This was my first experience of climbing, and it gave me enough confidence to come back for more.
As you all know, getting around London isn't much of an issue for me. For those relying on public transport though, you'll be glad to know there are two Tube stations nearby, Aldgate and Aldgate East, and bus stops right outside the centre.
When I stepped inside, I was greeted by the receptionist, who turned out to be my instructor for the session. She checked me in and explained what I could expect from the course.
After a quick change, I met her by the gym area where we did a short warm-up. I've written more about that in the warm-up section.
The first thing that confused me was the grading system. Even after four sessions, I'm still trying to get my head around it. Different coloured holds represent different routes, which are then graded by difficulty. The beginner routes start at V0 and go up to V4, although I'm pretty sure it doesn't stop there.
She let me choose where to start, and I picked V1 using the black holds. Looking back, that was more than enough challenge for me. At times it felt like my hands and feet were holding onto nothing while I shuffled across the wall before eventually dropping off.
My instructor kept reminding me to keep my arms long and my hips close to the wall. It sounded simple enough, but it actually made a big difference. By the end of the session I was starting to get the hang of it. See what I did there?
Then we moved onto the big walls.
Oh my God, I was absolutely shitting a brick.
I'm not someone who enjoys heights, and knowing there wasn't much between me and the floor didn't exactly help. My instructor assured me that the thick crash mats below would cushion any fall.
I wasn't convinced.
Part of the exercise involved falling from different heights to build confidence and get used to the feeling. Easier said than done, but I gave it a go and, surprisingly, it did help.
Starting on a V0 route, the climbing itself wasn't too difficult. The problem was that by the time I reached first-floor height, the ground suddenly felt a very long way down.
My nerves were kicking in, my legs were shaking, and the only thing running through my head was:
"F**k, don't let go."
My instructor could see exactly what was happening. She talked me through it and explained how to get back down safely.
Eventually, my arms started giving up before my courage did. I forced myself halfway down, leaned back, and dropped.
I held my breath all the way to the floor.
Thank God that was over.
Or so I thought.
No sooner had I landed than she said,
"Right then, back up you go."
My immediate thought was something much closer to,
"Give me a break."
Still, I managed two more attempts on different routes. By the end of the session I was glad it was over, but at the same time I could already feel the climbing bug starting to bite.
Before we finished, my instructor spent a bit more time explaining different techniques and things to work on. It quickly became obvious that there's a lot more to climbing than just pulling yourself up a wall.
The best part?
Because I booked the £36 introductory course, I also got two weeks of free bouldering included.
Sweet.
I've already been back three times, and I don't think that'll be the last of it.