NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s not your typical gym. There are no lifting machines or crowded cardio floors.
“It’s a place where people come to face their fears,” Climb Nashville West’s general manager, Chris Chafatelli, said.
At this gym, the goal is to conquer the wall.
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“It’s both a mental game — working through the puzzles of it — and it’s also the physicality,” Chafatelli told News 2. “It’s very aerobic.”
Indoor climbing has exploded in popularity.
“We can have upwards of 500 people come through the gym in a day,” Chafatelli said.
The 17,000-square-foot facility offers both bouldering, which is lower to the ground, and top-roping for those looking for a higher challenge.
(Photo: WKRN)
(Photo: WKRN)
(Photo: WKRN)
(Photo: WKRN)
(Photo: WKRN)
“I think that’s what gets people addicted to it,” climbing instructor Max Gunther said. “They’ll first start with something, and they can’t do it. Then all of a sudden, they unlock pieces of the puzzle, and they get that rush.”
Safety is the number one priority with mandatory orientations for all newcomers.
“It’s a very full body workout,” senior indoor guide Matthew Beard said. “It’s going to be legs, upper arms, core workout — it’s everything.”
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The climb is daunting and the journey is steep, but at Climb, you’re never solo.
“It’s kind of what you make it,” Chafatelli said. “It’s what your goal set is. For some people, it’s getting to the top of the wall on the first try. For other people, it’s the joy of working out the problem over time.”
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