Benefits of a Bouldering-Only Gym
Bouldering gyms are popping up all over the country. These gyms have no rope walls and therefore take up less space and are often more affordable to open! Joining a bouldering-only gym can be the perfect option for new climbers looking to get started or experienced climbers looking to focus on something new. We've put together this article to clarify the differences and benefits of bouldering-only gyms! Read on to discover why a bouldering-only gym might be the perfect place for you.
Bouldering Gyms are More Accessible Than Traditional Climbing Gyms
The main differences between starting as a boulderer and a ropes climber are the required gear, people, and potential costs. While both bouldering and climbing gyms usually offer equipment rentals included in membership fees, there will likely come a time when you want to invest in your gear. Personal gear, especially shoes, can offer a more successful and comfortable climbing experience. While rope climbing requires a harness, shoes, and belay devices, bouldering needs you and shoes! While you'll probably want climbing shoes eventually, you can even start in tennis shoes to test the waters of bouldering. Because less equipment is involved, bouldering is often associated with a lower overall cost. In addition to not needing as much gear, bouldering also doesn't require a belay partner. That means you can hit the gym solo and not worry about finding someone to climb with if that's your style!
Because bouldering can be a solo sport, it requires less equipment and can cost less to start. It's a more accessible form of climbing for many. Additionally, suppose you're interested in climbing but feeling hesitant about the commitment of rope climbing or intimidated by the idea of being high up on a wall in general. In that case, bouldering gyms are the perfect place to start. Bouldering gyms allow you to get hooked without worrying about wall heights or the sometimes intimidating amounts of unfamiliar equipment that come with traditional climbing gyms.
Bouldering Is How You Get Strong
Boulderers are associated with more brute strength and dare-devilry in the climbing world. While no one is saying you won't get ripped as a ropes climber, you'll likely get there a little quicker on a bouldering-exclusive gym diet. Because bouldering walls are shorter (usually around fifteen feet for bouldering compared to thirty-plus feet for climbing walls), routes tend to have fewer, more condensed moves that require heightened strength and power. Not only is your body the only thing holding you in the air (that's right, no ropes to catch you! Hence the dare-devil status), but you're more often than not positioning your body in physically challenging ways that require you to execute moves with speed, power, and precision. That asks a lot of your body and mind, making bouldering an intense workout overall. This intensity is challenging, but if you keep at it while using proper climbing techniques and being mindful not to hurt yourself, you'll see those muscles grow quickly!
Bouldering Gyms Provide Skill & Community Building for Future Adventuring
Finally, a bouldering-only gym can be a great introduction to climbing, even if you might give those looming climbing walls a try down the line. Not only does bouldering offer incredible strength building that's super valuable in all forms of climbing, but it allows you to hone in all sorts of general climbing techniques before tackling anything else. You'll learn to grip holds correctly, place your feet, move your body and maintain balance, and pick up reading routes! You're also likely to learn more and more about the many types of climbing as you continue to hit the gym, which can be a helpful reassurance for those who know they want to start with bouldering but haven't yet decided whether they want to give other sorts of climbing a go.
As you meet new people and learn more skills, you may eventually find yourself looking to expand your climbing pallet! Having a foundation not just in your bouldering abilities but in your community can make this transition all the smoother. Starting with an all-bouldering gym will set you up for great success, and if the day comes when you want to adventure outdoors or to a top rope gym, you'll have your bouldering buddies check it out! You may all find a new obsession, or you should stick to what you know. Either way, you've developed a space to help you explore what you enjoy!
So, what'll it be? Check out your local bouldering gym today, and let us know why bouldering is your climbing style of choice!