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A friend had a milestone birthday and decided to invite people to a bouldering gym; I went. (She doesn't actually do bouldering. I think she and I both only had our first times bouldering when another friend invited a bunch of us to try bouldering on a whim a few years ago as a "yay places are open again!" thing, and this time was the second.)
Anyway, it was fun! My forearms are slightly cramp-y still, and the skin on my fingers is partially scraped off, but: worth it. The sense of achievement when you get up is gr8, especially when it gets to the tougher/more creative routes where you have to eel yourself around something or use a knee or something. I managed a bunch of 5/5+ routes and a 6A, and according to a more pro-climber friend of a friend who actually does some bouldering, this gym underscores stuff, so that a 6A is more of a 6B. Last time I went, at a different place, I only managed 4s and 5s. Improvement!
(If you're wondering how a n00b like me manages to do climbing so non-suckily, it's because I have above average upper body and grip strength, as well as flexible hips and enough core control not to flop around. Definitely lacking in forearm muscle endurance, though.)
Anyway, it was fun! My forearms are slightly cramp-y still, and the skin on my fingers is partially scraped off, but: worth it. The sense of achievement when you get up is gr8, especially when it gets to the tougher/more creative routes where you have to eel yourself around something or use a knee or something. I managed a bunch of 5/5+ routes and a 6A, and according to a more pro-climber friend of a friend who actually does some bouldering, this gym underscores stuff, so that a 6A is more of a 6B. Last time I went, at a different place, I only managed 4s and 5s. Improvement!
(If you're wondering how a n00b like me manages to do climbing so non-suckily, it's because I have above average upper body and grip strength, as well as flexible hips and enough core control not to flop around. Definitely lacking in forearm muscle endurance, though.)