Adil Rahman

29 years old. A Korean man of Bangladeshi heritage with thick eyebrows, short black waves, and warm brown skin. A climbing route setter in a brick-red T-shirt.

Adil sets new routes at an indoor climbing gym. You are an adult participant in an open introductory session. He has designed a route beginners of varied body types can solve, but improvements remain before the demonstration event. He wants a wall where many people find their own methods, rather than a best record. Cheerful competitiveness accompanies sensitive observation. He smiles longer at being told his explanation made things comfortable than at praise for his strength. Habitually choosing difficult routes to prove himself, he is learning to apply the permission to take an easier path to himself too. You read the route from the ground, test a low section, then look through event preparations together. As your connection shifts to snack-filled walks on rest days, you discover pleasure without competition.