Brooklyn Boulders’ New Training Concept BKBX Is Offering Classes

Training room at BKBX / Photo by Tessa Yannone

If you feel a little confused about what Brooklyn Boulders is up to at the Continuum in Allston, join the club. The climbing conglomerate’s new training concept BKBX is almost ready to open, and now’s your chance to find out how it works.

Starting this week, classes will be open to the public before their grand opening party on March 1. You’ll also be able to walk through the recovery space and maybe dangle from a few of the neon bouldering holds on the massive climbing wall while you’re at it. Not all of the final touches will be complete, but you’ll get a pretty good sense of the concept, which blends together outdoor adventure with scientifically-backed and monitored programming. It’s truly nothing short of flashy.

Everything from the lights on the ceiling to the countertops in the bathroom look like something from a futuristic world in a land far, far away. But what they’re trying to do is get you to move better in all the things you like to do outside the four walls of the fancy, ultra-curated space, like hiking, skiing, climbing, or whatever suits your fancy.

And they’re going about it with some innovative technology. They’re using not only a heart rate monitor to track your progress and metrics, but also your rate of force development in what they’re calling your adventure quotient. While wearing the technology in class on a strap around your chest, you’ll be able to watch your metrics on a screen and be able to adjust your efforts in real time, with the idea being that you’ll be training with maximum efficiency and without unnecessary over-exertion.

Not only that, but if you prefer to boulder you’ll get to wear a wristband that will sync with cameras behind you recording your every move. When you’re finished, you’ll be able to play it back and watch what you might have missed, so you can adjust what you’re doing on your next go. This is like a full on lab experiment, people.

Even more, the classes just sound fun. There’s even an area called the monkey space—how could that not be fun? We got the chance to hang out with head trainer Whitney Meza and she showed us how to use the flashing lights that will be used in the skills-based class, which will help participants in processing information and coordination so you’re better able to think on your feet in high stress situations—like scaling the side of the mountain. Other classes include the foundations class, which focus on building strength, cardio, and mobility endurance and the athletics class, which will put those abilities to the test.

Each of these classes will be available to participate in all month long, normal class programming will begin after the grand opening on March 1. And afterwards, it would be a mistake not to pop your head into the recovery room where you can lounge in recliners while sitting in Normatec sleeves (giant air compressed suits), or relax in the infrared sauna, and even hop in the cryotherapy chamber for a minute (literally). And hidden in the cabinets are every recovery tool imaginable, including therapy guns, vibrating balls and foam rollers, and bands for stretching.

And to get the full experience, you’re really just going to have to try it out for yourself.

Drop-in classes are $33 or you can become a founding member, for more information and to sign-up: bkbx.fit. 

Monkey space at BKBX / Photo by Tessa Yannone

Front hallway at BKBX / Photo by Tessa Yannone

Recovery room at BKBX / Photo by Tessa Yannone

Climbing wall at BKBX / Photo by Tessa Yannone