THE ON UP

When Rotimi Odukoya got bored of the gym he built his own innercity bouldering community. Here he explains how indoor climbing can take your own strength to new heights

- Matt Ray

Rotimi Odukoya has the kind of physique that millions of men strive to achieve in the gym – which is where he started his strength journey. But somewhere along the way the The North Face athlete started to look for more than just lifting weights. That was then he discovered the sport of indoor climbing.

Bouldering’s combination of a physical and mental challenge, a sociable scene and a shared experience that helps you face your fears, was such a draw that Odukoya’s friends were soon joining him to climb. It prompted him to set up his own climbing community, Climbxr, which has many black members and welcomes people from all backgrounds.

So what are the benefits of bouldering, how can anyone get involved, and what are Rotimi Odukoya’s tips for nailing the technique? Men’s Fitness writer Matt Ray went to train with him, at Yonder bouldering wall in North London, to find out…

Social setting “I used to go to a gym in West London, but I’m quite an extrovert and the gym just felt very standoffish – like headphones in, no one really wants to talk. I just found it boring,” says Odukoya. In contrast, within 15 minutes of starting to climb together, he and I are chatting to a complete stranger about the best way for Odukoya to tackle a bouldering problem that he’s been working on for a few sessions, but is near his max strength limit.

Climbing culture is just like that – it’s such an engaging sport that you can’t help but strike up conversations to offer (or ask for) ideas on how to unlock a tricky section – and it never feels awkward.