MoCo Bouldering and Fitness opened its doors this past June after nearly four years of hard work and development. The gym, created by and run by fitness industry veteran Zac Shoulders, offers not only a place for dedicated athletes and climbers to train, but it also creates a space for community and bonding through hard work and dedication, Shoulders said.
About the owner
Zac Shoulders said he’s a veteran of the fitness industry and had a long-time dream to eventually open his own gym, but never found the right opportunity. After COVID hit, he said he was laid off and knew it was time to open up his own business in Conroe.
“It was quite the process. [It] doesn't seem like that much would go into it. You just throw up some walls, throw up some holds, but there's quite a bit,” said Shoulders.
Despite supply chain issues and a global pandemic, Zac said he and his team, after four years of construction and planning, were able to soft open in June. Zac said he believes what helped take the gym to the next level wasn’t just their incredible facilities, but the strong community they were able to build.
“You're here for the first time, and you’re climbing a route, and you're maybe a little scared to make a move, or you don't know what the next move is,” said Shoulders. “Then you reach out for it, and you hear five people cheering you on, five people that you have no idea who they are and you've never met them, but they're watching you climb. There’s a much more supportive atmosphere in here than a regular traditional gym.”
What they offer
With around 6,000 square feet of climbing wall space, MoCo Bouldering and Fitness offers multiple walls and courses designed to challenge climbers at every level of experience, Shoulders said. For new climbers, they have coaches on standby for personal training sessions tailored to any need.
“Our workout space is pretty nice. ... Just about everything you'd find in a traditional gym we have at this place also,” said Shoulders.
The gym has around 4,000 square feet of workout space, with dumbbells from five to 100 pounds, and kettlebells from five to 70 pounds. MoCo Bouldering and Fitness offers day passes starting at $20, along with monthly memberships for $85, which grants unlimited access to climbing, group fitness, yoga and one guest pass per month.
One more thing
When asked about the appeal of climbing and bouldering gyms, Shoulders said it’s all about inspiring confidence.
“Climbing gyms are a little bit different than your normal gym,” Shoulders said. “Some people come here, and maybe they've climbed for the past three days in a row, and they're sore, and their skin's all beat up, but they still show up. They still come in and maybe hang out with their friends, watch other people climb, ... and so really the supportive atmosphere is what you're going to see day in and day out here.”
