Try rock climbing for a great all-over body workout
Most people’s initial reaction to the idea of rock climbing is pretty much the same as mine was – “No way!”, “I’m afraid of heights” or “I’m not fit enough”. Well I’m here to prove to you that you too can climb rocks, despite all those excuses, and it will actually help you overcome most of those self-doubts!
Rock climbing is more than just a hobby or a sport for most regular enthusiasts, it becomes a passion, bordering on obsession, where conversations exuding unbridled enthusiasm and filled with terms such as “crank”, “crimp” and “dyno” will make you wonder if you need to learn another language to get it.
With a fear of heights so great I’d quake on a Ferris wheel, and a weight-to-strength ratio rather not conducive to hauling my mass up a cliff-face, I ventured with some trepidation down to the local cliffs to give it a go. There are several clubs offering regular climbing trips, and most will supply all the ropes, harnesses, helmets and any equipment you need for your first few climbs. A quick net search will reveal other clubs available around your area.
There are also indoor climbing gyms, where all equipment is supplied, including shoe hire, and basic instruction given for around $20 to climb as long as you want. Here the artificial hand and foot holds are bolted to a wall and climbs are color-coded according to difficulty. If you go along you will need to bring a friend to “belay” you, that is; to hold the end of the rope and to ease it out as you descend.
Once you’re on the rock is when the fun really begins. Rock climbing is a lot like life, I have found. It’s best to focus on each move at a time, don’t look too far ahead, and never look back. Sometimes it gets really frustrating, as you cling there with no possible place to move to. You grapple around with your hands, cursing the rock for not giving you a decent hand-hold to use, whilst balancing precariously with your toes just held up by the smallest ledge in the rock.
“Where do I go from here?” you shout down to your belayer, the soul you have entrusted with the end of the rope you are hanging from. “Up!” they will reply. You don’t ask that question again. Your sole focus is the puzzle before you, “How do I get out of this?” and your sole reward is the sense of achievement when you find yourself at the top and the buzz that comes with it.
“Woohooo!” what a view from up there! You feel ecstatic, overjoyed and overwhelmed with feelings so good that your fears are long forgotten. And then you get to rapelle down. Although climbers say that rapelling is to climbing as reverse parking is to Grand Prix racing, it’s a fun way to end your climb and give those pumped and weary arms a well-earned rest.
Climbing is great. You’ll sweat, you’ll curse, you’ll ache for days, but it’s the good kind of ache that makes you want to run out and spend $200 on a pair of climbing shoes (because it really is much easier if you’ve got a good pair of climbing shoes) so you can do it all over again.
But, be warned – Rock climbing is highly addictive! But it will definitely get you extremely fit and gorgeous (just check out some of the bods in action!) It also cures insomnia, costs you practically nothing, and will improve your social life. So get to it!
