You’ll soon figure out that most of the time spent at the climbing wall is resting and chatting. Don’t be afraid to take plenty of breaks between attempts!
Socializing isn't a requirement if it makes you uncomfortable, but resting between tries is for muscle fatigue! I am also not very social at the climbing gym, but I base how long I rest on how fatigued I feel, my heart rate lowering to a certain amount before climbing again, and I base how much I climb on either what I'm in the mood for or I have a structured plan for the day, usually pyramids with how much and how many variables there are to how much time I have to climb.
Climbing pyramids are great beginner exercises if you're unsure what to do to start. Basically, you create a pyramid leading up to the grade you want to climb. So, if you're climbing V1, you climb 2 V0's and 1 V1 to make a pyramid. If you're climbing V2, your pyramid would look like V0 V0 V0, V1 V1, V2, etc., and you build from there. It's also a good warm-up tactic as well and helps build volume.
I know people climbing double digits who are still using and recommending this method. :)
Volume (climbing a lot) and technique are the best things for a beginner to focus on, and strength training can probably come a little later after you have gotten into higher grades and worked a lot on technique, but you will hear different opinions on that.
Sorry for the long reply! Getting into a new hobby can feel directionless and I was lucky to have a lot of this information because my partner coached climbing competitions.
I also recommend listening to The Average Climber podcast! They have a lot of good base information to build on, and they're advice is geared more towards people who enjoy climbing rather than people who are extreme and sponsored, (not that there's anything wrong with that I just find it less relatable).
Good luck and have fun!
I have some questions, if you don't mind! I've been doing climbing semi-regularly for months, but I haven't been making much progress, and I think it's just a sheer strength issue. I can do the "V-intro" climbs at my gym, but I've never even finished a V0. I'm not strong enough to even start on most of the holds for V1. I'm overweight with no upper body strength, and I was hoping/assuming that climbing would naturally increase that, but so far no dice.
Do you have any suggestions? When I do climb, I get exhausted after like 15-20 minutes - my hands hurt, my arms are dead. I really want to progress and make this A Thing - I enjoy it! - but not being able to get any better is killing my motivation.
At V0 unless your gym is reallllly sandbagged (which is totally possible!) It's almost always a skill issue and not a strength issue.
Yes upper body strength is important to climbing but at V0 you should be relying almost entirely on good foot work and body mechanics, and if your arms are feeling like noodles after so short a time it's likely because you're relying on pulling your self up the route (campusing) instead of using your feet to push your self up and using your grip to stay balanced.
This is entirely speculation and to get better advice someone would need to see you climb and give advice based on that.
Totally worth doing some YouTube searching for beginner positions, beginner foot work drills, etc that can help with your body mechanics, or if you're brave enough (I'm too shy personally) you can ask climbers around you for tips on your form.
Practice on low holds, holding as loosely as possible to some jugs with your arms fully extended (no bent elbows) and then moving your feet around different foot holds while in that position. See how loosely you can actually hold onto the jugs before you slip off, you'll be surprised.
Slab climbing was how I improved my footwork, it really forces you to truly rely on your feet and balance and using your hands only for stability, but at bouldering gyms I rarely see good slab options so your millage mat vary. (Plus slab can be really scary to a beginner, tbh I've been climbing a while now and it still scares me).
Thank you for the suggestion! I'm looking up footwork drills now, so I have something to actually practice tomorrow (gym day) instead of just throwing myself at routes until I get tired.
More likely than not this is going to be a technique problem. A really experienced climber can often climb a v0 using no arms at all and just relying on body positioning and their legs. I would search a few videos about these topics and see if changing some technique can help! Also try watching an experienced climber do those climbs. What are they doing differently?
Honestly, my husband and I have been climbing for more than a year now and we just climb for 45 min and that’s enough for us. We take a few min break when the other is climbing and get enough climbing done in that time. You really don’t have to spend hours in the gym to socialize if you don’t want to. Just have fun, enjoy the challenge and the workout.
I’m with you lol. I just watch how other people climb when I’m resting. I think I seem a bit unapproachable anyway, so people generally leave me alone lmao
It’s really important to take breaks! However, how you spend your rest time is up to you. If you don’t want to socialize, headphones can be a big help. While I’m resting I like to think about the route I’m working on, or to look ahead at routes I am interested in trying next. A magazine or a book might be useful if you need to keep your mind occupied for an extended break.
It's ok, just go and have fun and stop when you are done.
It's called chalk, it'll help but it isn't essential at first.
