I’ve been very (very!) bored lately and, on a whim, decided to get up and try something new.
Running is my preferred physical activity but I’ve been sidelined with a bout of long-Covid that just.won’t.go.away! It’s, thankfully, not near as bad as many people have, but I’ve had to cut back my cardio because any sort of running now makes my lungs burn and leaves me fatigued (I mean beat!) for 1-2 days afterward. (Suggestions welcome! It’s been 9 months and I am quite discouraged…).
Anyway, with running off the table, I’ve been looking for another activity to help fill my weekends – something that would get me moving, learning and meeting some new people. I remembered some fellow runners talking about a climbing wall that was not too far from our south London running club – and I decided to check it out.
Not having any real climbing experience (unless you count one time at kiddie sleepaway camp) I decided to sign up for a 60 minute Intro Lesson at the Arch Climbing Wall in south London.
About the Climbing Centre
The Arch has been in south London for over 15 years. It’s a bouldering facility, meaning that climbers don’t use harnesses and ropes. Instead they free climb up above soft matting.
Climbing without a harness means that you have more freedom on the wall, and don’t need a belay partner to work ropes. All you need to get going are climbing shoes (which the Arch rents out).
The Arch has an ever-changing mix of climbing routes (also known as “problems”), created by a team of experienced route-setters. The team plan each route-setting day, so that the “problems” include the right mix of climbing styles and difficulties.
The Arch resets wall areas in its centres regularly. Approximately, 20 to 40 new problems go up every week, and all Arch climbs will get changed every 8 weeks or so.
How My Introductory Bouldering Lesson Went
My 1-hour lesson cost just £10 and included shoe rental, instruction and access to the Arch for the entire day. 4 newbies signed up – along with myself – and we were led by a knowledgeable and attentive instructor.
First lesson of the day? How to fall safely, as beginners can (and often do) fall from the climbing wall. While there are mats below, again, there are no safety ropes – so if you slip you end up on the ground.
We were told not to put our hands out when coming off the wall, but rather cross them in front of the chest and attempt a deep squat landing, followed by a soft roll onto the back. After practicing this ball-rolling safety technique on the ground, we stepped onto the climbing wall – and practiced “falling” from there. We kept upping the height until we were practicing our safety falls from about halfway up the 4m high walls – which was a little unnerving. Still, I was happy to practice in a controlled situation being the safety nut (read: anxiety-prone person) I am. Safety first friends! Safety first!
Next we were shown which climbing stances are most secure and how to best propel ourselves up a wall. The trick, I learned, is to push up with your legs rather than pulling up with your arms. While its tempting to use your upper body, you’ll have much less power and tire much more quickly if you adopt that approach. We practiced our skills on all the different wall-types at the Arch: straight verticals, sloped walls (that slant either towards or away from you), and cave-types (which have overhangs and may involve some hanging monkey moves). Our leader would demonstrate and then coach from the sidelines as our group of 5 took turns practicing.
Taller people seemed to have a bit of an advantage, as did men who (I suspect) can rely more on their upper body strength when need be. I can’t say that I was really all that good myself, but I didn’t really care because I was having such a good time! Turns out bouldering is great fun, even if you barely know anything! Something about the climbing, the creativity required and camaraderie of the group – makes for a really good time. I felt just like a kid at sleepaway camp again, even if I was older, more sluggish and fell from the wall (3 times!)
Our 1-hour lesson ended up lasting close to 2-hours – but everyone was having too much fun to notice. Afterwards, a few of us chit-chatted, while others continued exploring new climbs at the Arch.
Final Thoughts on Beginner Bouldering
All in all, indoor bouldering is a great day out. It’s an activity I really recommend and will definitely try again. You don’t need to know very much to get started and participate. If you’re a beginner, stick to the beginner climbs (those designated V0), and as you improve challenge yourself with V1, V2 and beyond. Bouldering’s also an easy thing to attempt solo. Our intro group of 5 was made up of 2 men and 3 women, all 20 & 30-somethings. Apart from one couple, everyone else had shown up alone. Soon we were chatting easily, helping each other along as we watched others work our climbs.
You can try indoor bouldering at any of the Arch’s 4 London locations. I’ve included their intro climbing safety video below:
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Best,
