Have you noticed the rise and rise of rock-climbing as a sport? Here are five reasons why climbing is the next big thing.
1 It’s a
real
total-body workout
If you want to get up a wall or rock-face, you’re going to have to enlist almost every muscle group in your body. Not only does it work and tone your arms, legs, hips, shoulders, and back, but it also engages your core on each and every move. Whether you want to get buff and strong, or toned and lean, climbing is the workout you’ve been looking for, while still being crazy-good fun.
2 It’s a natural spectator sport
The competition aspect of climbing has been growing at an exponential rate – to the point where it’s recently made the shortlist for inclusion into the 2020 Olympics in Japan. Even though the environment is super-safe, with competitors on ropes, and soft landing mats underneath them, there’s something almost animalistic about watching competitors battle it out – against the difficulty of the climb, against the clock, or against each other – and competitions are garnering huge crowds, who come to take in all the action.
3 It forces you to forget the world
A huge appeal (if not the biggest appeal to many) of the sport is how it’s a form of physical meditation. When you’re halfway up a wall in a climbing gym, or scaling a mountain rock-face, you literally can’t think about anything else. Your entire being is completely zoned in – focusing on where next to place your feet and hands, or how to shift your weight for the next move – and you’re completely present in that moment.
4 It appeals to almost everyone
The real beauty of climbing is that you can keep doing it for decades – with many only taking it up well into their adult life. Kids too take to it with alarming alacrity, so it can become a real family activity. It’s also as individualistic or as social as you want it to be. If you’re more of an introvert, you can focus on the fact that it’s just you against the wall; and if you’re more of a social animal, you’ll find that the climbing community is inherently welcoming and full of friendly, laid-back characters.
5 It feeds your need to achieve
Psychologists have settled on one theory why climbing inspires such passion in so many, and that’s because it feeds one of our most important needs: Self-actualisation. When climbing, you have the chance to actually set a tangible target and achieve it – it’s clear for all to see when you top out on a route, or finish a tough climb. This is bolstered by the fact that you’ve not only conquered your own limitations, but something much more profound. You’ve beaten gravity.
Want to give climbing a try? Just email [email protected] with ‘ GLAMOUR Time’ in the subject line, to get 50% off an Intro Course at any HangTime Gym, and free gear rental with your first day pass.
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