BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

BLOC !! BOULDERING PROVIDES A FULL-BODY WORKOUT AND TESTS YOUR THINKING SKILLS. HERE'S WHAT WE LEARNT ABOUT THIS LATEST EXERCISE TREND (AND NOW OLYMPIC SPORT!)

- CHARIS TORRANCE

AS someone who only ever climbed a tree once as a kid, I was more than hesitant to try bouldering. No ropes and just a crash pad to protect you against an inevitable fall? It seemed like asking for an injury. But after the third suggestion that I give it a try, I decided I had to see what the fuss was about.

The bouldering gym Bloc11 in Cape Town offers a free beginners' class on Saturday mornings, so off I went. Manager and coach Tiffany Wells showed me the proverbial ropes.

THE INS AND OUTS

“At one stage, everyone was rock climbing, and then this thing called bouldering appeared, Tiffany says. A form of free climbing, you scale small rock formations or artificial rock walls. “The general idea is that you're doing a short, intense climb – essentially the hardest part of a long climb.' It's thanks to this intensity and physicality that bouldering has been growing in popularity among those looking for a fun and exciting alternative to their normal exercise regime.

Climbing involves the use of ropes to protect you from falling, and in bouldering, pads are there to protect you from injury. Don't worry: for the most part, you don't venture very high, which is also what makes it more accessible. Other than chalk and climbing shoes, which you can rent at most gyms, you don't need fancy equipment and knowledge of rock-climbing knots.

INDOOR VS OUTDOOR