I want you to think about the transition in three different ways. Ask the Expert Don Mellor Don Mellor has been climbing, writing about climbing, and teaching climbing for more than 25 years. Answers First, the physical techniques. The gym is steep, and the holds are obvious.
Real rock is often lower-angled and much more subtle.
At first, it will seem as though there are no footholds whatsoever. Then, as your eyes adjust to the demands of the new terrain, footholds will be everywhere. No artifical wall can duplicate a Yosemite slab or a parallel-sided Indian Creek Utah hand crack. Indoor climbing is simpler and more intuitive, usually more strenuous. Outdoor climbing requires a longer apprenticeship as you gather inobvious tricks.