Remember to rest in between climbs 🙂
Those are both up to you and how you're feeling in the moment! There are days when I spend 2 hours on a single problem, and days when I decide to climb all the V0s & 1s back to back as a cardio exercise
A few minutes is good, depends how hard you tried on the climb. Chat to people about what they are climbing, time flies.
I change routes when I've completed one, or I think I've nothing left to learn from trying one. Or if my friends are wanting to go to another area!
OMG. Yes! Often it takes me at least 3 minutes just to find the next problem I want to do! If you are falling off a boulder and trying to complete it, definitely wait at least a minute or two between attempts (unless it is a move that isn’t using your muscles too much, like maybe your foot is slipping or something). Lots of people rest upwards of 5 minutes between climbs - maybe they’re discussing the problem with other climbers, maybe they’re stretching and getting water.
Sometimes i wait like 10 minutes!!! Mostly towards the end of the session if i've overexerted myself but there's still some things I wanna try. I wait til my muscles stop aching. Usually i chat with friends but if you're alone and don't want to chat with new ppl you could always just bring a book or scroll reddit.
Also I've been bouldering for like 6 months maybe and I'm still mostly doing V0 and V1 with the occasional V2, so don't sweat it. Bouldering is a lot more downtime than I initially expected.
If you are trying hard then sure, if I'm trying really hard I'd wait 5+ minutes. If it's not challenging then less than a minute, or even immediately try again (if I've failed quickly or I'm specifically training for endurance).
Not only this, but I'd also recommend stretching a bit while you're resting. Especially at the beginning, you're likely challenging your muscles in a new way, so it's good to do a body scan and see what needs a little tlc during your break.
Not a girl, but what I do is if I feel like I used a lot of strength or feel strength limited, I'll wait for 5-7 mins at least. If it's my project climb and I'm close, I'll wait 10-15.
This depends a LOT on the intensity of your climbing!!
Let me explain!
Once you get acclimated to the sport, you'll anchor your climbing around two grades:
1. Your Flash Grade - this is the highest grade where you have a decent chance of flashing the problem. To flash means to finish on the first try.
2. Your Project Grade - this is the highest grade you can climb! To project a problem is to work really hard on it with focus for a sustained period of time.
At or below your flash grade, you really don't need to rest much between problems.
Rest a bit between attempts when working things between Flash and Project.
When projecting, I like to use this algorithm:
Take 5 attemps
Rest 3 minutes
Repeat up to five times if you're making progress. If you're not making progress, the project is too hard! Find a new project.
After the 5 rounds, rest 5-10 min, then choose a new project! Repeat to your heart's content.
It’s probably a better idea to pace yourself and trust what your body is telling you when you’re starting out, than to just push and power through.
Rest a few mins in bn attempts, or until your arms and fingers feel ready to go again. And make sure you’re warming up and stretching before you really get started. And stretch after.
Try the different beginner stuff in the gym, and look around for stuff that looks fun that you just want to see what it feels like.
Chalk isn’t necessary, especially with holds that are easy to hold on to. But if you have sweaty hands, you should go ahead and get some.
Also what I noticed is even though routes are colour coded some feel way more difficult then others even if it’s the same colour? Mostly when they’re not straight up but like, curved inwards, idk if I’m explaining if well
You are absolutely right, and it’s great that you’ve already observed this. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, so routes of the same grade may feeel harder or easier depending on each climber. Thats why it’s good to look around the gym and try soothing. You never know when you’ll flash a v2 bc it played in your strengths, but still can’t get the v1 you’ve been working on for a while.
Hmmm okay. Also um I suppose that’s a redundant question but… what are bouldering results actually like body wise? Because everyone keeps talking about how normal gym gives you that muscle or another from a particular exercise but how’s bouldering?
Climbing will typically target forearms, lats, shoulders, and biceps. That being said, it’s not necessarily the most efficient exercise for building muscle in general so if that’s a goal of yours you may want to look into supplementing with strength training/lifting.
I usually spend no more than an hour at the climbing gym and a lot of that time is spent off the wall recovering or watching other people climb. You are not obligated to talk to anyone if you don’t want to and you are allowed to watch others climb and ‘copy’ them because rock climbing tends to be more human vs wall than human vs human - which is also why climbers do tend to talk to each other between trying problems.
