I’m Too Busy to Try Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is gaining popularity with the fame of the movie Free Solo, the debut of rock climbing on the Olympic stage, and the rapid expansion of commercial climbing gyms across the country. Whether you’ve heard your friends talk about trying it out at a local gym, read an article about it, or have been interested in it for a while, you are at a point where you are eager to try it.

Rock climbing is gaining popularity with the fame of the movie Free Solo, the debut of rock climbing on the Olympic stage, and the rapid expansion of commercial climbing gyms across the country. Whether you’ve heard your friends talk about trying it out at a local gym, read an article about it, or have been interested in it for a while, you are at a point where you are eager to try it. However, work, kids, school, meetings, and a mountain of other things seem to fill every day and prevent you from having the time to make an outing to the rock gym. And so, you’ve resigned yourself to “I’m too busy to try rock climbing.”

But what if you weren’t too busy? What if there was a way to write it into your schedule? Well, there is, and it’s pretty simple.

While the best way to improve climbing is to climb as much as possible, that doesn’t mean you have to put in 2-3 hour climbing sessions five days per week. Instead, try using the steps below to fit rock climbing seamlessly into your schedule!

Step 1: Plan ahead

Many commercial indoor rock climbing gyms open as early as 6 am and stay open as late as 11 pm. Research gyms near you and plan to go during a time that fits your schedule. There is no need to stay at the gym for more than 45 minutes to 1 hour, especially if it is your first time climbing.

Step 2: Maximize your time in the gym

All climbing gyms have a waiver you fill out before you can climb. See if the waiver for your gym is online, and fill it out before going. Having it filled out when you get to the gym will make the check-in process much faster. Once at the gym, don’t dilly-dally or be shy. If you’re unsure what your should climb, ask a fellow climber or staff member! The climbing community is known for being kind and helpful, so they’ll be happy to point you in the right direction!

If you are constrained to a one-hour time limit, there are plenty of ways to get in a high volume of climbing. Repeating a climb multiple times, utilizing Auto-belays, or just taking minimal rests between climbs is yet another way to ensure you make the most out of your limited time window.

Pro Tip: As you progress with your climbing, you may want to increase your training intensity but are still constrained to one-hour sessions. It is still viable to train hard in one hour. There is a plethora of climbing training articles online for all types of training, but the main goal is to be efficient. If you know your friend will be in the gym from 5 pm -7 pm, consider going before or after that so that you don’t get caught up talking for 30 minutes instead of climbing. While catching up with friends is great, if you’re looking to maximize your time and fit rock climbing into your busy schedule, you’ll have to be a bit strategic.

Step 3: Find ways to make climbing a commitment

When researching your local climbing gym, look for postings about group classes or programs. Many gyms offer classes for all ages and abilities, as well as climbing groups that meet regularly. Find one that works with your schedule, and sign up!

Additionally, consider investing in a five or 10-visit punch pass (most climbing gyms offer them) or even a month’s membership. The monetary commitment is one way to ensure you find time to make it to the climbing gym.

Step 4: Utilize weekends and holidays

Weekends and holidays are the perfect time to dive into rock climbing. Many gyms offer discounted day pass rates around Holidays, and you’ll have extra time to try it out. Maybe your friend already climbs, and they can go with you for a few hours on a Saturday and show you the ropes (literally and figuratively!)

Step 5: Enjoy it!

When you finally try rock climbing and make it to the gym, don’t worry about the 500 other things on your to-do list. If you’ve followed all the other steps, you’ll have prepared well so that it will fit seamlessly into your schedule. And don’t forget, you’ve been dying to try it, so make the most of it!

Hopefully, these steps help you along your way to trying climbing, and if not, rest assured that the climbing wall will always be there waiting for you when your schedule clears up! But, be warned, once your start, you may get addicted and find yourself spending 3 hours in the gym just because you fell in love with the sport!

Let us know how your first time climbing was and if you’ve kept up with going in the comments below!