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Intro to rock climbing
PETE GLADDEN
Pete’s World
Published: October 31, 2016
Have you gotten to a point where your current fitness routine feels stale?
Are dread and boredom beginning to replace the excitement that once spirited you through your workouts?
Well, this common dilemma is a physical manifestation as well as mental.
You see, your body adjusts to physical activities quite wonderfully, so well in fact that it can and will reach physiological plateaus. Then, no matter how motivated you are to get stronger, get fitter, get faster, when you do that same routine/same sport over and over, day after day, chances are your body kind of “stagnates.” That’s when you know your body is beginning to communicate with your brain, telling you to switch things up.
One such way to make that switcheroo is through cross-training, and I’m going to throw my own change-up at you for this discussion - indoor rock climbing.
I’m serious, it’s a fun, versatile and physically demanding activity that virtually encompasses all facets of fitness: cardiorespiratory, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility and mental stimulation.
So first let’s look at this little understood activity as it relates to the four fitness components I’ve cited above.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness: While climbing you increase your heart rate and therefore improve your stamina, just as you do in any aerobic activity.
According to a 1997 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the cardio demands and the energy consumed in rock climbing is similar to running between an 8- and 11-minute mile pace.
Muscular Strength/Endurance: Rock climbing challenges nearly all of the body’s major and minor muscles groups, from your fingers and forearms as you grip climbing holds; to your core musculature as you steady and balance yourself in a stable position on the wall; to your powerful leg and hip muscles as you step up, down and side to side; and to your chest, shoulders, back, biceps and triceps as you’re moving higher from hold to hold, pulling, pushing and grasping.
Flexibility: Climbing can help to increase your range of motion and flexibility due to the act of reaching for hand and footholds, which are usually at challenging distances from one another.
According to a July 2011 issue of “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,” the American College of Sports Medicine suggests flexibility activities should be done at least twice a week.
Mental Stimulation: Climbing by it’s very nature is a sport of problem-solving. It’s a three-dimensional chess game of movement. And navigating up the wall requires a participant to judge his/her individual abilities in order to complete the next move. It’s also a great mental exercise in hand-foot-eye coordination.
Still have reservations? If you do, I bet it’s these prevailing concerns: fear of strength deficits and fear of heights.
First, you don’t have to be overly upper body “strong” to begin climbing, because proper climbing involves more legs pushing than it does arms pulling. Good climbers, and I mean really good climbers, literally “dance” on rock walls.
And second, don’t let the fear of heights deter you. Almost all of us fear heights and fear falling, they’re two of the most basic human fears. You’ll soon learn to trust your belayer (climbing certified individuals who secure the rope to you and control your ascension and descension on the wall), gain confidence in yourself and test your mind and body as you acclimate to the height issue. Heck, you might even acclimate so well that you yourself will eventually learn how to become a qualified belayer.
Okay, I suppose the biggest question is how do you get started?
First and foremost you’ll need to find either a rock climbing gym or a fitness facility that has a rock climbing wall.
There you can rent equipment, get proper instruction and learn some basic climbing skills. What’s more, you can watch experienced climbers to better learn how to move properly and safely in a vertical environment.
You’ll also have access to rock shoes, harnesses, ropes and qualified belayers.
So there you go, spice up your tired workout routine with some indoor rock climbing.
Kendall Cliffs: 60 Kendall Park Rd b, Peninsula, OH 44264 Phone: (330) 655-5489
Cleveland Rock Gym: 21200 Saint Clair Ave, #B3, Euclid, OH 44117 Phone: (216) 692-3300
Rock Mill Climbing, Yoga & Fitness: 677 Carroll St, Akron, OH 44304 Phone: (330) 222-6419
LifeCenter Plus: 5133 Darrow Rd, Hudson, OH 44236 Phone: (330) 655-2377
Akron General Sports Performance: 4300 Allen Rd, Stow, OH 44224 Phone: (330) 945-3150
Pete Gladden, owner/operator of Excel Adventure, Sport & Photo, is a freelance writer and photographer who melds his passion for adventure, endurance sports and fitness with journalism. He's also an elite level cycling coach, an NSCA certified personal trainer and a professional backpacing, cycling and rock climbing guide. Pete can be reached at pjgladd@aol.com.