1. Know the Sweet Spots Before You Climb
Resting while climbing can mean the difference between a successful climb and an incomplete climb, or a climb that's a complete failure because you were so tired that you did something stupid and hurt yourself. That's why it's important to know the sweet spots, also known as the rest spots, before you begin your climb. A rest spot can be something as small as a place where you can get a good enough foothold for a couple of chalk-ups or shakes. It can also be a rail or jam that you can pull yourself onto for a longer rest. As you climb, get in the mindset of climbing from rest spot to rest spot and not crux to crux.
2. Vary Your Body Position
Once you've reached your resting spot, shift around your holds and body position so that all of your muscles get a break. This will require a little thought and planning because you first need to figure out what you need to do to finish the climb and what strengths are required to do it. Alternate between the difficult and smaller holds to rest the muscles you've figured out you'll be straining the most for the next section or remainder of the climb.
3. Relax Your Mind Too
To make your rest while climbing as effective as possible, you need to rest your mind as well as your body. Do some deep breathing and calm your mind. Calm your mind to allow your heartrate to slow down. Don't focus on how strained your muscles feel, but instead imagine yourself completely the remaining sequences to reach your climbing destination.
4. Straighten Your Arms
When your rest while climbing, it's important to straighten your arms. This gives the muscles in your arms a break. To further release pressure on your arm muscles, lean back a little. This works best if the handholds are higher up. Just be careful not to learn too far back because it'll take much more energy to pull your body to the face again to continue climbing.
5. Use Resting Aids and Unconventional Gripping Methods
Some climbers use them. Others are strongly against using them. You decide. There's the option to use kneebars and knee pads. Or instead of inserting your hands and feet into the rock, you can shove another body part like your butt, elbow or even head. Create a toprope.
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