Climbing into a fit business

It’s hard to put into words the thrill of scaling massive rock formations thousands of feet above the ground, Tony Levy said.

Amazement, exhaustion — and a heavy dose of fear — are all a part of the sensation. And while most feel as if this kind of thrill can only be captured from remote mountain peaks accessible to a lucky few, Levy said locals will soon get a taste of this rush.

High Point Climbing and Fitness, a gym that began in Chattanooga, will soon open its doors in Birmingham off U.S. 280 in the former Next Total Fitness location. 

Levy, general manager of the High Point Climbing and Fitness Birmingham location, said locals can expect a little bit of everything from the facility. 

“Exercise, mental relaxation, stress relief — it’s a complete body workout,” he said. “It’s kind of addictive once you’ve gotten a taste for it.” 

Almost every inch of the 32,000-square-foot space will be used for climbing and other fitness activities, Levy said. Upon walking in, guests will be greeted at the front desk where a gear shop will also be located. The gym’s premier climbing room, which will sport climbing walls 55 feet in height, will be located on the left side of the facility.

“This will be our rope and route area,” Levy said. “We’ll also have at least six auto belays in here.” (Auto belays work by picking up slack as a climber ascends, and safely controls the descent when the climber lets go or falls.)

The climbing and fitness complex will also have bouldering areas, a kids’ zone and areas that cater specifically to weightlifting, cardio and yoga. 

The bouldering areas, Levy said, won’t have high climbing walls, but shorter heights that involve more advanced movements to navigate the structure. All areas, he said, will meet proper safety precautions to ensure climbers are as safe as possible throughout their experience. 

“We do our best to minimize the risk as much as possible,” he said. 

Because of the growing climbing trend, Levy said the demand for gyms like High Point have also grown in a short amount of time. 

“We felt like the climbing community in Birmingham was something we could contribute to greatly and help develop,” said Levy, who began climbing at age 14 and has traveled all over the country pursuing the hobby. “It’s developed so much and has changed with new technology — and I have no doubt it will continue to adapt and grow.”  

Along with day passes, High Point will offer memberships, which give full access to the gym’s amenities. Since climbing can be intimidating to those who have never participated in the sport, Levy said there will be on-site instructors who will give step-by-step guidance on how to safely scale the gym’s many climbing areas. 

“Everybody will go through an orientation if they’ve never been to the facility,” he said. “Once we feel as if they’re able to go about the facilities in the best manner, minimizing inherent risk as much as possible, they can go about it by themselves.”  

The kids’ zone, Levy said, will feature kid-friendly climbing and playground-style equipment where kids can navigate volcanoes, space ships, life-size spider webs and more. 

“It’s where we’ll be able to control as much of the chaos as possible,” said Levy, noting that parents must monitor their children in the kids’ zone. “This will be a place where we hope to eventually teach classes, too.” 

Party rooms, yoga classes and a cardio space will be housed upstairs, Levy said, and can be accessed with day passes and memberships. The cardio room will house treadmills, elliptical machines, rowing machines and Stairmasters, he said. 

Once patrons discover the health benefits of climbing — along with the mental benefits and stress relief — Levy said he expects Birmingham and the surrounding areas to catch on to the climbing craze. 

“The overall concept of climbing — journeying with others and enjoying the same passion and fear that it brings — is what we’re here for,” he said. “It’s a complete body workout in a way that you don’t feel like you’re working out while you’re doing it, then afterwards, you can’t hold on to anything or write your name or driving home because you’re so sore. It’s great.” 

For more information on High Point Climbing and Fitness, visit highpointclimbing.com.