Heading back to the climbing gym after months away can leave you feeling anxious or unsure how to find your rhythm again. Getting back into climbing after a break is something I have been through a few times now, after a finger injury, after COVID-19, and honestly after a good stretch of low motivation, so I know exactly what it feels like to start over. Here is what actually helped me, so you can skip some of the frustration.
The best thing you can do when getting back into climbing after a long break is warm up thoroughly so you do not tweak a muscle or a tendon. Start on easier climbs for a couple of sessions and work your way back up to the grade you were projecting before the break. Shortening your sessions and using a hand salve afterward will help your skin toughen up faster too.
Most climbers who take time off feel like their strength and technique took a hit, and they are usually right. You notice it most when you get back on the boulders. Strength fades fast, and the natural feel you built for good movement can slip away too. When your strength and technique dip, your confidence tends to follow, so the mental side of climbing takes a knock as well. Put those together and getting back on the wall can feel pretty daunting.
Here are some quick, doable tips to get back into climbing shape.
Warm Up Thoroughly
Some climbers swear they do not warm up, but the truth is warming up helps you climb better, and that matters a lot for the mental side of getting back into climbing after a break. Warm muscles carry heavier loads and keep the blood flowing, so you do not pump out as fast.
Warming up also helps you dodge tendon and muscle injuries, which is a big deal right now. Your injury risk is higher when you are fresh off a break than when your body is used to the work.
If you want something quick and easy, here is the warm up I use:
- 2 minutes of jumping rope
- 2 minutes of mountain climbers
- 4 to 6 minutes of dynamic stretching such as arm circles and high kicks (skip static stretching before you climb, it can lead to injury)
- 1 minute of jumping rope (yep, one more minute after you finish your dynamic stretches)
Start With Easier Grades
Jumping straight back onto the grade you left off at will probably just make you feel weak and frustrated, so start well below your old level. I like to start on climbs that are about half my level. If you were bouldering V8 before your break, get on V4. If you were on V1, climb V0. If you were sport climbing, start around 5.8. So if you were leading 5.11 before your break, drop down to something in the 5.8 to 5.9 range. Climbing well under your limit brings back your rhythm and technique, and it does wonders for your confidence too.
If you are fuzzy on where your old numbers actually sit, here is a quick refresher on how climbing routes are graded. To get even more out of it, climb up and down each route a couple of times, reps of 3 are common, before moving to the next one at the same level. Once you have done your reps on a few problems or routes, bump up a level, then another, until you are back working the grade you were on before the break.
You will notice climbs that used to feel easy now feel hard, and that is ok. The nice thing about getting back into the swing of climbing is that the more you do it, the faster it comes back.
What If You Cannot Climb The Same Grade From Before Your Break?
Depending on how long you were off, there is a good chance the grade you worked so hard for is out of reach when you come back, especially in bouldering. That is completely normal and ok. When you are here, take an honest look at your strength, technique, and mental toughness. Figure out what needs work and set a goal you can focus on while you climb. It helps to track it in a climbing journal so you can actually see your progress.
If you have lost strength, pick a few exercises you can do most days to build it back. If technique is the issue, spend more of your session drilling the movement you are struggling with. If your head is the problem, stick to easier climbs to rebuild confidence and find a routine that grows your mental toughness. If you want structured drills to rebuild that movement, the Grip & Grind app is built for exactly that.
Some climbers feel defeated when they lose grades, but there is an upside. By re-learning and re-training, you get to skip old mistakes and pick up things you did not notice the first time. That is how you come back stronger than before, which makes the whole journey a little easier.
If you like the idea of easing back in with a bit of a plan, my free Send Edition newsletter sends you one short climbing drill a week, around 15 minutes each. It is a low key way to rebuild strength and technique without overdoing it on your first sessions back.
Do Shorter Climbing Sessions
You might have been doing two hour sessions before your climbing hiatus, but you need to build back up to that. One big reason is your skin. Unlike when you were climbing almost every day, your hands have gone soft, so they cannot take a long session like they used to. Knock at least half an hour off your session, or take more and longer breaks during it, so your hands can recover for the next one.
Your finger, wrist, and elbow tendons need to build back up too. One of the worst things that can happen is coming back from a long break and picking up a finger injury that sidelines you for another month. That is especially true if you are coming back to climbing or bouldering after an injury. Ease in and stay off the hangboard for a while. Do not jump in head first, you will just hurt your head. Taking it slow also keeps you clear of the usual beginner mistakes that creep back in when you rush.
Eat More Protein After Climbing
When you stop training for a while, your body adjusts and stops taking in as much protein and nutrients as it did when you were active. That makes getting back into climbing harder, because you do not have as much in the tank to keep you going and to recover afterward. So for your first few sessions back, make a point of eating well to top up whatever your body has been missing. Once you are back in the swing of things, your body adjusts again and preps for your sessions on its own.
