ROCK CLIMBING DEFINITELY gets filed under the ‘extreme sport’ category and if it’s travel insurance you’re after, be prepared to pay extra on your premium if you plan on doing it abroad.
But climbing walls in gyms are ‘the safest place in the whole of our club’, says Elizabeth Williamson of the West Wood Club in Dublin.
Westwood have climbing walls in both their Clontarf and Sandymount facilities and Williamson explains the surge in interest at the moment is unprecedented.
“Our climbing wall has been here since West Wood Club opened about 14 or 15 years ago and it’s really gone from strength to strength,” she told The42.
“Initially, indoor climbing walls weren’t heard of and I think this was one of the first in the city to be incorporated into a club/gym.”
“Here in West Wood it is not a standalone activity but part of the full club package.”
The appeal of climbing walls are many as it provides a mental as well as a physical challenge, it’s highly rewarding and can be done as seriously, or not, as one likes.
“It’s a real all-rounder,” continues Williamson.
“An awful amount of people think it’s for your upper body and if that’s the case then it means you’re not climbing correctly.
“It’s a superb core and balance activity but it shouldn’t be done by using your arms to pull but rather your legs to push. You’re not working one muscle, but rather the whole body.”
The climbing wall at the West Wood Club in Clontarf is 36 feet high, while their other one in Sandymount rises for 42 feet.
Possessing colour-coded routes from the floor to the summit, participants pick their way to the top, all the while being roped on so there’s zero chance of a potentially-dangerous fall.
“In the beginning we’ll say use all the colours but as you get more experienced you’ll progress to using only one colour,” explains Williamson of how improvement is measured.
“When you get used to using one colour and as you get more experienced, you might change to a different colour, so the different colours are all related to different grades of climb”
The grading is done on a scale between 3 and 10 with each grade containing 3 ‘steps’, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Padraic O’Flynn, 29, from Clare but living in the capital has been climbing outdoors for years and sees it as a brilliant way to improve his skills.
“I joined recently, initially because I’ve a keen interest in mountaineering and recently returned from an Alpinism adventure which completely inspired me,” he said.
“Rock climbing is a component that’s involved in mountaineering and it’s something I wanted to improve my skills in so I joined the climbing gym as a starting point in addressing.
“Interestingly, on the first time I went down my wife Niamh came with me and she absolutely loved it.
“She’s a lot better than me at it and it’s an activity we can do together, so it’s a really enjoyable activity for both of us now.”
Flynn admitted it’s taking time to master the technique but the benefits of it are already being felt.
“It’s quite hard and I’m getting fatigued because my technique is poor and there’s so much involved in it.
“The beauty about it though is you’re climbing beside people who could be the most experienced climbers in the country but you’ve the most low-level beginners.
“There’s a really nice atmosphere where you get a lot of advice and support from people.
“I find it fascinating because there’s so much thinking involved as well.
“You’re using your mind as well as your body and there’s a real sense of connecting the two.
“You don’t have to be strong for it and maybe that’s a misconception.
“If you’re not strong it doesn’t matter because it’s mainly technique, though if you are strong you can be a bit more dynamic in your climbing but you don’t have to be.
“So, it presents major challenges and it’s something I feel that with practice and work I can achieve my goals in it. Also, it gives me a good connection with my wife and it’s something we both enjoy.”
Williamson said it may take some people 3-4 attempts to make it to the top, and if you’re interested, they’ll teach you how to ‘belay’ or, secure the rope for your climbing partner, in other words.
Ciara McSweeney, 38, from Cork, has been doing it for years and still doesn’t get bored of it.
“It’s a thrilling experience to be up that high but always feeling safe and in control,” he says.
“When I first started climbing it was always mountaineers who did it but now you have so many different types of people from all different backgrounds; GAA players trying to keep fit in the off-season, women in their 20s looking for a new pastime, middle-aged men who want to get a great midweek burn but are bored of treadmills and spinning classes. It’s the sense of achievement that keeps bringing people back I think.”
For more information on West wood check out their website here