I started climbing a little over a year ago and it has since become quite a big part of my life. Just before my one year climbing anniversary, I posted my bouldering progress after one year videos on Instagram.
Here are my progress videos and how I got there!
Why I started Bouldering
Why did I start bouldering? I could lie and tell you it was about getting in shape – some drive to be fit and healthy. But that’s not true, and I like to be honest in my blogging.
I started bouldering for two reasons:
- I wanted some new friends. I’m 34, so the majority of my friends are married with small kids. Whilst I love those friends (and their kids!) but we don’t hang out that often anymore. I thought a regular hobby might help!
- I thought there would be hot guys in the climbing gym. Hey, I’m single, don’t judge!
Has that all worked out?
The first goal absolutely has. I have a fantastic group of climbing friends that just keeps growing. I’m not honestly sure how I spent so much time alone before.
As for goal #2… There are some hot guys in the climbing gym. The trouble is that I quickly discovered I liked bouldering, and so I spend the majority of my time staring at a wall…
(I did speak to two lovely, good looking guys at Yonder (one of my favourite climbing centres) this morning. I’m just pretty sure they were both a decade younger than me and I’m not sure I’m ready to cougar just yet!)
How I felt about Bouldering one year ago
My friends generally describe be as pretty outgoing and adventurous, and I guess that’s sort of true. But I sometimes struggle with anxiety.
To begin with, climbing did make me anxious. I’d never been to a climbing gym, I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know what to wear, I was scared of heights, and worried I’d look a fool.
Luckily a friend of mine wanted to come along and we went to an instructor-led induction at Rainbow Rocket. The coach was great and it was brilliant fun – despite us both being scared to reach for the last holds.
My friend ditched bouldering quite early on, but I wanted to stick at it so I joined the Women’s Social on Tuesday nights. I quickly made new friends and began climbing with them at the weekend.
It turned out we all had the same anxieties, and we’ve worked through them together – shouting encouragement all the way!
If you’re thinking about trying bouldering and aren’t sure, have a look at the posts I wrote on what to expect bouldering and what to wear bouldering.
Was I a natural at bouldering?
Hahaha! Make your own judgement 😉 Here’s me on one of the easiest routes on my second ever visit to a climbing centre. #terrified.
How did I progress bouldering?
How did I get better at bouldering? I kept climbing. Even when I didn’t feel like it. Even when I felt nervous walking toward the gym and could have happily turned around and gone home.
The Women’s Social helped. The first time I went, I got chatting to a girl named Ruth. She asked if I would go back the next week and I said I would. Then I had to!
We began climbing together on Sunday afternoons too, and we haven’t stopped.
Getting over climbing anxiety
After a good few months I was still struggling with the height and it started to really bother me.
Sometimes I couldn’t finish the climbs that my friends could do easily, and it made me feel bad.
So I made up my own game. In my game, I won if I got to the penultimate hold. Didn’t make it to the top? Great – I won my game.
I know it’s dumb, but it helped. It took the pressure off, and then I started to get better at getting the last hold!
I also began adding in another climbing session once a week. Not really to climb more, but to climb by myself. That way, I could try the climbs my friends could do over and over without worrying they would get fed up waiting for me.
The short answer is: you just have to stick at it. Even when you suck.
Bouldering progress after one year
So how much bouldering progress after one year of climbing? Here’s my second video. If you look at the second image on the instagram post, you’ll see the rating scale at my climbing centre.
White is easiest (video one) and pink is level seven (video two). It’s hard to know what ‘official’ grade this is, as my climbing centre uses its own grading system, but I’d say around a V4.
I had set myself a goal (which I thought might be unrealistic when I set it) to climb a pink route by the end of 2019, and I achieved it a few months early.
It felt AMAZING!!
And I reckon, with a little bit of work over a period of time, anyone could do the same. I’m not a natural climber, but I enjoy it, and it’s made my life better than it was.
Got any questions about getting into Bouldering?
As with all of my travel posts, I want to say that I genuinely LOVE being able to help people out and answer their questions!
So if there’s anything you’d like to know, get in touch – I promise I will reply!
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