Climbing Doesn’t Just Make Your Body Stronger, It Improves Your Mental Health Too

How indoor climbing affects mental health

Close your eyes and imagine standing in front of a towering wall with small, colorful holds, scattered around the structure. You look closely at the wall and start climbing up and up. Your every move is methodical, forcing you to think intently and control your body completely. This is a frightening activity, to say the least, but the benefits of climbing for your mental health outweigh the physical ones and you don’t have to be a master of sports to get them out. So the next time you feel anxious, scared, or just stressed from a hard day’s work, challenge yourself to get off the treadmill and climb up the climbing wall, because the view will surely make you feel exponentially more good.

Like many sports, climbing is great for your physical health, as you will certainly notice a definition in the muscles and an overall improvement in your strength, the more you practice – you will also get a surge of endorphins, which in itself is great.

But no matter how much we focus on the physical strength that comes with regular climbing, the benefits to your mental health are many more. Here are 5 things that happen to your brain and psyche when you start climbing regularly:

Climbing teaches you patience

Rome is not built in a day and unless you are a natural rock climber, the chances of feeling exhausted and super tired at first are very high. The thing is, the concept of rock climbing isn’t exactly complicated, is it? You slide on the harness and scale a wall with your bare hands and feet. In reality, however, this type of physical activity actually requires a lot of time and patience to build muscle and gain the knowledge that will help you climb the wall without a problem. In other words, the practice definitely creates perfection when it comes to rock climbing.

Climbing helps you overcome your fears

What are you afraid of? The fear of heights is something that many people experience at the beginning of their climbing endeavors, but when they learn how to overcome this fear, they begin to truly enjoy climbing. Moreover, once you overcome your fear of climbing, you will realize that it is just an emotion and you will begin to overcome other fears that plague you.

Climbing can help you overcome your fears on a physiological level. When you climb, your body releases dopamine (a reward hormone) and serotonin (a happy hormone), which together naturally improve your mental health.

Climbing improves concentration

Patience and concentration go hand in hand and both can be developed as you climb. In fact, one of the best things about climbing is that sport literally forces you to watch and consider every step and every move. There is no room for distraction here.

In life, this is more important than ever. Each of us is busy with many things, thinking about many things, and doing many things. This makes concentration very difficult and almost impossible. However, when climbing, it is necessary because you are constantly forced to evaluate the wall and analyze it to best assess what your next move would be. This puts you in a position here and now, which is extremely important.

Climbing reduces stress

Did you know that, among other things, climbing can reduce stress? You may be wondering how, since the sport itself puts you in a stressful situation? Of course, as you climb, your body is under incredible stress, but the more you go through that stress, the fewer situations in your life will really stress you out. In other words, rock climbing is a kind of reverse psychology. And the more stressed you feel as you climb the wall, the less the small stressful situations in your life will affect you.

Climbing strengthens the connection between mind and body

Climbing is both a physically and mentally engaged sport. With it, you are constantly confronted with puzzles that you have to solve – to collect seemingly impossible sequences and individual physically challenging movements. At the same time, use the upper body to pull the lower body.

Having a strong mind-body connection is also really important when it comes to your mental health. As already mentioned, your physical and mental health feed on each other, and if you experience a lot of stress or anxiety, eventually your body will respond to your hyperactive, nervous state of mind. Rock climbing teaches you how to listen to both your intuition and your body and shows you how to adjust accordingly so that you not only make the right decisions but also feel safe doing so.

Climbing for children – 5 ways climbing helps with children development

Climbing and children's developement

Are you looking for a new type of physical activity that will help your children become stronger and gain confidence? If so, indoor climbing may be the ideal solution.

Indoor climbing is an amazing activity for children and can be started easily if desired.

Increasingly, researchers are discovering the values ​​of one of the most important forms of play – climbing. We were born to do it! We are researchers, thrill-seekers, problem solvers, and above all curious. Something more. We don’t like climbing just because of the excitement and the challenge – there are biological reasons that attract us to it. Climbing helps children’s mental and physical development and has been shown to improve creativity, memory, and critical thinking skills.

If you are still wondering if climbing is a good sport for your child, here are 5 reasons that will convince you:

1. Climbing builds confidence

Whether you are a child or an adult, nothing increases confidence and self-confidence, like successfully climbing a 50-meter wall. This is especially true if your child is afraid of heights and combating these fears will provide the necessary skills to overcome mental and physical struggles throughout life.

If you are worried about safety, try not to worry too much. When your child climbs on a properly mounted profile, there is never a risk of falling or being hit. And in the climbing hall, there are always professionals who will make sure your kid is safe.

