Climbing often looks terrifying on TV, whether you’re watching or a roped climber at the top of one of the world’s most challenging cliffs. But if you’re willing to invest time and effort into learning to climb, there are many benefits to the sport.
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Alta Climbing requires a balance of physical strength, technique, and psychology. Training in a particular style can be tiring, but even a physically weaker climber can use superior technique to out-perform a stronger competitor.
Climbing is a sport that demands an incredible amount of physical strength. It requires a lot of core, shoulder and arm strength to maneuver your body up a vertical wall with small holds – sometimes barely big enough for a fingertip. It also demands mental strength, as climbers must figure out how to ascend a route without being able to see what’s ahead of them. Those who climb regularly say it’s almost like a drug: Newbies get immediate heady highs and, as they continue to come back for more, their climbs become increasingly hard. It’s an incredibly addictive sport that brings people into its welcoming subculture and keeps them coming back for more.
The sport is split into different categories based on the level of skill and equipment needed to climb. There’s rock climbing, which is typically done using ropes and protection for safety, and freestyle climbing, which is a more technical form of the sport that requires the use of hands and feet for moving up a rock face. There’s also bouldering, which involves a short route or “problem” that the climber can scale with their own body weight alone. This style of climbing has become more popular than ever, with professional boulderers soaring to impressive heights in videos that have been seen by billions.
Another type of climbing is called top-roping, which allows a climber to enjoy all the benefits of the sport with the security of a rope. It’s a great way for beginners to experience the exhilarating sensation of scaling an intimidating rock formation and gives advanced climbers the ability to work out on routes that are too difficult to do bouldering.
The unique combination of strength, technique and psychology that is required for climbing means that anyone who wants to can excel at the sport. It’s a sport that’s been largely male dominated in the past, but women are beginning to outperform men at higher levels of competition, thanks to the courage and superiority of their technique. Climbing is a very versatile and rewarding activity that’s been shown to improve mental health by unburdening the mind from distractions and helping people to focus on the present moment.
It’s a Great Form of Exercise
Climbing is an incredible exercise that builds strength, endurance and agility, as well as requiring good balance. It also requires concentration and focus, which are great life skills to learn early. Additionally, climbing requires the climber to make on-the-fly decisions and commit to a plan. It helps develop the ability to problem solve creatively, which can help with maths and science in school.
Climbers are constantly challenging themselves by pushing themselves to reach higher and harder routes, which can be psychologically rewarding. The sense of accomplishment that comes with completing a route you’ve never done before can increase self-confidence and a belief in your own abilities, which is important for school children to have.
Despite its physical demands, climbing is actually less of a strenuous activity than many people think. It’s more about technique and mental strength than pure strength, which is why athletes can perform at an elite level even with a weaker body than their competitors. In fact, female rock climbers are increasingly out-performing their male counterparts. Thanks to superior technique, women like Alex Puccio and Sasha Digiulian are able to leave their male peers in the dust.
The sport of climbing is also a fantastic way to improve coordination and upper body strength, which can be beneficial for children with conditions like dyspraxia. It can also teach them how to follow instructions and persevere when things don’t go according to plan, which is a great life skill.
For those who can’t or don’t want to climb outdoors, indoor rock walls are a great way to get in a full-body workout without any of the hazards associated with outdoor climbing. These climbing walls can be found in a range of locations, including schools and fitness centres, and they’re great for all age groups and abilities.
Adaptive climbing is an increasingly popular pastime, with people of all ages and disabilities enjoying the benefits of this exciting sport. In an online survey of 17 adaptive climbers, all but one reported that climbing had “moderate to significantly” improved their happiness and self-esteem, while 13 out of the 17 said it had helped their flexibility.
It’s a Social Activity
Unless you’re climbing solo, rock climbing is always a social activity. It requires a partner to belay, or feed you your rope and catch your fall when you fail – and that partner can also help you up when you send a route. This teamwork and cooperation builds camaraderie, and is another reason why climbing is a great way to build a community.
Climbing also teaches you how to work in a team, and that’s a valuable skill to have in the real world. It’s an excellent opportunity for children to learn the importance of teamwork, and how to be a supportive member of a group.
One of the most valuable lessons you can take away from climbing is how to handle pressure. Whether it’s in the form of physical stress, or mental pressure, you’ll learn how to control and overcome these challenges. This ability to stay focused and disciplined will serve you well, both in the gym and in your life outside of it.
All six participants described how, over time, they had shifted their attention from their own performance to the mood of the climbing session and that of their partners. They often attributed this shift to specific events, called crucibles, that they had experienced. These experiences were moments of immense self-made pressure, frustration, and loss of joy that triggered them to question their inner motivations and to change their perspective on what was truly meaningful for them.
These experiences made the participants think differently about their own motivation and goals, and it seemed to have a positive impact on their behaviour in the context of climbing. They were able to find better balance between their supportive and egoistic behaviour, in particular by avoiding social tensions and finding optimal personal conditions for positive mood and atmosphere.
For example, one participant indicated that he deliberately chose to climb only with close friends of similar climbing grade levels, in order to avoid unconscious competitive pressure. Another participant indicated that he used “heavy weights” to balance his behaviour, for instance by allocating time into phases. He would then concentrate intensely on a project and make it clear to his partners that he will be more egoistic during this phase, while stepping back into supporting mode in the next.
It’s a Great Way to Stay Active
Climbing is a full-body exercise that uses all the muscles in your arms, legs, chest, back, and core. It also demands a high degree of flexibility, since many footholds are at the level of your shoulders or require you to contort your body to reach them.
Accomplished climbers ascend rock as though they are dancing, transferring their weight between each point of contact fluidly to maximise efficiency, creating and conserving momentum precisely, and using strategic hand grips and foot placements with incredible accuracy. It is this combination of physical challenge and mental focus that makes climbing so addictive, producing a heady high that leaves you wanting more.
Children who regularly climb develop a strong sense of achievement, boosting their self-esteem and confidence. They also learn to follow instructions, build their concentration, and persevere even when a plan goes wrong. These skills help them in school and life in general.
In addition to the benefits of being a great physical workout, climbing is a fantastic social activity that helps build community and encourages conversation. As with any sport, it can be competitive, but for the most part, climbers are very tolerant of each other. They prioritize collaboration, and many climbers will happily help beginners with techniques and strategies. They’ll talk about the route while they’re climbing and even go out for coffee or drinks post-workout.
Whether you’re an indoor or outdoor climber, there are a lot of different things that could go wrong on a given route. You need to be able to assess the terrain, find the best line of attack, and place safe protection for falls. This problem-solving and planning ability can be honed over time, improving the speed at which you can analyse a route and execute a plan of action.
Climbing is also an excellent recovery workout, especially for a sport like running or cycling that demands so much from the central nervous system (CNS). Performing low-intensity exercises like hanging leg raises can improve balance, core strength, and hip mobility while giving your climbing muscles a rest. These movements can also help flush out dead mitochondria and other waste cellular chemicals from the muscle cells, which will make your muscles feel lighter and more efficient for your next climb.