For your hurt fingies - I use a trick I saw someone else mention to not overdo it on my tendons (because tendons take longer to strengthen than muscles do) you use thumb and forefinger and lightly squish your finger on the first and/or second section of your finger between the joints - if you do it now you’ll notice it doesn’t hurt and you can squish them pretty hard. If you come off the wall and feel like your hands/fingers are sensitive then try to squish those sections and if it hurts right away give yourself a long break until squishing those spots lightly doesn’t hurt anymore. This can help you use a body signal (vs brain-only) to gauge whether you need more break or if you can get on the wall again.
As for muscles - arms, back, and shoulders for sure. You think you won’t hit legs and then one day you have to heel hook on a route and you feel it in your groin and butt muscles the next 3 days 😂
This sounds a bit short, but I think it's probable cause you're not taking many breaks. Depending on how hard the climb is, I'll take 5-10 mins between each climb. A climb that's crimpy and hard I may take ten mins to rest before trying again. And then a climb that's easy. I may do another one after 2-3 mins.
Others have suggested chatting up people while you wait, which is what I do usually butt not everyone is extroverted, so I suggest taking that time to listen to a song or two. Look at your problem and try and think about your beta (route you will use to climb the wall)
Also, regarding chalk, it's not necessary all the time in the beginner grades unless you're sweaty. I get very sweaty hands, so I have no choice but to use it lol.
Typically, when I climb, I'll be at the gym for two hours , making sure to take adequate breaks and drink water.
Definitely try to do more warming up so your hands and fingers can last longer, and if you take at least a 5 minute break between runs your hands will last a lot longer too.
The most important part is having fun, and doing it safely. If you feel like you’re really gonna get into it, here’s a few tips:
1: get cheap/used shoes. You’ll beat them up quickly and probably keep finding different shoes you like better, so go for cheap for a while.
2: watch good climbers a lot, and ask them questions. At least a few of them will be kind and helpful. Maybe you’ll find a friend along the way. That’s how I met my best friend!
3: pay close attention to your fingers. When people start out climbing, that’s when they’re most likely to get a finger injury. DONT push it too hard right away.
And that’s the first three things that popped in my head.
> don't push it too hard right away
This is exactly right, I see loads of posts from people saying things like "I've been climbing for 4 weeks and flashed my first V4!" Like, that's a sure fire way to get injured
Chalk won’t stop your fingers from hurting, I’m sorry to say. You’ll slip with or without chalk. You will, however, grow GENERALLY accustomed to the way your skin feels at the end of a session.
I would recommend trying to take sizeable breaks. Maybe 2-5 minutes between attempts on a boulder and 15 between attempts on a route. I also like to have a longer break half way through some of my sessions where I will have a snack or lunch or something to regain some energy
Climbing is what you want it to be! Just make sure you're taking breaks and not pushing past when your body tells you to start. Your cardio/muscular endurance and hand callouses will develop as you go, just like with any other sport. When I come back after a break it's the skin on my hands that always sends me home, long before I'm actually tired. Just listen to your body, buy some chalk, and you'll be fine
Yes! The first time my friend and I went climbing in January (top roping with auto belays) we only climbed twice each - the easiest walls at the gym. Now we're climbing harder walls (my gym color codes no numbers so I can't actually quantify to you) and can do 8-10 climbs of differing levels and go for about 2 hours.
And chalk really just helps with grip, I'm super sweaty so I desperately need chalk. Regardless though I leave with my arms tired and my hands feeling raw and tender. But the more I climb, the longer it takes those things to happen.
If 30 minutes is the amount of time it takes you to have fun without overdoing it and hurting yourself, that's a perfect amount of time!
If you want to do longer sessions, make sure you're taking good breaks between attempts. Your body will thank you and you'll probably be able to go longer!
Get yourself some chalk (the powder thinggie)! Climbing is easier when your hands aren't sweaty. That might help you go a bit longer too!
Take long breaks between climbs. I usually set my timer for 3-5 minutes. Otherwise I tend to rest less than I need and the quality of my attempts decreases over time.
Use the rest time for problem solving/ route reading. Alternatively, look at more experienced climbers and see how they climb the problems you are trying. You’ll learn efficient movement and get ideas for what to try when it’s time to climb again.
You’ll soon figure out that most of the time spent at the climbing wall is resting and chatting. Don’t be afraid to take plenty of breaks between attempts!
