Big Boulder Bros BBB

Oh yes, bouldering—the quintessential display of athleticism within climbing. That’s not to say that the other disciplines of climbing don’t showcase incredible feats of athleticism; not at all. But, in my humble opinion, bouldering is the purest form of climbing. I, like many, began my climbing journey in a gym. A friend convinced me to buy a one-off 30-day pass on Groupon for Vertical Hold, a local climbing gym in San Diego. It wasn’t the fanciest facility or the newest, but honestly, who cares? It’s all about climbing.

I activated my 30-day pass, and every day I’d show up, grab my rental shoes and chalk bag, and muscle my way up the V1s and V2s. Everything beyond that level required a technique and footwork that I didn’t yet have. I came from a solid background in working out and calisthenics, which gave me the confidence to pull myself up, but only with my arms. I remember every session, my forearms would be pumped to the max, and my hands were sore for days. Despite the soreness, I was obsessed and loved it. I believe most climbers are slightly sadistic in some way especially those looney offwidth fanatics (jokes).

In the past couple of years, I’ve done less bouldering and focused more on rope climbing. However, this summer has been dedicated to bouldering, reigniting my passion for it. The amazing movements and the strength you feel while bouldering are unmatched. Yesterday was my first time bouldering outside in San Diego, and as always, I felt both humbled and proud. We climbed some cracks, tackled slab boulders, and even some very dynamic and gym-replica problems—my personal favorites. These gym-replica problems make you feel like you’re still in a gym, and to me, a climbing gym is like an adult playground.

Sometimes I wonder how different my life would be if I had never gotten into climbing. What would I be doing instead? Climbing has profoundly changed my perspective on life, making me feel like a child constantly driven to have fun while pushing myself to get better and stronger.