Over the past few years, indoor climbing has surged in popularity across Korea, with new gyms sprouting up in urban areas, including Pohang. Climbing is enjoying a boom in popularity among young men and women in their twenties or thirties. The sport has especially become familiar among engineering students. There are even memes sarcastically making fun of how employees in Silicon Valley always list climbing as their hobby.

After trying it myself, like in the meme, I found myself falling in love with climbing. I was, sure enough, an engineering student through and through. Climbing was indeed an ideal sport for engineering students. Solving the problems in climbing with persistence and approaching them from various angles with creative movements is a lot like solving math problems. You keep trying and trying, experimenting with new methods, or exploring new routes. If you like mathematics, you will also enjoy climbing. It is just like solving math problems using one’s body.

Climbing is a branch of extreme sports that utilizes physical strength and mental effort. It can be broadly classified into three types: traditional rock climbing, sport climbing, and bouldering. 

In bouldering, climbers use physically demanding, powerful movements, balance, and techniques to solve climbs, commonly called problems. Each problem comprises a series of artificial holds, which are the hand and footholds on the wall. In indoor climbing gyms, the holds are color-coded, and you are only allowed to use the holds of a specific color to complete a problem. For example, if you are tackling a problem with red holds, you can only use the red holds to make your way to the top. Since bouldering problems are often no more than a couple of meters high, climbers typically climb without ropes and rely on crash pads when they fall.

The part of bouldering that I love the most is route finding. Climbers read routes before getting on the wall, trying to figure out an efficient route. Certain moves have advantages depending on a person’s height, reach, weight, and mental state. I like to paint a picture of myself doing a creative movement that solves problems easily, finding an optimized solution according to my given physical conditions.

There is also an indoor climbing gym near POSTECH called Ahtty Climbing. Ahtty Climbing is located next to Yeongildae Beach. There is a one-day class where you can learn the basics of climbing and start solving problems on your own. Even better, you can join the POSTECH climbing club, CLIMAX. Climbing becomes even more fun when you discuss the problem with friends. You would like to have discussions and share ideas with club members.

I also started climbing last semester, joining CLIMAX. The OBs guided me, and I have been enjoying my time at POSTECH even more. Every week, I have a friendly competition with the new friends I have made to see who can reach the top first. I recommend that students interested in climbing join the club without hesitation and give it a try just like I did. It is a great way to explore the sport enjoyably and experience personal growth and satisfaction.

Those who have been following my opinion piece over the past few years will be aware of my keen interest in outdoor activities that allow me to experience the cool breeze. I am planning to challenge outdoor climbing after this semester. I will be training hard at the gym, imagining the feeling of cold rocks under my hands and the refreshing breeze.