Be the Tarzan of the Concrete Jungle

Be the Tarzan of the Concrete Jungle:

An Introductory Guide to Indoor Rock Climbing in LA

Getting tired of the SoulCycle and yoga studios everywhere? Here is the most exciting solution to your next workout in LA: an indoor rock climbing gym. According to the latest finding of the Climbing Business Journal, the climbing industry has achieved more than 10% growth last year: 43 new climbing gyms opened across 23 states in the US – from Hawaii to Florid (Helt). With the recent announcement that climbing is recognized as an official sport in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, indoor rock climbing has become the trendiest sport right now (Corrigan). To become an indoor rock climber, all you need are a pair of climbing shoes to help you move around, a bag of chalk to keep your hands from sweating and a heart full of passion and curiosity. As an enthusiast who has been committing to this sport for two years, I am going to teach you everything you need to know about indoor rock climbing in this post.

What is Indoor Rock Climbing?

Want to experience the excitement of rising adrenaline but spare yourself from the hot sunlight and wobbling rocks outdoor? Indoor Rock climbing is the perfect choice for you because you can climb artificial rocks based on routes set by professional climbing athletes. From difficulty level zero (the easiest) to ten (the hardest), you are tasked to get to the finish point based on routes sorted by different color. Indoor climbing is like solving a giant puzzle with your body. Observation and execution are equally important in the process. The completion of each route does only require physical strength and flexibility but also demands a lot of brain power to figure out the most efficient solution.

The beauty of indoor rock climbing is that there is no right answer. As the famous outdoor adventure writer Jason D. Martin puts it, “climbing is a varied sport with many different aspects to it.  Not every aspect is for every person. Ultimately, the amount of risk that you choose to engage in within the sport is completely up to you. Indeed, the level of accomplishment you feel engaging in any kind of climbing is also completely personal”. Unlike other confrontational sports, the only competition is yourself. People can approach the same climbing problem by taking advantage of their unique physical characteristics, almost like superheroes discovering their own superpowers. It is probably surprising to you that the most talented climber in the world, Ashima Shiraishi, is a fourteen-year-old Japanese girl with a height of 5’1’’ (Paumgarten). The first time in the gym, you may find yourself climbing better than people who have climbed for many years on some routes.

(This is a picture of Ashima Shiraishi in one of the World Climbing Champion Competitions.)

What are the Different types of Indoor Rock Climbing?

There are two types of indoor rock climbing options: bouldering and top rope climbing. A wall for bouldering is usually 10 to 14 feet tall while the most popular height for top roping wall can us 20 feet, which is approximate to a height of the three-story building (Martin).

Compared to the top rope, bouldering allows more room for creativity and expression of personal style because the walls are often constructed in different angles, which increases the level of difficulty and excitement for routes.

(This is a typical wall for bouldering.)

For top rope climbing, there is a rope around your waist that attached from the top of the wall and a person who belay on the ground to protect you from falling.  In order to top rope climbing, you will also need to take an introductory class on how to tie safety knots and control the rope to cope with your partner’s movement.

(This is a typical wall for top rope climbing.)

In climber’s Bible Guide to Climbing, the expert climber, Tony Lourens, who has been involved in rock climbing and mountaineering for over 30 years recommends beginner in rock climbing get on the top rope as much as possible because it improves your mobility on the wall and lays foundations for excelling in bouldering. Fortunately, most of the climbing gyms in LA now provide professional classes and equipment that prepare you for both blundering and top rope climbing so you can choose freely based on your preference. 

How Do I Find the Right Climbing gym for Me?

Finding the right rock climbing gyms is essential for an indoor climber because the level of the climbing gym decides the quality of your experience. What matter to climbers is not only the challenging routes that hone your skills but also a bonding community you will become a part of. A climbing gym good for your training should equip with all of the following things:

-       Spacious room for practice and interesting routes to explore

-       Professional staff who are ready to provide you guidance and advice

-       Friendly and supporting fellow climbers to conquer climbing problems with you

As a member of the Touchstone Climbing association, with a monthly membership fee of $80, I have access to of its 12 gyms all over the US. Two of my favorite indoor climbing gyms in the Los Angeles area are LA Boulders and Cliffs of ID. The followings are their addresses:

LA Boulders: 1375 E 6th St #8, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Cliffs of ID: 2537 S Fairfax Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

(You can also find more information about the gym here: https://touchstoneclimbing.com/)

A Touchstone climbing gym usually opens from 8am to 10pm on weekdays and close early on 7pm on weekends. Tuesday night is the most crowded because that is when all the new routes are updated and climbing masters in town would gather and compete. If you plan to go at night like I always do, I recommend to always arrive before seven o’clock because the parking situation can be difficult sometimes. As a beginner, you will find Cliffs of ID the best place to practice and make friends because it does not only provide a large variety of routes both for bouldering and top rope climbing but offers free workshops for new climbers to solve problems together every Wednesday night.

What’s so Cool about Indoor Rock Climbing that I must Try it?

Here are some of the most powerful reasons for you to become an indoor rock climber:

-       Physically: Improve your health and help you keep fit

-       Mentally: Relief your stress and train your perseverance

-       Socially: Meet wonderful friends who bring positivity to your life

Indoor rock climbing is more than a fun way to exercise, but also a one-of-a-kind experience that will comprehensively elevate the physical, mental and social aspects of your life. As a person who climbs three times a week, indoor climbing has integrated as an important part of my life and has transformed me into someone new. It does not only help recover from my chronic anemia but also allow me to meet the coolest and most positive friends in my life. Whenever I encounter difficult situations in life, the completion of each route on the wall will always bring light to my day with the sparkle of accomplishing something wonderful.

(This is a picture of me and my climbing squad. We give each other support and lots of love!)

As a kid, I loved climbing up and down and explore things around my house. After I grew up, I discovered that I can find this lost naivety and happiness again in the concrete jungle by indoor rock climbing. I highly recommend this sport to anyone who is interested in leading a healthy lifestyle, getting to know wonderful human beings and exploring something edgy and new.

Work Cited

Helt, Mike, et al. “Gym and Trends of 2017.” Climbing Business Journal, 22 Jan. 2018, www.climbingbusinessjournal.com/gyms-and-trends-of-2017/.

Corrigan, Kevin. “Climbing Officially Approved for 2020 Olympics.” Climbing Magazine, 3 Aug. 2016, www.climbing.com/news/climbing-officially-approved-for-2020-olympics/.

Lourens, Tony. Guide to climbing. Stackpole Books, 2005.

Martin, Jason. “American Alpine Institute - Climbing Blog.” Definitions for Beginners: Top-Rope vs. Lead vs. Bouldering vs. Free Solo, www.blog.alpineinstitute.com/2017/09/definitions-for-beginners-top-rope-vs.html.

Paumgarten, Nick. “The Most Talented Climber in the World?” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2017, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/01/11/the-wall-dancer.