Hot Lava Obstacle Course: New Place in Austin to Hang Around

Editor’s Note: Hot Lava Obstacle Course has permanently closed.

When I was five years old, we lived in a small house with a detached garage. This garage had a tree growing next to it. It was my goal to climb this tree and get on the garage roof. What really ended up happening was that I climbed most of the way up the tree, decided to climb down, got scared and had my little brother get my mommy.

Later on, I joined the Army against my dad’s advice because I thought they had a cooler obstacle course than the Air Force (true story bro). I then missed the obstacle course because I had kitchen duty scrubbing pots and pans. Both stories came up in a conversation I had with Ben Broussard at Bennu Coffee. You see, Ben and his wife, Kate, are the co-owners of the new Hot Lava Obstacle Course. That’s right, I said “obstacle course!”

Why an Obstacle Course?

With a background in Kung Fu, gymnastics, and tricking (see: martial art movie fight scenes), Ben has experienced a lifetime of motion. Being inspired by events like Warrior Dash and American Ninja Warrior, he wanted to build a place where he could play without the running between obstacles. “Kate told me that if I were to do this, then I might as well turn it into a business,” he said. And that’s exactly what he did.

The actual obstacles are designed to be challenging and fun. On top of that, in the future, Ben and Kate plan to switch a few of them out for different ones in order to keep things fresh. “Don’t worry,” he assured me, “the lava pit isn’t going anywhere.”

Hot Lava Obstacle Course is an exercise in motion. Ben wanted to create a place for people to play, practice parkour, gymnastics, or a combination of the three. “There are no structured classes. It’s a place for people to come and go as they please and a creative way for them to get a workout.”

With the vast amount of boot camps and CrossFit gyms around the city, Hot Lava Obstacle Course is definitely taking an outside of the box approach to exercise in Austin. And since it’s indoors, there’s no need to fear the blistering triple digits of the infamous Austin summer…nor rain, nor snow. Aw, who am I kidding…snow?

No Experience Necessary

Hot Lava Obstacle Course does not require advanced or expert skills. “I am teaching Kate how to do a cartwheel,” Ben jokes.

I revealed to him that I’m not the most graceful person on earth. Ben smiled and assured me that there’s plenty of padding around the place. He wants people of all skill sets to be able to step through the doors, have fun, get exercise and improve balance.

Pricing for Everyone

Not only does Hot Lava Obstacle Course provide physical flexibility (physiologically and through workout options), but pricing is equally flexible. Day passes cost $10. But here’s the good part. It’s good all day long. So if you have to leave for a while to run errands, pick up the kids or whatever, you can always come back and pick up where you left off.

Even better is the tiered pricing that Ben and Kate have devised for their customers. If you intend to visit casually, then the day pass will work for you. If you want to use the space more often, perhaps a

• Monthly ($40)
• Quarterly ($110)
• Semiannual ($200)
• Or yearly pass ($380)

will better suit your needs. Like other tiered forms of payment, the lengthier the pass, the more you save.

This Saturday, June 15, 2013, Hot Lava Obstacle Course opens their doors to the public for the first time at 8303 Burnet Rd. Ste. #3 at 10 AM. Swing by and check it out! I should be hanging around myself (get it?).

What You Need to Know

• Come and go as you please.
• Tiered pricing is available depending on how often you want to visit.
• Group rates are available.
• Have fun!

 

@The_DT_Show asks:

Have you tried any obstacle courses or adventure races? Which ones and where?