The651.com

A rock climber at Vertical Endeavors. (Note: I am fairly certain that I did not look this cool.)

Boy oh boy, am I ever sore today. My calves, my forearms, my shoulders—they all need a good rub down. But I feel like a rock star.

Last night my husband and I took a basic safety lesson ($30) at Vertical Endeavors (VE), an indoor rock climbing gym off 35E and Phalen Blvd. In two short hours, our instructor, Brian, taught us how to tie two necessary knots for “top rope climbing,” technical use of the climbing equipment, how to belay each other, and the proper lingo for communicating with each other as we climbed.

At first I felt like a bit of an idiot; I didn’t know all the rock climbing terminology and lingo that I kept hearing tossed around by other gym members. I didn’t even know how to properly put on the rental harness (turns out, it’s very easy). Thankfully, the down-to-earth folks at VE guided me into the rock climbing world kindly and knowledgeably. The idea of feeling intimidated at first feels laughable to me now.

In fact, it wasn’t long before I began feeling inspired. Looking up at the climbing walls around me, I saw focused men and women sprawled out Spiderman-like, reaching for the next place to grip, calf muscles taught, challenges being tackled. I was ready to jump in.

At the beginning of class Brian took seven of us classmates to a reserved corner of the gym, while VE members continued to scale the walls around us. After practicing the knots multiple times and learning how to tie the rope into our harnesses, we separated into groups to finally start climbing. My husband, another fellow, and I made a team and I took to the wall first, as my husband belayed me.

“Is my belay ready?” I asked Jeff. He checked my knots, then I checked his belay tool and carabiner to make sure it was properly locked, just as Brian taught us to do.

“On belay,” Jeff replied, indicating that I was safe to start climbing.

“Climbing!” I said to Jeff with a nervous smile.

“Climb on,” he replied, telling me that he was ready to belay. I stepped toward the wall, eyeing the holds, trying to figure out where to put my foot first, and where to reach next. This whole rock climbing thing isn’t as easy as the pros make it look.

“You can do it! You can do it!” Brian called to me as I was just a quarter of the way up the wall, gripping the holds, wondering if I could reach the next spot and propel my body upward with my toes.

With a bounce and a push from my right leg, I was able to just barely reach the next hold for my fingers. I did it! It’s amazing what a bit of encouragement can do. After a bit more climbing, I needed a break.

“Take!” I called down to Jeff, giving the instruction that he should prepare for my fall, or release from the wall.

“Ready,” he replied, readying the belay to catch me.

Then I let go, swinging into mid-air. The belay tool worked beautifully, holding the rope still so that I could hang from the ceiling rig and look around from my high-up vantage point. Then Jeff slowly released the rope through the belay tool, as Brian monitored our newly-learned skills, lowering me safely back to the ground.

“Nicely done!” Jeff said. With just those two-to-three minutes of climbing, my muscles already felt stiff. My heart pounded. What a workout! I thought I would feel stronger, considering that I regularly lift and carry a 25-30 pound baby around. Using my muscles in a different way, however, proved to be as invigorating as it was challenging. The focus and concentration required even brings a Zen-like feeling to the sport. We can’t wait to go back.

With over 18,200 square feet of climbing surface, including bouldering space, it’s impossible to get bored of the climbing routes (which they change frequently) at VE. Plus, there are over 60 separate ropes ready and waiting for climbers, whether you’re climbing solo and want to use the self-belay option, or are climbing with partners and want to top rope climb or lead climb. Next up for me? A few more practice climbs and then the movement and technique class!