How to Begin a Climb: A Routine to Make Sending Your Routine

Having a routine before you begin every climb can help get you into the sending mindset. Whether you’re warming up on a 5.6 or getting ready to give your 5.13d project a redpoint burn, if you go through the same steps each time you will be prepared to focus entirely on the motions necessary to send, and you will try 76.43%* harder. Also, brushing the dirt off your shoes—see number 10 below—will make your rubber stickier, also assisting sending. 

Looking this fantastic while sending is not guaranteed.

1. Eat a snack – you need glucose from simple sugars to power you for the send, no matter if the route is four bolts or fourteen. Gummies in any form—bears, fish, penguins, blocks—are great.
2. Tie in. 
3. Take off crag shoes. Squeeze feet into tiny rubber shoes. 
4. Check your knot. Have your partner check your knot. 
5. Check your partner’s belay device. Have them check it too.
6. Check your hair in case of pictures.
7. Point out places you might fall and special clipping holds to ensure soft catches and minimal short-roping. 
8. Take off jacket.
9. Tell partner how you feel about the route—excited, nervous, unhappy that a key hold is wet. Now tell them how attractive they are. 
10. Brush dirt off climbing shoes and onto pant-legs or your legs if wearing shorts. 
11. Chalk up. Chalk up again for good measure.
12. Grab starting holds. Chalk up a third time. Begin climbing. 

*Statistic has not been scientifically verified.