WANTED: A great spot

When you want to push yourself to do harder problems in the bouldering area, find a friend who knows how to give a sweet spot. It will help you mentally -- when you want to stab for that last high hold to get the redpoint -- and physically, by heading off sore ankles and other minor mishaps that can happen indoors.

Boulderers who fall in a controlled way also have the best chance of receiving help from good spotters. A good spotter will be close enough to grab the climber's hips and guide them to the floor, but far enough away to avoid being squashed.

A good spotter will also scoot a pad underneath a climber as she moves, plus will slow and guide her fall onto a mat so that the climber doesn't injure a wrist, twist an ankle, or hit her head.