Make friends and climb with your whole body through bouldering in BHive
The Bouldering Hive, A.K.A. BHive, is a bouldering gym in Ayala’s Circuit Makati. You’ll find a fun community, an assortment of gratifying problems to solve, and a unique way to climb up to your fitness goals.
First things first, before anyone starts to climb anything, you’ve got to know where the Bouldering Hive is. As mentioned, it’s in Ayala’s Circuit Makati, but more specifically, the full address is stated as Upper Ground Level, Circuit Lane, Circuit Makati, AP Reyes Ave., Makati City.
Now you’re in the mall, but what next? Believe me, my girlfriend and I went round and round that mall, asking multiple mall guards where it was. Each sounded like NPCs in an RPG game saying the same thing: to find a sliding door, turn, look for a particular guard, and ask him, then you’ll find the establishment. From what I’ve noticed, the security is well aware that BHive is quite a challenge to find, especially for newcomers. You can do the same or check their Instagram and see their “How To Find Us” highlight.
Going Back to Natural Movement
Now that you’ve found The Bouldering Hive and had your warmup after a lengthy walk in the mall, it is time to enter the playground for boundless adults. You’ll be greeted in the reception area with their rates.
Courtesy of The Bouldering Hive
If you’re going to BHive for the first time, I suggest a Single Entry Pass for PHP 650 and a pair of Rental Shoes (for PHP 100). You can also get the Intro to Bouldering course, which is an additional PHP 350 if you really want to know the basics. You’ll get a 1-hour guided session with an instructor, though this is subject to availability. This is all you need to know to start your bouldering journey. Don’t be shy; the staff are all friendly and happy to assist and get you climbing.
Put your stuff in the free lockers (tagged blue) in front of the comfort rooms. If you want additional security for your valuables, head back to the reception table to request a lock (with an extra fee). Get your bouldering shoes strapped and head into the climbing area, where your safety officer awaits you. The Bouldering Hive staff will get you back into the natural movement of climbing in no time with a guided tour around the facility, safety precautions, demonstrations, and explanations of everything you need to know, from starting to solve problems to falling correctly.
The difference between bouldering from rock climbing is that harnesses don’t bind you. With that said, you don’t have to worry. As scary as falling without a rope to catch you sounds, I can assure you that their very soft mats won’t hurt the knees when jumping down or the tailbone when you fall on your behind. Check out my video below for my first-time climb, guided by the safety officer. Don’t copy my antics and fall, then give the mat a Grappling slap and do a reverse roll. People might start looking at you for spreading the chalk around the air. Instead, click this link from The Bouldering Hive to prepare adequately.
The Only Problems you’ll Ever Want
When we hear or think about “problems,” we get a massive headache. In sports, we don’t consider them as “problems,” per se, but they exist. Have you wondered how to break the guard of your sparring partner in jiu-jitsu to go for a kimura? Or how to get your time down to the minutest of seconds to run your fastest on a track meet or race? As in spur-of-the-moment or as long-term as the problem unfolds, they are gratifying to overcome.
The Bouldering Hive presents everyone with a room full of problems. They’re split into different colors, so you know what you’re getting into. Green and Yellow for Beginner Level. Red and Black for Beginner to Intermediate. Blue, Pink, and Light Green (Or when I saw it, it’s more of a dirty white color) for Intermediate to Expert. Then, there’s Orange, a Wild Card, for those who love surprises and challenges. Lastly, there’s a wall where you’ll find competitive bouldering problems.
Starting at the beginner levels, you might feel a sense of ease and accomplishment as you quickly make your way up the wall. The holds are large and the movements are straightforward, allowing you to focus on your technique and form.
Moving up to the intermediate levels, you’ll start to encounter more challenging moves and smaller holds. You might find yourself falling off the wall more frequently, but the satisfaction of finally completing a problem after multiple attempts is unmatched.
Once you reach the advanced levels, the climbing becomes a true test of strength, endurance, and mental fortitude. The holds are tiny, the moves are intricate and require precise footwork, and the sequences can be incredibly difficult to figure out. It’s a constant battle between your body and your mind as you push yourself to your physical limits and try to solve the puzzle-like problems before you.
Regardless of which level you’re climbing at, there’s a certain sense of thrill and adrenaline that comes with bouldering. It’s a unique combination of physical and mental challenge, and the feeling of accomplishment after completing a particularly difficult problem is addicting.
(Personally, I finished a Pink one on the first visit/try. My girlfriend achieved until Yellow.)
The walls are littered with different sets of boulders to climb and a multitude of problems to solve. Take your time and look at each situation on-ground before climbing to strategize. The paths are set in colors, and you don’t have to worry as each one doesn’t need a particular solution to reach the top. To start, pick a specific color and its corresponding problem, then grab onto your chosen color’s starting point with two hands. These are tagged with stripes. Get your feet ahold of the same tinged rocks, and start climbing your way to the top! Take it slow, breathe, go step by step, and use your feet, legs, arms, and fingers until you grab the last boulder of the problem with two hands.
Teamwork makes the climb work
Bouldering is far from being a team sport or activity, but with the community built in BHive, it could be a second home for some.
They say when people go through a problem together, their relationships deepen. Don’t quote me because I’m unsure where I saw this saying or if it’s just made up. But I do believe in it. I also think this is why there’s a strong community within BHive. In this facility, I found random people commenting and sympathizing with me for having the same struggles with a particular problem. Strangers would see my girlfriend give her best efforts and coach her on how to solve a problem.
Don’t be shocked when people approach you to help solve problems or cheer you on. Shed all that introverted energy away, feel a little bit of that Filipino “Bayanihan” spirit, and pat each other’s back for solving problems, getting fit, and taking part of the BHive community.
The Bouldering Hive, A.K.A. BHive
Visit The Bouldering Hive in Ayala’s Circuit Makati, and get your back muscles formed. Use your arms and legs to lift yourself onto the top of the world when you achieve your goal.
More importantly, socialize with new friends, use your noggins to solve complex problems, and train the most major muscle, your heart, with a little bit of cardio.
The Bouldering Hive occasionally studies and changes the bouldering problems found within the gym, so keep updated through their Instagram. Don’t forget to book your slots (especially as a new timer) and learn more about them on their website. Get into more of their bouldering packages once you find that community in BHive and see that it’s the perfect fitness activity for you.
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