- I started bouldering, a form of rock climbing, earlier this year.
- I'm not an athletic person, and I often fall and struggle when climbing.
Let's make one thing clear: I'm not an athletic person.
So, when my boyfriend asked me to go bouldering with him and a friend back in the spring, I was hesitant to try it.
I didn't know much about the sport, other than its basic definition: Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that usually takes place on indoor, artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or a harness. Bouldering walls are usually smaller in height than traditional rock climbing walls, with crash pads on the floor to break any potential falls.
I had attempted traditional rock climbing very briefly years ago and wasn't a fan; I didn't make it very far before sheepishly climbing back down the wall out of fear. But I'd been told that bouldering is accessible to people of all abilities, so I wanted to give it a go.
Don't get me wrong, I expected to be bad at it — and I was. But I didn't anticipate how much I would love it.
You don't have to be good at bouldering to enjoy it
The first time I walked into The Climbing Academy in Glasgow, I was intimidated.
It was a Sunday morning in May, and the walls were cluttered with people of all ages who were stretching, bending, and curling their bodies in ways that I couldn't fathom as physically possible. How on earth would I — a writer and stay-at-home cat mom — be able to emulate this kind of movement?
But it was too late to leave. I had already paid a £15, or around $19, entrance fee into the center, and our session didn't have a time limit. We were going to be here for a while in order to make the most of our money.
My boyfriend's friend is an experienced climber. He explained to me that the rocks were color-coded from easiest to most challenging, with purple being the easiest and white being the most difficult.
But even starting with the purple ones was no easy feat. I can recall barely being able to pull myself off the ground, which embarrassed me greatly.
My boyfriend and his friend were incredibly supportive, cheering me on when I managed to climb a little higher, and giving me technical pointers when I struggled. By the end of the session, I was physically exhausted but I was also exhilarated.
As a cardio and strength-based exercise, climbing and bouldering have both physical and mental benefits. It helps build stamina and muscle while also helping to keep the mind focused and reduce worrying, and it also helps to build confidence and self-esteem, according to NHS Inform.
Even though the three of us were climbing at different levels, the problem-solving element made me feel as though I was part of a team. If one of us was struggling with a particular route, we would huddle and try to work it out together. This was especially valuable for me, as I work from home with limited daily social interactions.
Of course, I pushed myself to be better, but the activity didn't feel ego-driven — even when I started to improve a couple of weeks later. For me, it was about the pure joy of learning something new.
My progress is slow but I'm having a blast
After five months of bouldering, I can now climb on some of the orange rocks — the next level after purple — but I still fall on a regular basis.
The rock formations change every week, so I never get bored while practicing at the same level.
And even though my progress has been slow, the activity brings me so much joy. We have now recruited a larger group of friends to join us, and we try to go at least once or twice every week. It's lovely to have a shared hobby that doesn't involve going out for dinner and drinks, which was previously our go-to activity on weekends.
I'd definitely recommend bouldering to anyone of any ability, but especially those who aren't particularly sporty. In my opinion, there's something freeing about finding passion in something you are mediocre at.
Even if I never venture beyond the orange rocks, I will continue to climb simply because it makes me happy.
When you do something for your own enjoyment, rather than for outside validation, the world around us becomes a bit lighter.