How to Start Climbing and Love it
How do you start climbing? Step one, grab a friend, or don’t, climbers are awesome so you’ll definitely make a friend at your local gym. Step two, go to your nearest climbing gym, *cough* Blocworks *cough*, get a day pass and rent some climbing shoes. Step three, BOOM YOU ARE KILLING IT! Step four, have fun.
Climbing is addicting, once it sinks its teeth into you it’s hard to shake free. It’s not easy though, like any sport it’s going to take time and effort to improve. There will be days you get frustrated because you can’t send a project that 5 people just flashed and that’s ok. Beginning climbing can be intimidating also, walking into Blocworks for the first time was scary, I did not have a clue what I was doing and I was surrounded by these climbing beasts, but do not let that drive you away we all start out with no clue what we’re doing. At the end of the day the most important thing is to have fun.
For the longest time I thought climbing was strange, I never thought it would become a hobby of mine, let alone one of my biggest passions. I mean what’s so special about climbing rocks? I never understood the allure. Also, I thought it required an endless amount of upper body strength, (which definitely helps), but it is not necessarily true, I don’t have much. I grew up terrified of heights and thought that all climbing was extremely high off the ground, then I learned what bouldering was, which is climbing about 15 feet high so the heights aren’t too bad. It’s like any other sport honestly, what’s the point of running a 55km race? Nobody really understands the point unless they have done it themselves. I thought climbing was going to be expensive. I thought you needed a bunch of fancy gear when in reality if you’re bouldering all you really need are some climbing shoes, (chalk and crash pads also help). There are all these ideas that climbing isn’t accessible when in reality it is growing and becoming more accessible at a fast rate.
Starting something new is never easy, whether that be a relationship, job, class, or hobby. It often comes with lots of stress and fear of the unknown. Which is understandable, we are all human and new things are scary. That happened for me with climbing, like many people. It took my girlfriend Isabel and I months to finally take the plunge into climbing and I know others with similar stories. Don’t be afraid of the unknown, if you are interested in something just go for it. I know that is easier said than done, but I also know you won’t regret it.
Blocworks has done so much for me. I climbed for the first time ever here, I have learned and still am learning how to climb everyday here. I could go on and on about how great the climbing is and how much fun climbing at the Bloc is, but my favorite part is the community. Plain and simple. This past year has not been easy for anyone, we have all needed an escape from the chaos even if it’s just for an hour or 2, Blocworks offers that chance. You can walk right in and everything else going on escapes your mind and once you hear Henry shout your name you know you’re in the right place. Personally the Bloc has changed my life, I have been battling with depression and anxiety for the past 4 months, it’s been the hardest 4 months of my life. Going to Blocworks was one of the few things I looked forward to throughout this rough patch and it was the people I was excited about more so than the climbing, the people are so welcoming and the environment is so positive I truly fell in love with this place. I have learned so much about people and myself since I started climbing just about 6 months ago. Blocworks has been a light, it has helped me fight through this dark period of my life and I am so thankful for it. So even if you
don’t fall in love with climbing, I can say with confidence that you will fall in love with the community, I sure did.
Climbing has taught me so much and given me a lot of new opportunities for adventure. It got me a new job, one that I love, and am so honored to have. I have met so many amazing and talented people that I probably never would have met if it had not been for climbing. Climbing
has given me another medium to enjoy the outdoors through. I cannot wait to see how it continues to change my life for the better.
Written by Bloc Crew Family: Collin C.