And, Why I’ll Probably Do It Again (soon)
Let’s be clear, I wasn’t inspired by Free Solo to take up rock climbing. Honestly, I hadn’t seen the trailer for the documentary until long after my first climb. The concept of climbing El Cap terrifies the hell out of me. So, I’m sticking to indoor rock walls like the one at Fitler Club in Philadelphia (featured in this post).
But, the true question is “why the hell did I try rock climbing in the first place?” To answer that, we have to look deeper into what fitness means to me today.
SENSEBOOST GO SNEAKERS (YELLOW) – ADIDAS | Zip Tights – H&M | Stripe Tank – Puma | Black Running Shorts – Gap
Traditional gyms have become such the norm, there’s one everyone few storefronts in most major cities. Free weights, ellipticals, rowers and spin bikes have lead to a culture of everyone trying to get in shape, the same why. While there is a level of monotony to the fitness game, it’s encouraging to see putting in THAT WORK!
So, then there’s rock climbing. To be honest, when I dropped by Fitler Club and saw the climbing wall, my initial thought was — nope, not doing that while I’m here. But, I’m always looking for ways to challenge my body and more importantly, challenge my mind as of late. Then, I realized I was fairly bored with some of my workouts, so rock climbing seemed like a new way to activate my body and mind.
As a former athlete, my approach to physical endeavors is a test of grit, skill and practice. Grit and skill are something that I have charged up at all times, but, practice is something I don’t have when it comes to rock climbing. So, I took the leap and hit the wall as a confident novice.
What I Learned About From Rock Climbing
- It’s a full-body workout: Of course you knew that, but, it really pushing your physical limits. Hand grips are smaller than you think and the spacing really tests you to use your upper body and lower body in tandem.
- The Mental Game Is Real: I’m not afraid of heights, but, I respect them. Even though I was harnessed in safely, there was an aspect of “damn, this is getting pretty high up” and will I be okay.
- It Became A Form Of Meditation: rock climbing is one of the few workouts that I’ve done where I can only focus on the task at hand and not my other thoughts.
- Need to Work On Flexibility: No matter how strong you are physically being flexible will greatly benefit you. There were a few moments when reaching for foot holds (that were a bit of a stretch), I got reacquainted my hamstrings and hip flexors.
- Hand Strength: Yo, it’s the name of the game.
