If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I rock climb, specifically boulder. This has been such an unexpected joy this past year. I had only a few experiences with rock climbing previously; A few times on the boardwalk and probably a birthday parties when I was younger. In 2018, I went to Middletown Gravity Vault with an old boyfriend. A co-worker had previously gone and she spoke highly of this and it sounded like a lot of fun. We went and first tried bouldering and we couldn’t figure it out (we walked in like we knew what we were doing) and then admitted we never did this before and tried the instructor led belay. I ended up loving it but it wasn’t until 2021 I had the opportunity again to try it out.
Kyle and I went rock
climbing on our 2nd date. Kyle has been climbing his whole life and I thought this would be a fun way to try something new. I was really excited about this; we
did the instructor led belay. An hour later, I was covered in chalk, my hair
was a mess and I had the biggest smile on my face. The next day I was SO SORE to
the point of not being able to lift my arms, it was BAD! Clearly, I needed to
work on my form. All I kept thinking about was trying it again. I hadn’t
experienced something like that in a long time.
Later that year, Kyle and I really got back into rock
climbing. We would top rope and boulder. Top rope was a little easier for me
because I knew I had the rope as a safety net and if I needed to I could come
down easily at any point. Bouldering on the other hand was REALLY hard for me;
there was a lot to adjust to- the height, trusting myself to hold myself up and
to figure out how to get the top then back down…safely. It was A LOT to think
about while bouldering. At the end of each climbing session, I might have been
covered in chalk, had fallen more times than I could count, knew I had bruises all of my legs BUT I always had the
biggest smile on my face. I always left in awe because I did something that I
didn’t think I could ever do.
Now, after a year of climbing, I feel confident in my
ability to be able to hold myself up on the wall; I am confident with my
ability to look at a route and visualize how I am going to get up that route. I
can also observe others who complete the route I’ve been working on and see how
they complete it. I have gained confidence, strength, and knowledge in a sport where I knew relatively nothing about. Each time I go climbing, I continue to learn something new, attempt a new hold and take the time to really enjoy the experience.
One thing I didn't expect when I first started was how KIND, ACCEPTING and HELPFUL climbers were. You can always strike up a conversation with someone and they will almost always talk to you especially if its about what they just climbed. They are willing to share their knowledge with you (sometimes even when you don't ask) and they are welcoming. There have been times I would be a the gym by myself and I would strike up a conversation with someone and we would climb and talk for the duration of the time I was there. There was never a point when I felt like I was a bother or annoying them.
I have learned a lot over this past year, these thing definitely apply to bouldering but they can also be applicable in everyday life too:
Slow and Steady/// Your first instinct is going to zoom up the wall and then zoom back the wall. Going slow up the wall will allow you to think and focus on what you are doing and where you are going.
Think/// The climbing gym I go to
follows the mono colored routes, each route follows one color, and the starting
hold and ending hold are clearly marked by the same color taped. Before jumping
on the wall, you will need to look at what the holds are, where you are going
and where it ends.
Observe Others/// One of the
things I found really helpful is when you are resting, watch other climbers
especially if they are trying/completing the route you are working on.
Sometimes they have a different approach, or they are able to work through a
problem and give you an idea how to solve it.
Try/// You showed up to the
climbing gym, why not try. Even if you know that you might fall, go for it. You
are not penalized for trying, no one is going to judge you and this tough route might become your next project. Sometimes I
will see a higher graded route that I am used to but I will attempt it even though I might
not be able to complete it.
Positive Mindset/// This comes
natural for me but going into something new, you will have a better experience
even if
Falling/// This is
inevitable. You might not grab onto a hold that you feel secure on or you might
mis-grab a hold or you just might slip. Luckily, with indoor bouldering the
floor is padded. Sometimes you climb up and you get to a point where you can’t
go anymore and climbing down doesn’t seem to be an option (climbing down is
always the safest option if available.)
Control Breathing/// This took me
a long time to understand. If your breath is controlled, you are more that
likely able to think through what you are doing and not panic. If you are calm,
it makes things much easier.
Visualizing/// I am still working
on this one. When you find a route you want to climb, especially a new one, try
to visualize how you are going to go up this route. What hand is going, on what
hold and the same for your foot. Sometimes it doesn’t work, you just have to
figure it out on the wall but in some routes, its helpful to plan it out.
Trust Yourself/// When you are
bouldering, you are going to be in situations where you will be hanging on by
one arm or on a hold you don’t really feel super secure on. You have to trust
your ability and your skills (which is hard as a beginner), you might actually
surprise yourself.
Take Breaks/// You might be
tempted to go, go, go BUT its actually beneficial to take breaks especially
after a particularly trying route. When you are taking a break, stretch,
hydrate and observe others. These breaks
are beneficial for your hands, giving them a break.
Observe Progress/// Its nice to
always look forward but sometimes looking back to see how far you have come.
Taking photos, and videos to look back on and to see how far you’ve come. Its
always interesting to see
Keep A Record/// if you go to the same climbing gym and you go often, it's nice to keep track of what you climb and if you are working on a project, take notes of what you did or what to try next time.
Cross-train/// climbing works a specific group of muscles to make sure you are keeping the other muscle groups are not neglected, weight training and cardio are my favorite.
One thing I learned very quickly with bouldering is that there is a whole new set of lingo that I needed to learn. I was so confused at first when I heard other climbers talking about beta and jugs. Here are some basic terms you should know before getting into bouldering:
Beta: Advice on how to climb a problem- usually the easiest way
Campus: Climbing using only your hands
Crimp: The smallest hold using your fingertips
Crux: Hardest part of the problem
Dyno: Jumping from one hold to another on the same problem
Flag: Sticking you leg out to counter balance yourself
Flash: Climb and complete the problem on the first try
Jug: Large hold that can be held onto comfortably
Match: Placing both hands on a hold; usually an ending move
Pinch: Holding on only by your thumb and fingers.
Problem: Route
Project: A work in progress problem
Send: To climb without falling
Traverse: Moving laterally on the wall
Now you have some tips, you know some lingo next up you will need some gear. Bouldering is one of those sports that you really don't need that much gear.
Shoes/// These are the most important piece of gear. If you are new, the climbing gym has shoes to rent and after you have decided to really pursue climbing, you can look into purchasing your own. There are many different kinds.
Chalk/// This will help you grip the holds better. Again the climbing gyms have chalk to rent but I ended up buying my own chalk and chalk bag very early on. I like how you can customize your chalk bag to show your personality.
Brush/// This is something that climbing gyms normally have for you to use. These are used to brush the excessive chalk off of a hold. (Too much chalk can be a hindrance)
That's it! See I wasn't joking when I said you don't need a lot of gear.
Now you got the gear, you are ready to go but where do you go? Climbing gyms! Outside! As a beginner I would start at a rock climbing gym. You can get use to things first before venturing outside. Going to a climbing gym also provides you a variety of routes. I personally have only gone to climbing gyms and I am not looking to go bouldering outside any time soon.
I personally go to Gravity Vaults. New Jersey has a few different climbing gym chains that can provide variety of how routes/problems are set and provides you a different experience.
So... why have I stuck with Bouldering?
What a great question, thanks for asking! I love bouldering simply because it shows me that I can do hard things. I love being able to approach a problem, set out to complete it and then complete it and get my butt back down the wall. I am consistently surprised by what I can do. I know this is something I can continually work at and get better. I love that.
I have found some great articles about climbing:
Kate Upton's Rock Climbing Workout
Rock Climbing Empowering Couples
[[She believe she could, so she did.]]
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