Did you know that 57% of women voted rock climbing as the sexiest sport? We have to agree. Men and women scaling concrete and mountain walls with their muslces rippling is something to gawk at because it’s definitely not an easy feat. Rock climbing is an awesome activity that not only gives you a hot bod but also introduces you to a new community. More and more people are heading to indoor climbing gyms such as Camp 5 and MadMonkeyz Climbing Gym to learn this trendy sport.
Some people rock climb as a hobby, some others do it to work out, while some do it professionally. Then, there are people who go rock climbing for their own personal reasons. They use it to get over their fear of heights, to reach the peak of a mountain or to challenge their physical limits. Whatever your reason, there’s no denying that rock climbing is a life changing sport.
This indoor and outdoor sport makes you work for it not just physically, but mentally too! While rock climbing has its risks just like every other sport, most places have skilled instructors and safety equipment to make sure you’re climbing in a safe environment.
We give you 5 reasons why rock climbing is awesome for your overall health:
1. Builds your strength and endurance
Climbing utilises your whole body, not just your upper body as most assume. Rock climbing works out your fingers as you hold on to the rock, your core as you lift your legs to get to the next mounted rock, and your arms to pull yourself up stably. Your hands and forearms, biceps, shoulders, neck, traps, upper back, lats, lower back, abs, glutes, thighs and calves will get stronger as you climb more often [1]. And this all happens just from using your body weight and gravity.
Not only does rock climbing give you muscles, it is a great cardio workout too. Every hour you spend rock climbing burns about 500- 900 calories, which is way more than jogging [2]. Soon, you’ll be saying hello to your rock hard body!
2. Improves problem-solving skills
As you climb upwards, you have to figure out where you need to hold onto and where to step to give you a good foundation to reach your goal. Not all climbs have straight paths for you to climb on and this can exercise your problem-solving skills. Bouldering, a climbing form that teaches you to climb on small rocks and boulders without a rope, is one way to train your brain, concentration and strength [3].
3. Makes you happier
Tell me one person that’s not happy when they’ve managed to reach to the top. The awesome scenery, along with the sense of achievement and euphoria you will feel keep rock climbers going [4]. It helps to boost your confidence too. This empowering sport is also a great stress reliever because you will be so into the climb that you will block out the problems you’re normally thinking about [5].
4. Builds leadership and social skills
Even though this sport is all about one’s personal journey, it takes teamwork to make the climb because one should never climb alone. You will learn to build trust with your rock climbing partner and group as you learn the different skills and roles in this sport. Once you have developed trust with your climbing partner, you can be the ‘belayer’ aka the person who controls the rope tension and prevents the climber from falling if they slip [6]. These are important traits in building good camaraderie with your fellow climbers.
5. Great activity for children
You’ll be surprised how this adventurous activity can help children with mental and physical disabilities develop better self-capabilities and confidence, as proven by this study. Rock climbing can help improve their motor skills, social skills and hand-eye coordination too [7]. Some gyms offer special programmes for children during the school holidays, so why not bring your children to try it out one day?
This sexy sport is great for everyone who wants a total body workout that takes you to high places (literally). If you need an outlet to get over your fear of heights, this would be a great one because you are exercising at the same time. Always take safety measures before starting your climb such as checking whether your harnesses are secure and make sure there’s someone to guide and catch you below.
If rock climbing is not your cup of tea, check out other fresh ways to stay active.
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