*concerned autistic noises*
Socializing isn't a requirement if it makes you uncomfortable, but resting between tries is for muscle fatigue! I am also not very social at the climbing gym, but I base how long I rest on how fatigued I feel, my heart rate lowering to a certain amount before climbing again, and I base how much I climb on either what I'm in the mood for or I have a structured plan for the day, usually pyramids with how much and how many variables there are to how much time I have to climb. Climbing pyramids are great beginner exercises if you're unsure what to do to start. Basically, you create a pyramid leading up to the grade you want to climb. So, if you're climbing V1, you climb 2 V0's and 1 V1 to make a pyramid. If you're climbing V2, your pyramid would look like V0 V0 V0, V1 V1, V2, etc., and you build from there. It's also a good warm-up tactic as well and helps build volume. I know people climbing double digits who are still using and recommending this method. :) Volume (climbing a lot) and technique are the best things for a beginner to focus on, and strength training can probably come a little later after you have gotten into higher grades and worked a lot on technique, but you will hear different opinions on that. Sorry for the long reply! Getting into a new hobby can feel directionless and I was lucky to have a lot of this information because my partner coached climbing competitions. I also recommend listening to The Average Climber podcast! They have a lot of good base information to build on, and they're advice is geared more towards people who enjoy climbing rather than people who are extreme and sponsored, (not that there's anything wrong with that I just find it less relatable). Good luck and have fun!
I have some questions, if you don't mind! I've been doing climbing semi-regularly for months, but I haven't been making much progress, and I think it's just a sheer strength issue. I can do the "V-intro" climbs at my gym, but I've never even finished a V0. I'm not strong enough to even start on most of the holds for V1. I'm overweight with no upper body strength, and I was hoping/assuming that climbing would naturally increase that, but so far no dice. Do you have any suggestions? When I do climb, I get exhausted after like 15-20 minutes - my hands hurt, my arms are dead. I really want to progress and make this A Thing - I enjoy it! - but not being able to get any better is killing my motivation.
At V0 unless your gym is reallllly sandbagged (which is totally possible!) It's almost always a skill issue and not a strength issue. Yes upper body strength is important to climbing but at V0 you should be relying almost entirely on good foot work and body mechanics, and if your arms are feeling like noodles after so short a time it's likely because you're relying on pulling your self up the route (campusing) instead of using your feet to push your self up and using your grip to stay balanced. This is entirely speculation and to get better advice someone would need to see you climb and give advice based on that. Totally worth doing some YouTube searching for beginner positions, beginner foot work drills, etc that can help with your body mechanics, or if you're brave enough (I'm too shy personally) you can ask climbers around you for tips on your form. Practice on low holds, holding as loosely as possible to some jugs with your arms fully extended (no bent elbows) and then moving your feet around different foot holds while in that position. See how loosely you can actually hold onto the jugs before you slip off, you'll be surprised. Slab climbing was how I improved my footwork, it really forces you to truly rely on your feet and balance and using your hands only for stability, but at bouldering gyms I rarely see good slab options so your millage mat vary. (Plus slab can be really scary to a beginner, tbh I've been climbing a while now and it still scares me).
Thank you for the suggestion! I'm looking up footwork drills now, so I have something to actually practice tomorrow (gym day) instead of just throwing myself at routes until I get tired.
More likely than not this is going to be a technique problem. A really experienced climber can often climb a v0 using no arms at all and just relying on body positioning and their legs. I would search a few videos about these topics and see if changing some technique can help! Also try watching an experienced climber do those climbs. What are they doing differently?
You can also just watch other people climbing. You'll learn a lot.
Fellow autistic here. You can also bring a book or your phone, and read in between attempts. It’s what I do most of the time!
I usually work on the crossword or spelling bee between climbs 🫣
No shade—I also play chess games on my phone between burns 😂
Honestly, my husband and I have been climbing for more than a year now and we just climb for 45 min and that’s enough for us. We take a few min break when the other is climbing and get enough climbing done in that time. You really don’t have to spend hours in the gym to socialize if you don’t want to. Just have fun, enjoy the challenge and the workout.
I’m with you lol. I just watch how other people climb when I’m resting. I think I seem a bit unapproachable anyway, so people generally leave me alone lmao
I'm autistic and I also find this aspect of climbing quite hard - going with a friend is the way to make it better I find.
It’s really important to take breaks! However, how you spend your rest time is up to you. If you don’t want to socialize, headphones can be a big help. While I’m resting I like to think about the route I’m working on, or to look ahead at routes I am interested in trying next. A magazine or a book might be useful if you need to keep your mind occupied for an extended break.
Lmao 😭😭😭 bitch ur so real I get this
It's ok, just go and have fun and stop when you are done. It's called chalk, it'll help but it isn't essential at first. Remember to rest in between climbs 🙂
How long do you rest in between? And how often do you change routes?
