The goal is to climb. The point is to have fun. The place is the Ann Arbor Rock Climbing Gym, Inc.
Located on West Ann Street three blocks north of Main Street, this facility, known for its friendly atmosphere, has become a popular hangout for University students as well as Ann Arbor residents who want to challenge their physical and mental abilities through climbing.
A newcomer can expect to shake hands with the owner, be licked by Bernie the dog, climb to the tunes of Bob Marley and leave knowing most of that day's climbers. Former Michigan MBA Cortland Coene opened the gym in 1993 and has created a place where anyone from a beginner to an advanced climber can feel safe and comfortable taking part in this trendy sport.
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| FILE PHOTO Some University students test their mettle by rock-climbing. |
The gym also has a 720-cubic-foot bouldering cave for climbers who want an extra challenge and a complete upper-body workout. Coene said bouldering is a bit more challenging for some than top-roping; since bouldering is side-to-side climbing, it requires certain balance skills. People aren't used to climbing sideways, so climbing vertically may seem easier because it's similar to climbing a ladder.
As far as exercise goes, Coene said, "rock-climbing is as much a physical workout as a mental workout. Physically you get a full-body workout, but mentally, it's like a game of chess." He said climbers must pick their route before they climb and imagine in their minds exactly how they are going to do it. Rock-climbing is a form of problem-solving because each route is set up so that each move requires a specific technique.
It is also very important to use the right techniques. In top-roping, for example, if climbers don't use the right methods, "your forearms will burn out and your fingers will just die before you reach the top," Coene said.
He said rock-climbing is a sport that people can perfect by either practicing on their own or by watching others climb and then sharing notes. It can also be a social activity, because often a group of climbers will suddenly solve a problem as they watch a climber tackle a specific route with which they may have had difficulty.
Kenneth Kim, an LSA senior who learned to climb about a year ago, said that when he masters a route, the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment he gets is beyond anything else. He prefers top-roping to bouldering because of knowing that he climbed to the top rather than going around in circles. "Climbing gives me a good positive vibe," Kim said.
Regina Zajia, a Rackham third-year student who has been climbing at the Ann Arbor facility for six months, said, "Climbing stretches my muscles and I feel great after." Stephanie Palmer, a Rackham student and longtime climber, said that the great thing about climbing is that it is one of the few exercises where she uses all of her muscles.
Coene said that climbing is an overall physical challenge for both men and women, but gender issues surface in climbing. Women are naturally better climbers than men because of their balancing abilities. Therefore they seem to pick it up much more quickly - that is, after they get over the initial trepidation of going up and down.
Men, who rarely seem fearful about climbing, tend to use their upper body to hold themselves up, but in order to be successful climbers, Coene said, "they need to unlearn to use their upper body and be reminded that they have feet."
Coene admitted that there is not much glitz to his facility, but customers like it and keep coming back because it is a safe, nonthreatening and friendly environment. When the Michigan weather turns temperamental again and students need an indoor activity, indoor rock-climbing is a great way to keep in shape until it's time to go outdoors again.
04-02-98
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