Why Nathaniel Chose Shift: Community Over Perfection

When I was younger, I did martial arts and that was a great way to train you to think before you moved. Climbing forces you to be intentional with your movement, intentional with the amount of effort you put in. You can't pull too hard, pull too early — or else, you know, you're gonna pop off the wall.And I have always been a little bit too impulsive for my own good and other people's good. And that certainly got me in trouble and hurt a lot of friendships and has set me back several steps.Coming to SHIFT and being part of a community that was just like, "Okay, you're here. Jump in. We want you. We don't want this idealized perfect version of you. We'll grow kind of as you're here." That was a big thing that I noticed.

I've gone to other gyms in Michigan and outside of Michigan all over and I haven't really found a place that does like, "Oh, you're brand new. Let's get you in. Let's get you on some rentals and we'll walk you through how to do this." There can sometimes be a bit of a wall — and you guys have made a very welcoming door in that wall