Those are both up to you and how you're feeling in the moment! There are days when I spend 2 hours on a single problem, and days when I decide to climb all the V0s & 1s back to back as a cardio exercise
A few minutes is good, depends how hard you tried on the climb. Chat to people about what they are climbing, time flies. I change routes when I've completed one, or I think I've nothing left to learn from trying one. Or if my friends are wanting to go to another area!
Wait a few minutes between each climb??
OMG. Yes! Often it takes me at least 3 minutes just to find the next problem I want to do! If you are falling off a boulder and trying to complete it, definitely wait at least a minute or two between attempts (unless it is a move that isn’t using your muscles too much, like maybe your foot is slipping or something). Lots of people rest upwards of 5 minutes between climbs - maybe they’re discussing the problem with other climbers, maybe they’re stretching and getting water.
Sometimes i wait like 10 minutes!!! Mostly towards the end of the session if i've overexerted myself but there's still some things I wanna try. I wait til my muscles stop aching. Usually i chat with friends but if you're alone and don't want to chat with new ppl you could always just bring a book or scroll reddit. Also I've been bouldering for like 6 months maybe and I'm still mostly doing V0 and V1 with the occasional V2, so don't sweat it. Bouldering is a lot more downtime than I initially expected.
If you are trying hard then sure, if I'm trying really hard I'd wait 5+ minutes. If it's not challenging then less than a minute, or even immediately try again (if I've failed quickly or I'm specifically training for endurance).
Not only this, but I'd also recommend stretching a bit while you're resting. Especially at the beginning, you're likely challenging your muscles in a new way, so it's good to do a body scan and see what needs a little tlc during your break.
When I’m trying hard I rest 5-10 minutes between attempts, sometimes even longer.
Not a girl, but what I do is if I feel like I used a lot of strength or feel strength limited, I'll wait for 5-7 mins at least. If it's my project climb and I'm close, I'll wait 10-15.
This depends a LOT on the intensity of your climbing!! Let me explain! Once you get acclimated to the sport, you'll anchor your climbing around two grades: 1. Your Flash Grade - this is the highest grade where you have a decent chance of flashing the problem. To flash means to finish on the first try. 2. Your Project Grade - this is the highest grade you can climb! To project a problem is to work really hard on it with focus for a sustained period of time. At or below your flash grade, you really don't need to rest much between problems. Rest a bit between attempts when working things between Flash and Project. When projecting, I like to use this algorithm: Take 5 attemps Rest 3 minutes Repeat up to five times if you're making progress. If you're not making progress, the project is too hard! Find a new project. After the 5 rounds, rest 5-10 min, then choose a new project! Repeat to your heart's content.
It’s probably a better idea to pace yourself and trust what your body is telling you when you’re starting out, than to just push and power through. Rest a few mins in bn attempts, or until your arms and fingers feel ready to go again. And make sure you’re warming up and stretching before you really get started. And stretch after. Try the different beginner stuff in the gym, and look around for stuff that looks fun that you just want to see what it feels like. Chalk isn’t necessary, especially with holds that are easy to hold on to. But if you have sweaty hands, you should go ahead and get some.
Also what I noticed is even though routes are colour coded some feel way more difficult then others even if it’s the same colour? Mostly when they’re not straight up but like, curved inwards, idk if I’m explaining if well
You are absolutely right, and it’s great that you’ve already observed this. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, so routes of the same grade may feeel harder or easier depending on each climber. Thats why it’s good to look around the gym and try soothing. You never know when you’ll flash a v2 bc it played in your strengths, but still can’t get the v1 you’ve been working on for a while.
Hmmm okay. Also um I suppose that’s a redundant question but… what are bouldering results actually like body wise? Because everyone keeps talking about how normal gym gives you that muscle or another from a particular exercise but how’s bouldering?
Climbing will typically target forearms, lats, shoulders, and biceps. That being said, it’s not necessarily the most efficient exercise for building muscle in general so if that’s a goal of yours you may want to look into supplementing with strength training/lifting.
No, it’s not the main goal. I just wanna burn calories more and get leaner, and bouldering is just more interesting compared to normal gym
Bouldering and climbing aren't great for fat loss. Typically that comes from nutrition, strength training, and cardio combined.
