stopping after every move wastes energy. Moves should be fluid but precise, with attention to detail. Push primarily with your legs, not your arms—hands are for balance and pulling your body toward the wall. Avoid rushing; focus on consistency. Pause briefly after a couple of moves to reset balance and assess the route. Power through hard sections quickly and stabilize on easier parts. Alternate between fluid movement and brief pauses. During fluid phases, ensure proper foot and hand placement and balance recovery. Take short breaks on manageable sections to relax your hands. Practice by breaking movements into steps to refine efficiency. With experience, these actions become instinctive.
Route Planning:
A single wall offers numerous holds, allowing for multiple climbing routes. Individual physical traits dictate optimal paths. Practice by observing others’ routes and selecting the best one for your abilities, while training your eye to spot new lines. In competitions, you can’t watch others—you must plan your own. Understand your height, reach, leg lift, and finger strength. Even after mastering a route, you can increase difficulty by intentionally limiting holds—skipping key points, using only one side of the wall, or transitioning between routes.
Rock climbing is a captivating sport. Though currently enjoyed by few, these enthusiasts share a passion. Join this community, and you’ll find friendly, supportive individuals who protect and teach newcomers, debate techniques, and share joy. On the wall, you’re completely free—only your strength and imagination constrain you. Train, experience the dance-like rhythm, and embrace the challenge.
