I never thought that I would get into rock climbing, but here we are. I’ve been climbing since February 2024 and although I can’t say that I’m a climbing expert, I can say that climbing is my favorite form of exercise. One of my friends here at Bucknell introduced me to the sport last year and I can’t get enough.
There are two types of indoor rock climbing: top-roping and bouldering. Top-roping is the type of climbing you’re probably familiar with. It’s the kind where you use a harness attached to the wall to climb. Bouldering, the kind of climbing that I do, is a bit different. First of all, there is no harness. Furthermore, the walls are shorter, but what they lack in height, they make up for in difficulty. Bouldering is measured in grades, ranging from V0 (the easiest) to V17 (the hardest). Most people can only dream of climbing above a V13, which makes sense considering I’ve climbed for a year and can only do up to a V3.
Anyways, I enjoy bouldering more than other forms of exercise for a few reasons. First of all, the workout is intense. Most people don’t realize how intense bouldering can be. When I went bouldering for the first time, I saw how short the walls were and thought, “this should be a pretty easy workout!”
How wrong I was.
After my first bouldering session, I was left breathless and gasping for air. I was also left wanting to go back again and again. It was the first form of “intense” exercise that I actually enjoyed. I tried getting into running, but it never stuck, and weight lifting just wasn’t for me. Other than my mellow three-mile walks, I wasn’t getting any other exercise until I discovered climbing.
The other appeal is the amount of problem-solving bouldering requires. Bouldering requires you to step outside your comfort zone in ways other workouts don’t. For instance, you constantly have to map out the route ahead of time, taking into account the types of grips, the incline and the length of the wall. This is to maximize your time on the wall; there is nothing worse than being stuck on the wall with nowhere to go, your entire body hurts and your fingers feel like they are about to fall off.
And, of course, you won’t nail every climb on the first try. There are routes that take dozens of attempts for me to complete. While frustrating, I feel like that has only strengthened my determination and perseverance. Yes, you’ll fall (literally), but you’ll rise again. It’s a great way to get out of your comfort zone. And as someone with constant anxiety, my comfort zone is very tight and limited. Climbing is one way in which I’ve tried to grow and expand.
On that note, climbing has been really good for me mentally. There are so many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed and burned out. But whenever I’m at the climbing wall, it seems like all of those feelings go away. Like they were never even there. The only problem in my life is whether I can climb these plastic rocks properly or not. While I will always recommend seeking therapy for your mental health problems, rock climbing is a close second, but don’t quote me on that.
All in all, I urge you to try out bouldering, even if you don’t think you’ll be good at it. Heck, I’ve been climbing for a year and I am still no expert. Maybe one day, you’ll be the first Bucknellian to climb a V17!
