Go boulder with your climbing
Stephen Heard tries his hand, and his leg, at bouldering.
Bouldering is rock climbing stripped back to its skeletal form. There’s no rope or harness, just the climber, a dusting of climbing chalk and an uneven rock face waiting to be scaled. It’s often used in training to refine technique, practise problemsolving and improve strength. While you can boulder on practically any vertical surface, indoor climbing gyms provide dedicated bouldering areas at lower levels offering easy dismount and reducing the risk of injury. Bouldering is far more complex than climbing a wall. Established climbing routes are literally called ‘‘problems’’. It requires nimble finger work, meticulous planning and a lot of patience. Christchurch’s Uprising Boulder Gym is a dedicated bouldering arena that features several overhanging slopes and walls to be conquered.
A rainbow of different-sized hand holds await, with colours and markings advising the direction of travel and skill level. It’s suggested that most climbs start from a sitting position before migrating up to the top hold. As a warm-up, I threw the grading system out the window to climb to the top.
Even starting upright and reaching for the biggest holds was no easy task. It didn’t help that most of the lower holds appeared to be for baby-sized phalanges – retaining foot grip while selecting the next hand hold was the biggest obstacle. For this reason, starting from a sitting position was a lost cause.
How climbers manage to lift themselves up from holds no bigger than a gold coin is beyond me. Copying a sinewy climber, I attempted the purple level, which worked from one side of the wall to the other. Several moments were spent hanging aimlessly and draining crucial upper-body strength while deciphering my next move.
The overhang offered larger holds to dangle upside down and achieve a wicked rush of blood to the head. The challenge was retaining the upper body strength to actually move from the starting position. On completion my hands were chaffed and my ego was bruised. Bouldering is an exercise that not only keeps your body active but also your brain; it triggers problem-solving skills when mapping out routes, improves hand-eye co-ordination and challenges confidence. While you’ll likely feel that post-workout burn through your arms and back the following day, climbing is not entirely reliant on upper-body strength. The activity is equally demanding on the core and lower body, testing the endurance and agility of your lower half as you balance in precarious situations and attempt fancy footwork. In a controlled bouldering environment the risks are minimal. It’s suggested that you should have a spotting buddy on the ground ready to assist when you fall. Climbing chalk is a deterrent for slippery hands and crash mats should be placed underneath the climbing area when provided. Never boulder beneath anyone else and ensure that no solid items have been left on the ground. It’s a general rule that you should have three points of contact on the wall at all times. There are several rock climbing gyms with dedicated bouldering areas across the country.