1. It’s fun!
The hole experience is addictive, you can totally get the most amazing feeling when you go. Its tiring but you come out with such an emotional high that the muscle aches the next day are totally worth it.
2. You burn calories!
The bonus when doing any physical activity is whether it will help with that cake addiction weight loss. On average you can loose 400 calories a session. I love that because it really helps me be motivated to keep going, I am feeling the benefits.
3. It’s social exercise
Every time I go climbing with a partner I end up talking to so many people other than my partner. You’re often getting competitive with a fellow climber, or working out routes together for people who get stuck that you forget you’re really exercising until that ache kicks in fifteen minutes after you’ve stopped climbing.
4. A mental and physical workout
Climbing routes are often called ‘problems’, because that is what they are. Each route has to be figured out and it really involved the brain. When you have an active mind, keeping it engaged when exercising is vital for the success of the workout. This mental and physical workout is perfect for that.
5. You can set great goals
Most of the climbing walls will grade each climb by number. Each week you try something slightly harder and if you cant get to the top of the wall this time you push yourself to try that one first next time. The great thing about not always achieving a wall in one session means you have great motivation to go back the next time and prove to yourself you can do it.
6. Its never the same
I am someone who gets board very easily when doing repetitive things. So I can only run with storytelling apps or by being in different locations, which is hard if your trying to squeeze a quick run in. So climbing is a great spontaneous hour of exercise. Yes you are climbing up and down a wall, but each route is different, every time you climb the same route you take a different path. The chance of becoming bored is minimal. Which is great for people who hate routine exercise as much as I do!
7. It’s easy to pick up and get good at
It really isn’t as hard as you think it is. As someone who has done little sport in my late teenage years. I am slightly overweight (i blame the stress eating) and get very out of breath easily. Since I’ve started climbing almost a month ago, I have always gotten better every week. I come out of each sessions content that I am improving. Which in itself is a great motivation to attend.
8. Theres no space in your brain for anything else
I find that rock climbing is great for my mental health. When you have you to spend that time thinking about your current problem (climb), you’ll probably find there isn’t a lot of space left for the negative thoughts that usually cloud your head. It improves my confidence, because I don’t have headspace to doubt myself and when I take those risks and they pay off it helps me leaps and bounds in everyday life. My confidence is improving, I’m less scared of taking a risk, its helping me become more confident, less anti-social and teaching me that I can trust people. That’s almost better than exercise!
9. Exercise of all forms
You will never be able say you haven’t had a workout after climbing. You feel it in every muscle and the first place you want to go is the warm shower to let your muscles relax. Climbing is a full body workout, cardio, strength, core and flexibility! You really do get that experience of doing every section of the gym and even in a 90 minute workout… time really flies but the workout doesn’t.
10. You can bring your friends!
Just because your friends have never been rock climbing, doesn’t mean you cannot bring them along! Thats exactly how I got into it, and now a month later I am signed off and able to bring more and more people into the fold. It takes about three lessons to get singed off in tying your ropes and belaying your partner without people watching you. Then you can go whenever you want. If you want to go by yourself there are auto-belay machines that mean you can go climbing alone if your friends are busy. I’d do every other day if I could…
abigailgrows 