Rock Climbing

Have you ever come home from school, did your homework and then had nothing else to do? Well, that happened to me once and then I tried rock climbing, and I have never been bored again! So, I think you should try rock climbing! Rock climbing is healthy, fun, and you can do it in during your free time! Let me tell you a little bit about rock climbing.

Here’s the first thing you need to know. There are two types of rock-climbing: Bouldering and Belaying. If you don’t like heights, then Bouldering is for you. Bouldering is when you climb low and fall on soft mats. But if you don’t care about heights, you should try Belaying. Belaying is when you are attached to a seat belt called a harness. In Belaying, you can climb high and if you fall, then that's okay because you will be caught by the rope that is attached to your harness. Once you get to the top, you will say “take!”, then you will be lowered to the ground. If you don’t know if you want to try Bouldering or Belaying, you should try both! They are both great ways to have fun.

You can do rock climbing for recreation, or you can compete with other rock climbers! I first tried rock climbing for fun, then I started competing. I suggest you try rock climbing for fun and then see if you want to compete.

Here are some nearby rock-climbing places you can go to. If you want to try Bouldering, then you can go to Seattle Bouldering Project. If you want to try Bouldering and Belaying, then you can go to Vertical World. I went to both, and I think they are both great places to learn how to rock climb. Seattle Bouldering Project and Vertical World also has summer camps if you're bored in the summer. This is the second thing you should know about rock climbing.

Finally, you should probably know what climbs they have and how to identify the climbs. First, climbs have different colored rocks; this is called a route. Follow the rocks that are the same color up to the top.  The top is the hold with two pieces of tape or the hold with a little top sign in a circle. You can identify the climb to see how hard it is by looking at a little square next to the climb. In Bouldering, the square might say V0 that means it is one of the easiest climbs you can find. Another climb you can find might say V4. This climb is harder than a V0, so you should not start with it. In Belaying, the squares will have lots of numbers that will mean different things than you think. So, you should ask a teacher what climbs you should try first.

Now that you know about rock climbing, you can decide if you want to try it. Rock climbing is a fun, and healthy sport to play, I think you should try it. Remember, have fun and enjoy!