Bouldering Badass

When Monday looks like a mountain with a special entanglement of madness, take a deep breath. Foam floors are meant for falls and those falls mold us into our best selves.

I spent my Sunday afternoon conquering (indoor) mountains at @firstascentclimbing, an indoor bouldering gym in Chicago. My little urban adventure did include some falls, but in the end, I felt like a real life spider woman – super powers and all.

TBH, I’ve never done any legit rock climbing, but it’s been on my list of badass things to do since hiking in Sedona last February. I’m a teensy bit afraid of heights – and those red rocks are no joke! Crossing Devil’s Bridge (below) was legit scary, but I was proud of myself for facing those fears. I may look confident below, but inside I was screaming, “are you done taking the photo yet?!”.

I think it’s the fear or falling that gets me, but in the comfort of a climbing gym all you have to face is a giant foamy floor. A giant foamy floor! So, Jeb and I set out to conquer some (indoor) mountains on a Sunday afternoon for a little rush of urban adventure.

For first timers, First Ascent offers 3 different options:

1.) Bouldering Day Pass: $19 + $7 for shoes & chalk – the quickest way to get climbing.

2.) Learning to Boulder: $29, which includes a 1-hr class, rentals and a day pass

3.) Bouldering 101: $75 for a 3-week course with rental equipment and 3 day passes

We went with the “Learning to Boulder” class  for a hands-on intro before exploring on our own. Bouldering, as opposed to rope climbing, generally includes shorter routes called “problems” that require solid climbing technique to unlock the “beta” or series of movements to get you to the finish. Our instructor took the small group of us through various techniques (different grips, how to balance your weight) and took us on an adventure through a lot of the beginning climbs. The below pic, was not one of those beginner routes. Hello horizontal!

After class, we were let loose on the open terrain. A lot of the climbs looks easy in theory, but there was some serious core and balance work to make it to the top. Not to mention forearm strength. Nonetheless, our confidence grew and by the end, Jeb and I even made it up a level 2 climb!

All in all, we lasted about an hour and half before our forearms were screaming for relief. Seriously anyone can do this though. I would highly recommend – by the end , you’ll feel like a bouldering badass too! Check out this great indoor bouldering gym: First Ascent Climbing & Fitness.