No need to overdo it though. Overeating after a session can be worse than not eating at all, since it can put your body into a bit of shock. Keep it simple in the first hour, then add more food later if you need it. My go to after climbing is a protein smoothie, because most protein shakes pack nutrients that absorb quickly and matter a lot for recovering muscles.
Use Climbing Salve
After a long break, your hands go soft and cannot take as much. One thing that helps them recover faster is a climbing salve. It is a wax like bar that heals skin and often works as a pain reliever too. Most are made with essential oils and nutrients that speed up skin healing, calm inflammation, and take the sting out of raw tips.
There are plenty of brands and I have tried a few. My favorite is a DIY one I make at home with beeswax, shea butter, Melaleuca, and peppermint. It heals my hands, it is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, and it has a cooling feel that has saved me more times than I can count. If you do not have a salve and do not want to buy or make one, at least put lotion on your hands. Dry hands only help you out in the mountains. Everywhere else you want the moisture so your skin stays pliable and can heal itself easier.
Epsom Salt Baths
Since your muscles got out of practice while you were on break, they may feel more sore than usual and take longer to bounce back. A good counter to sore muscles and slow recovery is a nice Epsom salt bath. On top of soothing sore muscles, Epsom salt helps replace the magnesium your body loses. Magnesium plays a role in energy production, so it is a big help when you are trying to recover faster and feel better.
A lot of climbers do not love soaking their hands in warm water, since pruning softens the skin you have been building up for climbing. Easy fix: keep your arms out of the water while the rest of you soaks.
A warm Epsom bath can also make you sweat, so drink water afterward to replace what you lose. I like sipping cold water while I soak. It helps me handle the heat a little longer and I do not feel like I am getting dehydrated from sitting in a hot bath.
What If You Are Getting Back Into Climbing After An Injury?
Coming back to climbing after an injury can feel like a real wall. On top of not wanting to get hurt again, you might have a bigger fear of falling that keeps you off harder moves or higher climbs. Plenty of climbers have been there and it can feel defeating, but there are a few things that make the transition easier. Here are four steps I would start with:
- Figure out what you can and cannot do. Ask your doctor which movements to avoid and about any weight, pulling, or pushing limits you should watch for. If they say do not move your wrist a certain way, skip any climbs that need that movement until they give you the all clear.
- Only climb as high as you feel comfortable. If the fear kicks in, climb back down. In the moment it feels like that fear will never leave, but experience and plenty of other climbers show that you will slowly feel ok going higher, until one day you are back where you were.
- Climb with friends who get it. Bouldering or roped, talk to the people you climb with about your fears and limits, and ask them to help you feel ok about climbing down or pushing on. Some friends read that really well, and some do not. I have heard horror stories about belayers who would not lower someone until they finished the route, and that is not the kind of person you want on the other end of the rope.
- Be kind to yourself. This came up again and again with climbers coming back from injury. Go easy on yourself and remember that any limits or fears you have are ok and temporary. A little self kindness makes the whole comeback a lot smoother.
Feel Confident Getting Back Into Climbing After A Break
However long you have been off, the goal is to feel confident and find your climbing rhythm again quickly. Along with what you do during sessions, a thorough warm up, easier grades, and shorter time on the wall, there is plenty to do after climbing too. Once you are done, replenish what you burned with a protein shake or a solid meal, rub some climbing salve into your skin, and soak in a warm Epsom salt bath so your muscles can recover. All of it helps you win back the strength, technique, and mental confidence you need to climb well and actually have fun.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get back into climbing after a break?
It depends on how long you were off, but expect to climb below your old grade for the first few sessions. Start around half your previous level and the strength, technique, and feel come back faster the more you climb.
Do I really need to warm up when getting back into climbing?
Yes. Warming up helps you climb better and lowers your injury risk, which is higher right after a break. A quick routine of jumping rope, mountain climbers, and dynamic stretching gets your muscles ready before you pull on.
What grade should I start on after a long break?
About half your previous level. If you were bouldering V8, start on V4. If you were leading 5.11, drop to the 5.8 to 5.9 range. Climb each one up and down for reps, then work your way back up a level at a time.
How do I protect my hands and skin coming back?
Keep your sessions shorter so your soft skin can handle it, use a climbing salve or at least lotion to help it heal, and stay off the hangboard early so your tendons build back up slowly.
Is it safe to climb again after an injury?
Check with your doctor about which movements and loads to avoid, only climb as high as you feel comfortable, climb with supportive friends, and be patient with yourself. Ease back in rather than jumping straight onto hard moves.
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