4 Health Benefits of Rock Climbing You Need to Know

Take a trip to your local crag a look around at the climbers that are there. You’re likely to see men, women, and children of all ages who share a similar body style – they’re mostly all relatively slim in build.

Now go talk to some of them. They all are likely going to be very friendly and outgoing, happy to talk about their favorite sport and answer any of your questions if you are a beginner.

Why is this? It’s because rock climbing is one of the very best sports for maintaining a healthy body and mind.

Here are just a few of the many physical and mental health benefits that rock climbing offers.

Rock Climbing Works Out Your Whole Body

Reach up to a jug with your right arm. Next, hook onto an undercling with your left hand. Now work your feet up. Work your way up a route by repeating that progression and you’re sure to feel it in every part of your body.

This is because rock climbing is one of the best sports for working out every muscle in your body.  You’ll work out your back and biceps with some heavy pulling on jugs and underclings.

Send a climb with a ton of pinches, pockets, and slopers and you’ll quickly feel the pump in your forearms.

Now go for one with a bunch of side pulls and feel the burn in your chest.

If any of these climbs include working your feet up small edge after small edge, you’ll be quick to feel the fatigue set in. For any type of climb, you’ll need to keep your body steady in a variety of different positions. This is where you’ll quickly strengthen your core.

Rock Climbing Is as Much Mental as It Is Physical

Climbing doesn’t only have a phenomenal effect on your body, it has great benefits on your mind, as well.

There’s a reason why climbers call the route they’re working on “problems.” This is because, just like solving a math problem or a puzzle, they have to figure out just the right moves to make at just the right time while maintaining just the right body position.

The technical aspect of constantly having to decide on the best placement for your hands, feet, and rest of your body keeps your brain’s processing power in tip-top shape.

Rock Climbing Will Also Boost Your Self-Esteem

Another great benefit of rock climbing as it regards your mental health is how it can quickly boost your self-esteem. The potential for fear in climbing is obvious; fear of falling, fear of heights, fear of failure. These are all quite common.

However, as you push yourself to trust your gear and conquer climbs of increasing height and difficulty, you’ll feel an incredible sense of accomplishment. And you should!

In the rock climbing world, you’ll also be surrounded by positive people who will keep motivating you in this direction, further building your confidence.

Choose the Right Gear and Feed Your Hobby

Getting into great shape through a whole lot of rock climbing practice isn’t the only way to improve your health.

Eating right and keeping safe and avoiding injuries by choosing the right gear will also help you to be better and climb with greater confidence.

Check out what we have to offer and become the best climber you can be the next time you hit the crag.