What Is A Bouldering Gym And Why Does Lubbock Need One?

I heard a new term this week- bouldering. You may already be "in the know" but I certainly wasn't. And now that I know what it is, I absolutely think Lubbock could use a facility for it.

Bouldering is a form of free climbing that is performed on small rock formations or artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harnesses.

Obviously, Lubbock doesn't have just a ton of outdoor, naturally occurring rock faces for this sport- so what we really need is a bouldering gym. Beginners will certainly want the mats underneath them as well, should they fall.

There are places to do rock wall climbing, but those places are more focused on entertainment than sport and require ropes.

Texas Tech has a wall that allows for bouldering, but access to the Rec Center is limited to students, faculty, staff, and the people they "sponsor".

Bouldering doesn't require a tremendous investment from the athlete to get started. Climbing shoes and chalk for your hands appear to be the only real expense beyond whatever dues the facility would charge. Compared to many other sports, that's very financially accessible. And some facilities provide shoes to rent and chaulk to use.

Depending on the problem* you choose to take up a wall, you'll get an excellent upper body workout. It's also a good workout for your mind, flexibility, and coordination.

*problem, in this instance, means, "the sequence of moves that a climber performs to complete the climb"

Lubbock can always use more things to do, and I think the ability to climb in an otherwise flat landscape would be an incredible opportunity.