Our Story

Founded By Legends

Synergy Climbing and Ninja is a collaboration between World Cup winner, world-renowned rock climber Lisa Rands and the first American Ninja Warrior champion Isaac Caldiero. The original climbing gym in Chattanooga, the legendary Tennessee Bouldering Authority (TBA) founded in 2000 by Luis Rodriguez, teamed up with these two athletes to help build the community and contribute to the project.

It was the rock climbing around Chattanooga that brought everyone together. On short visits to the area, Lisa Rands and her husband Wills Young developed a love for the incredible cliffs and boulders of the region and after a few visits over a few years they decided to purchase a house in one of Chattanooga’s “up-and-coming” neighborhoods.

Before long, friends were visiting too, and Isaac Caldiero was one of those friends. Isaac came to explore the bouldering—and to train at TBA between his appearances on the NBC show, American Ninja Warrior.

Despite its small size and tiny climbing walls, Tennessee Bouldering Authority had steadily gained a reputation for incredible route-setting, and for being the go-to location for serious climbers. Over about 20 years, the small gym had become the home of local bouldering, and the center of the fast growing climbing community.

The neighborhood location of the gym underwent change, and TBA needed to move. Climbers dreamed of building a state-of-the-art climbing center, while Isaac Caldiero wanted to develop his own ninja zone to bring his love of ninja to the area. Chattanooga, needed somewhere that serious climbers and athletes could congregate, and that they could make their home-from-home!

Ultimately, it was Lisa Rands and husband Wills Young who provided the driving force, founding The Synergy Project, and bringing this amazing gym to life!

Read more about Synergy founders.

Lisa Rands competing at The Front in Salt Lake City 2002

Lisa Rands changed perceptions of women in climbing by pushing herself on hard and high boulders, and by representing the USA with victories at major international bouldering competitions, becoming the first American to win a Bouldering World Cup in 2002.

But when the World Cup winner returned to the USA and was told that women could only win a quarter of what the men would be offered in the biggest bouldering showdown in the country, she stood up for women’s rights and refused to take part until, at the last moment, the organizers agreed to make the prize money equal.

Where would women’s climbing be today if it were not for people like Lisa?

As the 2-times World Cup Winner Alex Johnson stated: “Thank you Lisa for, not just opening the door, but kicking it in. For women’s bouldering everywhere… We are eternally grateful.”

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Image: A Rock & Ice article featuring Lisa was titled “World Domination” and shows Lisa at the competition mentioned above.

The photographer for Outside magazine thought it might be cool to have Lisa up in the rafters of the studio. She was featured in the magazine as one of the most talented women climbers of her day, after her immediate success on the international bouldering competition circuit, where she rose to the rank of number one in the world.

Lisa Rands, Founder of Synergy climbing at her gym

Lisa Rands rose to fame in the early 2000s with her National Championship win and with her ascents of some of the hardest boulder problems climbed by a woman. She led the field in women’s bouldering at a time when the sport was just beginning to boom in the female community, and made the cover of some magazines such as this cover of Climbing in December 2001, which included an interview with Lisa.

“We create our own limitations and sometimes we need that one person to surpass what we thought was possible. Lisa was and is that person—she showed us that with devotion and perseverance we can achieve anything.” — Joe Kinder, professional climber.

Read more:

Climbing Business Journal

City Scope Magazine article about Lisa Rands and Wills Young

Climbing Magazine Story and Interview with Isaac Caldiero

Chattanooga Times Free Press article about setting at Synergy

Synergy Founders Teach at University of Tennessee Chattanooga.

CaféBirthday PartiesNinjaBoulderingTBA TrainingStrength & FitnessYogaYouthCommunity & Wifi
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Café

Need a boost for your workout? We have locally made sandwiches from artisan shop Bread And Butter. Drinks, snacks, space to work. We also have an outdoor deck with a sweet view to Lookout Mountain!

Kid on Swinging obstacle

Birthday Parties

Book our ninja zone for a birthday celebration or group event. Burn some energy and have a world of fun with obstacles, climbing wall, warped walls, and challenges for every age and ability. Weekends only.

Jumping Spider Obstacle in the Ninja Zone

Ninja

Isaac Caldiero’s ninja zone is a state-of-the-art obstacle zone catering to all abilities with a kid-friendly area, climbing wall, warped walls, race lanes, and—for the ultimate challenge—Isaac’s Gauntlet!

Bouldering

Our main bouldering arena is an incredible 10,000 square feet of wide-open climbing zone with literally hundreds of boulder problems covering every style, at every angle, and every level. Plus: space to stretch and relax!

Kilter Board, Adjustable

TBA Training

The owners of Tennessee Bouldering Authority worked with us to relocate Chattanooga’s first commercial climbing gym, “TBA” to create Synergy. To honor our historic origins we built this dedicated training zone, capturing that legendary high-density setting style across steep 60- and 45-degree walls. We added a MoonBoard, an adjustable Tension Board, adjustable Kilter Board, and a massive campus board. Get strong: TBA Strong!

Fitness Area with Rig and Pull-up Station

Strength & Fitness

Workout with strength and endurance equipment including treadmills, rowing machines, free weights, climber-oriented fingerboards and rings.

Yogi Posing with lake and sunset in distance

Yoga

We have yoga sessions designed for climbers and athletes: Therapy for the daily grind, the effects of climbing, training, and pushing our limits. Free to members! Drop-ins welcome.

Youth

We host youth events and provide youth programs for ninjas and climbers. Entry-level clubs. Recreational teams. Elite competition teams. Read our rules for YOUTH CLIMBERS at our facility.

Spacious Gym, with Cafe Seating

Community & Wifi

Plenty of hangout space here—we literally don’t want you to leave! Connect to your own social network, even socialize with the people around you! Community event inquiries welcome.