Climbing Is My Happy Place
I have only been rock climbing since January, but it is already my favorite fitness activity. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I don't see it as a fitness activity.
Climbing is more like my happy place.
I love the challenge of each new route I try. Since I'm still not very good and most gyms change their routes frequently, climbing will continue to be challenging for a very long time. It is almost impossible to be bored while climbing.
Part of the reason you can't be bored is because you are very focused on solving the problem. Climbing provides mental as well as physical stimulation. That also means you aren't preoccupied thinking about how much you hate the activity and how you've only done two minutes, which clearly doesn't count as a workout. Those thoughts creep into my head every time I try running, for example. With climbing, I have to stop when I am physically exhausted, even though I usually have so much more I want to try.
There are a few different types of climbing. So far, I have only done indoor climbing. I have tried top-roping, in which you use a harness to stay safe while you climb higher, and bouldering, in which you stay close enough to the ground that a fall would not generally be dangerous. By far, I prefer bouldering. I think the routes are more creative, challenging, and fun. They usually rely more on problem-solving than on stamina, but that certainly doesn't mean they are easy. On top of that, I don't really enjoy heights, even if I am strapped into a harness. I find climbing a lot more fun without background fear, though I know not all climbers agree!
Speaking of other climbers, they are, for the most part, extremely helpful and friendly. My family's climbing journey started at a nearby college, and the students who staff the gym have taught us a lot. At other gyms we've visited, the employees and fellow climbers alike are generally willing to offer advice and encouragement. There are climbing competitions for those who are so inclined, but outside of those events, climbing is more collaborative than competitive, which is another huge draw for me.
This past weekend, while visiting a different city, we checked out a nonprofit bouldering gym. I was trying to help my husband figure out a particular route when a gentleman next to us chimed in. He showed my husband how to get set up, then he introduced himself as an employee of the gym. He later pointed out a "pinchy" route that he said was fun. I tried it but kept falling off just before the end. My husband and the employee also fell off at the same point. Another climber came over and told us how he has seen others solve it...then he proceeded to fall off at the same point. I know it sounds weird, but I was very proud of myself that I got just as far as they did. Again, climbing isn't competitive - we were all trying to help each other solve the problem, after all - but it also helps when I don't feel wholly inadequate!
Well, that's enough about climbing for now. I don't see my interest fading anytime soon, so I will probably have more to say in the future!
Climbing is more like my happy place.
I love the challenge of each new route I try. Since I'm still not very good and most gyms change their routes frequently, climbing will continue to be challenging for a very long time. It is almost impossible to be bored while climbing.
Part of the reason you can't be bored is because you are very focused on solving the problem. Climbing provides mental as well as physical stimulation. That also means you aren't preoccupied thinking about how much you hate the activity and how you've only done two minutes, which clearly doesn't count as a workout. Those thoughts creep into my head every time I try running, for example. With climbing, I have to stop when I am physically exhausted, even though I usually have so much more I want to try.
There are a few different types of climbing. So far, I have only done indoor climbing. I have tried top-roping, in which you use a harness to stay safe while you climb higher, and bouldering, in which you stay close enough to the ground that a fall would not generally be dangerous. By far, I prefer bouldering. I think the routes are more creative, challenging, and fun. They usually rely more on problem-solving than on stamina, but that certainly doesn't mean they are easy. On top of that, I don't really enjoy heights, even if I am strapped into a harness. I find climbing a lot more fun without background fear, though I know not all climbers agree!
Speaking of other climbers, they are, for the most part, extremely helpful and friendly. My family's climbing journey started at a nearby college, and the students who staff the gym have taught us a lot. At other gyms we've visited, the employees and fellow climbers alike are generally willing to offer advice and encouragement. There are climbing competitions for those who are so inclined, but outside of those events, climbing is more collaborative than competitive, which is another huge draw for me.
This past weekend, while visiting a different city, we checked out a nonprofit bouldering gym. I was trying to help my husband figure out a particular route when a gentleman next to us chimed in. He showed my husband how to get set up, then he introduced himself as an employee of the gym. He later pointed out a "pinchy" route that he said was fun. I tried it but kept falling off just before the end. My husband and the employee also fell off at the same point. Another climber came over and told us how he has seen others solve it...then he proceeded to fall off at the same point. I know it sounds weird, but I was very proud of myself that I got just as far as they did. Again, climbing isn't competitive - we were all trying to help each other solve the problem, after all - but it also helps when I don't feel wholly inadequate!
Well, that's enough about climbing for now. I don't see my interest fading anytime soon, so I will probably have more to say in the future!
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