It is said timing is everything and when Auckland Climbing Gym (ACG) opened on 1 October 2023, there were lines of people out the door ready to join. Its popularity exceeded expectations for father and son team Abbas and Sam Shahroodi, who say they didn’t even have a sign, let alone any advertising. The word of mouth was so strong because bouldering is having its day in the sun. After the sport exploded throughout Europe and North America, it has caught on here and Auckland Climbing Gym is busy catering to the demand.

To differentiate from other climbing gyms, ACG is a bouldering-only gym with climbs that are, at most, 4.5 metres. There is no need for ropes or belays. Beginners can show up with nothing and give it a go – shoes and chalk, the only two requirements for bouldering, are available for rent.

Tucked away inside the lower floor of a commercial building at 135 Newton Road, the business occupies the space next to gym powerhouse Ludus Magnus. Abbas puts some of the early success down to 35 free car parks, but also adds that many residents in the area walk, bike or scooter to the gym. The proximity to the university is a bonus as the sport catches on with uni students.

Sam Shahroodi, 24, says his dad climbed with his brothers back in Iran. Outside Tehran is a huge mountainous area where he would catch the local bus to hike and climb. When Abbas arrived in New Zealand, Mt Eden quarry became his go-to out- door climbing destination. Sam says as a one-year-old, his dad would take him and his siblings for hikes high up into the mountains. At times his mother was terrified, but Sam says they were always in safe hands with the experienced Abbas. 

“Dad was always outdoorsy and he taught me to climb. Initially, like any other kid, I would climb like a monkey up any tree or surface, until one day we spotted a complex rock face. Dad had a bunch of gear in the back of his car – a rope, two carabiners, no harness – and that’s when I was exposed to a more serious aspect of climbing, where he was in his element and I relied on his expertise. He coached me on the subtleties, to climb lighter, to get closer to the rock, lots of tips and tricks. I started to understand what it took to do it well.”

After that trip, Sam caught the bug and began regularly climbing all the gyms in Auckland. Abbas and Sam spied a gap for an inner-city climbing gym, meaning they didn’t have to travel too far for their own climbs.

Sam explains that bouldering ticks a lot of boxes for people. “You get a full-body work -out without the repetitiveness of traditional workouts, it challenges your mind and you become part of the climbing community.

“A big part of climbing is the puzzle solving – you look at the horizontal wall and you have to climb one colour, but sometimes at first glance, you’ll see them all spread apart and it looks almost impossible to get up the wall. But then as you learn the different movements and holds, it just becomes a puzzle to solve.”

Sam says the gym has been well designed, with different climbs available for each difficulty and part of the gym’s success is having a fresh weekly challenge for the climbers.

“We do new routes every week, our route setter has over 30 years of experience in the industry. And the feedback from people is that the new routes here are fun and interesting.”

If you’re a beginner, the gym has you covered, Sam says. “There is always someone from the team here to give instructions to beginners and we include free coaching for your first few sessions.”

He says it’s also the place for advanced climbers who might be after a technical traditional outdoor climb. The sport is growing rapidly and Sam says he expects a few years of growth ahead. “I think people are noticing it’s a good activity for fitness.” 

Abbas Shahroodi has been a climber for 55 years, having learned how to tie knots and climb at the age of 10 in Iran. He has been an Uptown local for 35 years, running Gamma Computers in the building he owns. Gamma Computers has now closed and the street frontage office space is up for lease. After work, Abbas would frequently climb in the now-closed Mt Eden Quarry, once the crucible of hard rock climbing in New Zealand with its infamous rock wall bordering Auckland Grammar and Mt Eden Prison.

The key ingredients to becoming a good climber, says Abbas, are “flexibility, being a good thinker and planner, believing in yourself, and encouraging each other”. 

Auckland Climbing Gym's top tips

Skill level

Any skill or fitness level can start climbing. A major misconception about bouldering or rock climbing is that you need to have good upper body strength. You don’t. Planning, thinking and learning the holds and movements all work together to enable a great climb. 

Watch and talk

Beginners can learn a lot by watching and talking to other climbers. If a route looks hard, seeing someone else try it or getting advice and feedback helps you see a move you may not have thought of. 

Listen to your body

For beginners, soreness is a sign to pause and rest. Allow a few days for your muscles and tendons to recover to keep your climbing journey on track. 

Stretching

Work on being flexible because there are moves that may require high legs or awkward positions. Loosening up and stretching first is a good way to stay safe and prevent injury. 

Try the harder moves

Even if a route looks too hard and intimidating, just try it. Maybe you won’t be able to do the whole thing, but you’ll get a couple of moves done. The learning experience of trying something difficult is invaluable. 

Auckland Climbing Gym

135 Newton Road

Eden Terrace

Phone: 09 964 4445

Web: https://www.aucklandclimb.co.nz/ 

Email: info@aucklandclimb.co.nz