Climb as much as you like is an attractive offer, especially when it only costs RM12. But SabahBah.com discovers that at the Sabah Indoor Climbing Centre as much as you like might be more than as much as you can.
Face The Challenge
I’ve always fancied myself a bit of a mountain goat. Mountain paths, rock faces, boulders, walls, roofs, you name it – as a kid I enjoyed climbing it all.
Then I read about Sabah Indoor Climbing Centre’s climbing as much as you like offer. So I made plans and imagined the entire day spent just climbing up and down the various grades of wall. Possible, I thought, because I do running-type sports 3 times a week and I’m fairly fit.
Turns out though, wall climbing is not about running, in fact, it’s not even about cardio.
Nope, wall climbing is about strength. Strength in your upper body, strength in your arms, and strength in your legs. I might be able to run, but apparently I’m not that strong.
Preparation is the Key
After getting a pair of hard, gum-soled shoes from the Sabah Indoor Climbing Centre guys that barely fit my big feet, I was up on a medium grade part of the wall strutting my stuff. It all went well too, until I got up to about 4m, 1m short of the top of the wall. My fingers started cramping.
Now there’s not a lot of muscle in fingers, so it didn’t hurt that much, but it cramped so hard I couldn’t release my grip from the wall. There I was, stuck; legs and arms in precarious positions, tiring quickly.
After a few failed attempts I eventually managed to pry my cramped fingers from the hold, but in the process also lost my balance and, hanging by the right hand, which was still cramped shut around the wall, proceeded to lose my footing.
Like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 2 I hung there, back to the wall, gasps coming from below where other climbers had been watching. Tom, unlike me, didn’t have a safety rope that would prevent him falling to the ground below though, so I knew I was safe.
I managed to swing myself around, regain my footing and pry my hand loose. But I was exhausted and couldn’t make it to the top. My belayer, the guy in control of the rope, gently lowered me to the ground where I recovered.
Although I felt very energetic, my legs and arms felt weak and I realised my climbing session won’t be as long as I hand intended. Although I managed to shake the cramps from my fingers, I only managed 2 more climbs up easier parts of the wall.
Easy? It is and it isn’t
“3 or 4 climbs are about standard”, said my belayer. “When you do it often then you can do more”, he continued, “but it takes some practice.”
Sabah Indoor Climbing Centre hasn’t been open that long, but they’ve already gained a loyal following of climbers who are at the wall quite frequently. At RM10 per session during the week and RM12 over the weekends, it’s a very affordable sport.
You can rent all the equipment you need at the the centre itself, although basic essentials are just shoes and a harness.
Ropes, chalk and even a climbing buddy / belayer, are provided and the walls cater to beginners and experienced climbers.