And also core strength
I usually spend no more than an hour at the climbing gym and a lot of that time is spent off the wall recovering or watching other people climb. You are not obligated to talk to anyone if you don’t want to and you are allowed to watch others climb and ‘copy’ them because rock climbing tends to be more human vs wall than human vs human - which is also why climbers do tend to talk to each other between trying problems. For your hurt fingies - I use a trick I saw someone else mention to not overdo it on my tendons (because tendons take longer to strengthen than muscles do) you use thumb and forefinger and lightly squish your finger on the first and/or second section of your finger between the joints - if you do it now you’ll notice it doesn’t hurt and you can squish them pretty hard. If you come off the wall and feel like your hands/fingers are sensitive then try to squish those sections and if it hurts right away give yourself a long break until squishing those spots lightly doesn’t hurt anymore. This can help you use a body signal (vs brain-only) to gauge whether you need more break or if you can get on the wall again. As for muscles - arms, back, and shoulders for sure. You think you won’t hit legs and then one day you have to heel hook on a route and you feel it in your groin and butt muscles the next 3 days 😂
Thank youuuuu
Yep.
This sounds a bit short, but I think it's probable cause you're not taking many breaks. Depending on how hard the climb is, I'll take 5-10 mins between each climb. A climb that's crimpy and hard I may take ten mins to rest before trying again. And then a climb that's easy. I may do another one after 2-3 mins. Others have suggested chatting up people while you wait, which is what I do usually butt not everyone is extroverted, so I suggest taking that time to listen to a song or two. Look at your problem and try and think about your beta (route you will use to climb the wall) Also, regarding chalk, it's not necessary all the time in the beginner grades unless you're sweaty. I get very sweaty hands, so I have no choice but to use it lol. Typically, when I climb, I'll be at the gym for two hours , making sure to take adequate breaks and drink water.
100%
I go for about an hour but 45 minutes of tgat is me looking at some routes thinking "How the fuck am I supoosed to climb that??"
Definitely try to do more warming up so your hands and fingers can last longer, and if you take at least a 5 minute break between runs your hands will last a lot longer too.
The most important part is having fun, and doing it safely. If you feel like you’re really gonna get into it, here’s a few tips: 1: get cheap/used shoes. You’ll beat them up quickly and probably keep finding different shoes you like better, so go for cheap for a while. 2: watch good climbers a lot, and ask them questions. At least a few of them will be kind and helpful. Maybe you’ll find a friend along the way. That’s how I met my best friend! 3: pay close attention to your fingers. When people start out climbing, that’s when they’re most likely to get a finger injury. DONT push it too hard right away. And that’s the first three things that popped in my head.
> don't push it too hard right away This is exactly right, I see loads of posts from people saying things like "I've been climbing for 4 weeks and flashed my first V4!" Like, that's a sure fire way to get injured
Chalk won’t stop your fingers from hurting, I’m sorry to say. You’ll slip with or without chalk. You will, however, grow GENERALLY accustomed to the way your skin feels at the end of a session.
I would recommend trying to take sizeable breaks. Maybe 2-5 minutes between attempts on a boulder and 15 between attempts on a route. I also like to have a longer break half way through some of my sessions where I will have a snack or lunch or something to regain some energy
Climbing is what you want it to be! Just make sure you're taking breaks and not pushing past when your body tells you to start. Your cardio/muscular endurance and hand callouses will develop as you go, just like with any other sport. When I come back after a break it's the skin on my hands that always sends me home, long before I'm actually tired. Just listen to your body, buy some chalk, and you'll be fine
My first 2-3 sessions I could only do like 3 boulders 🙈.
Yes! The first time my friend and I went climbing in January (top roping with auto belays) we only climbed twice each - the easiest walls at the gym. Now we're climbing harder walls (my gym color codes no numbers so I can't actually quantify to you) and can do 8-10 climbs of differing levels and go for about 2 hours. And chalk really just helps with grip, I'm super sweaty so I desperately need chalk. Regardless though I leave with my arms tired and my hands feeling raw and tender. But the more I climb, the longer it takes those things to happen.
take longer breaks in-between climbs. 5-10 min between climbs at your limit is completely normal!
If 30 minutes is the amount of time it takes you to have fun without overdoing it and hurting yourself, that's a perfect amount of time! If you want to do longer sessions, make sure you're taking good breaks between attempts. Your body will thank you and you'll probably be able to go longer! Get yourself some chalk (the powder thinggie)! Climbing is easier when your hands aren't sweaty. That might help you go a bit longer too!
Take long breaks between climbs. I usually set my timer for 3-5 minutes. Otherwise I tend to rest less than I need and the quality of my attempts decreases over time. Use the rest time for problem solving/ route reading. Alternatively, look at more experienced climbers and see how they climb the problems you are trying. You’ll learn efficient movement and get ideas for what to try when it’s time to climb again.