Who's the weakest upper body of them all?

Me bitch.

That was the first thought I had while hanging on a 10-meter-tall indoor wall in a very gecko position. They say you should dress up for Halloween, and I didn't realize it’d be this soon. At least not in a pathetic manner like this.

After running a mini-marathon 10k in August, I was seeking out other physical activities to try. I know, I caught a glimpse of reality that most stuff won’t be easy for me, for someone who's categorized as overweight. A year-long Pilates done, mini marathon done, so whelp, what should we do? I didn't think I was mentally prepared for pole dance and bankily (not even a real word) wasn’t ready for any water activities like scuba diving or free diving, those that could easily rip my pockets.

That was when I learned about Remind Climbing on Instagram, where they introduced me to their WomenOnTheWall events. I got to know the founder, Stephanie, who uses climbing as a tool to navigate stress, addiction, and to form resilience, which for me sounds incredible and interesting. She holds events like this for all women, both new to the field and experienced, and these are divided into indoor climbing and on-site events.

I remember vividly how I felt about the day, and just as much about the people around me. There was I, Stephanie, her assistant, and two other ladies—no, three. Two others were Thais, and both of their kids climbed here; one of the kids even had lessons with Steph.

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I was fortunate enough to act as a prompt translator to express the concept of training, which I still find highly helpful in any kind of learning, really. As most of us are aware, to build resilience, we have to step out of our comfort zones. The consistent, gradual learning curve will put you in a challenge zone, where growth actually happens. However, we also need to look out for the danger zone, where the intensity becomes so overwhelming that it doesn’t build us up, but it breaks us down. The constantly high heart rate, shortness of breath… these are signs that your cortex—the most intelligent part of the brain—isn’t actually functioning at its full capacity.

The gym that day was absolutely swarming with children, thanks to the Halloween season, and the humiliation of them doing better than I. Just kidding. Also, not kidding. But everyone in that lesson was so positive, supportive, and encouraging.

I learned so much. For example, being mindful and present with the steps you take, and not rushing to reach the top. Not relying solely on your hands to climb, but also learning to look down—really see the steps you’ve taken, not just the ones ahead. Use your hips! Let your lower body push you upward. Learn to take a break when needed. Learn how to fall properly. And don’t forget to breathe.

Also, there were jack-o'-lantern buckets at the top of every route filled with candies. Make sure to empty that to surprise the kids climbing under you.

Just kidding.

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But also not kidding. Greed got the best of me, I had so much candy that my lips turned purple. In the end, we all sat down to reflect on how we felt about the session, which ended in laughter and such understanding notes.

The stamps of this event? I bled in three places, and my body was wracked for a week. Absolutely worth what I learned, but I surely wouldn’t come back for more.

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And I came back for more.