Bouldering is similar to rock climbing insofar as the fact that you are going to be climbing rocks. However, there is a key difference. This is the fact that with bouldering, you aren’t going to be using any equipment to make your job easier. This means no ropes or harnesses. At a push, you are going to be able to use climbing shoes.
Because bouldering shares a lot of similarities to rock climbing, a lot of people wonder whether bouldering can improve climbing ability. That is something that we are going to answer for you.
Can bouldering improve climbing ability?
Yes.
Bouldering was actually originally devised as a method to train people to climb. Bouldering exercises existed purely to help people to build up the strength and skills required to tackle lengthy climbs. It is only recently that bouldering has really become its own separate sport.
One of the key differences between bouldering and rock climbing, other than the lack of equipment, is the height at which bouldering takes place. Bouldering never really takes place beyond a height that you can safely fall from. This allows people to practice the techniques that they are going to use for rock climbing at a far safer level.
Bouldering focuses on the harder parts of climbing
The hardest part of climbing is footwork and hand work. You need to learn how to position your hands and feet in the right places, otherwise, you won’t be able to scale anything.
Bouldering pretty much focuses only on that part of climbing. With no equipment to worry about, you get a feeling for what your hands and feet can and cannot do.
If you head to a bouldering gym, you will notice that many of them have ‘puzzles’ set up for people to solve. This means that you will have countless grips on a bouldering wall. It is up to the climber to establish what the limits of their body are. All of this is going to translate exceedingly well to full rock climbing.
Bouldering also teaches you to rely more on your instincts than the equipment that you are using. You have no fallback where your equipment is going to save you from a fall. This means that you need to make much more solid decisions about how you are climbing. Again, this is something that is going to translate incredibly well to rock climbing.

Bouldering builds up strength
Rock climbing is difficult. You can’t do it unless you have good hand and leg strength.
Bouldering helps you to build up your strength levels in a safe environment.
Sure, there are other ways to build up the strength of your hands and legs. However, you have to remember that bouldering climbs are incredibly similar to rock climbs. This means that when you practice bouldering, you are going to be building up the exact muscles that you need for rock climbing.
Bouldering builds up stamina levels
Stamina is key to rock climbing. Some climbs can take a substantial amount of time. If you don’t have stamina, you will give up partway through the climb. This is just dangerous.
Bouldering tends to be a lot faster-paced than rock climbing. This is because it is straight climbing with none of the ability to rest on your equipment. This means that it is going to be an incredibly efficient way to boost your stamina levels.
Bouldering is much more accessible than rock climbing
The key to training in anything, and this includes rock climbing, is to ensure that you do it regularly. The more often you do it, and the more you push your body, the better you will become.
The problem is that proper rock climbs are not accessible easily. Not only do you need to have all the equipment, but you need to find a place that offers a substantial climbing experience.
Bouldering is so much more accessible. Not only do you have a lot of bouldering gyms, but you also have a wealth of places that you can boulder. Remember, with bouldering, you don’t really need to have those huge climbs.
This means that you are going to be able to practice all the skills that you need for rock climbing much more frequently. This ensures that when you finally do have a climb you can tackle, you will have the skills needed to tackle it. They haven’t faded because of all of that bouldering training that you have been doing.
Many top rock climbers will spend their times at bouldering gyms for this reason.
What can bouldering not help with?
While bouldering can help with your rock climbing in several different ways, it won’t be able to help with everything.
For starters, if you are bouldering, you won’t be able to work on your equipment management skills. This is something that is vital because equipment management could mean the difference between life and death when you are rock climbing.
If you are bouldering, you will also not learn how to work at a great height. There is a difference between climbing several feet off of the ground and dozens of feet off of the ground. The way in which you carry yourself is a lot different. The only way that you are going to be able to learn how to work at a great height is to actually rock climb.
Basically, bouldering is not really going to help with the psychological or equipment aspects of rock climbing. However, it is going to be able to help with pretty much every other skill that you need to have.
Conclusion
If you want to be a better climber, then you need to consider bouldering. It is something that can have an impact on all of the skills that you need for rock climbing. It is also something that is a lot more accessible. You will barely find a rock climber out there that doesn’t work on their bouldering skills every so often. This is because they know just how important it is.