2. Climbing improves the coordination of the arms, legs, and eyes

Climbing is an activity for the whole body that involves every major muscle group. It also requires careful coordination – your child will need to look at the route and then determine how to place their hands and feet on the correct holds. This will develop the child’s coordination and analytical thinking – qualities that will help him as a grown-up.

3. Climbing increases strength, endurance, and flexibility

Since climbing is an activity of the whole body, it is a great way to improve overall physical appearance. Your child will exercise the whole body – torso, arms, and legs. Even the tiniest muscles in the body will get their workout. Endurance is also a big part of climbing, especially as children progress to longer and technically difficult routes.

4. Climbing improves problem-solving skills

Climbing is as much a mental game as it is a physical feat. When your child climbs their first rock wall, they may feel tired and exhausted in all possible ways. Over time, it will learn to choose easier routes and get up faster than before. Thus, he will develop the ability to find solutions to problems, which will help him a lot when he grows up.

5. Climbing is super fun for both adults and children

Show your child how fun physical activity can be by taking them to the climbing room! At first, it can be scary and difficult, but with enough patience and practice, it will learn to climb everywhere and have fun while doing it. In the climbing hall, he will meet other children, with whom the fun will acquire a whole new meaning.

It is clear why people of all ages love climbing so much. The same requirements and challenges presented on the climbing wall apply elsewhere in life – from problem-solving through consistency, to spatial thinking and memory. Therefore, if you want your child to exercise in a sport that not only trains the body but also takes care of his mind, climbing is your solution.

Climbing Techniques for Beginners. What You Need to know when you start climbing

Climbing techniques for beginners

Dо you know that to climb with ease you do not need strength, but skill? If you want to last longer on the climbing wall, get less tired and achieve more, you need to know the basic climbing techniques.

Here are the most important techniques every climbing beginner should know.

Techniques involving the legs

The legs are the basis of climbing. Many beginners try to pull themselves up the wall with their hands and get tired quickly. To avoid this, think of climbing as a ladder – do not pull yourself up, but use your feet while balancing with your hands.

The main techniques for using the legs are edging and smearing:

Edging is exactly what it sounds like: You step and hold on to the edge of your shoe. You can use the inner edge, where your thumb offers stability in smaller holds, or you can use the outer edge. Your choice depends on the direction you need to go to get in or out of the hold.

Smearing occurs when you don’t have actual support, so you rely on the rubber of your friction shoe against the wall.

When climbing, keep in mind the following tricks:

  • Try to keep your feet just below you.
  • After stepping on your foot, keep it still. You will have a better chance of staying in this position while considering your next move.
  • Keep your heel low to have more contact with the wall.

Balance techniques

When the route is easier and leads straight up, climbing is quite intuitive. When you have a route where you have to move and pull in different directions, you have to use your body to maintain balance.

When you need to hold a handle that is on the sides, pulling straight down is not recommended. In this case, you need to find a way to maintain balance so that you do not lose your balance.

How to maintain balance?

• Press your foot in the opposite direction of the download to create a counteraction;

• Pull in the opposite direction with your other hand or hooked leg;

• Lean hard and use your weight as a counterweight.

Efficiency techniques

If you want to get less tired while climbing and recover faster afterward, you can achieve this using the following techniques:

Keep your arms straight. Upright arms allow the skeleton to take most of the weight. This calms the muscles. Even a slight bend in the elbow means that the muscles work to keep it there.

Focus on your hips. Beginners often keep their hips square to the wall, which may seem very stable, but it puts a lot of strain on your muscles.

Try to keep one hip pressed up against the wall. This helps keep your weight above your feet and allows you to move forward with your arms straight.

Having a hip close to the wall brings your shoulder close too. Thus, the entire weight is in line with the legs, which reduces your chances of detaching from the wall and falling. The closed arm also changes the pulling angle of the handles, making it easier to grip.

Good climbers climb with their eyes. Keep an eye on the wall to look for holds that allow you to rest quickly. Don’t just focus on the markings.

When you find a good place to rest, use it. Allow your heart rate to slow down and then continue climbing.

If you want to become a better climber, you need to improve your technique and movement. And the best way to do this is to climb whenever you can (you achieve this is with an at home climbing wall). Learn the principles of movement and balance, and you will notice how you progress fast and get tired more slowly.

Climbing for beginners – what you need to know If you are a first-time climber

Indoor climbing. One of the most interesting and most famous activities for children and adults. Climbing not only helps you stay in shape and move (especially suitable for the winter months), it also helps you develop your concentration and coordination. If you’ve only heard of indoor climbing, if you have acquaintances who climb regularly, if you want to try it yourself, here are some things about this sport that are important to know:

What is indoor climbing?

As you might expect, indoor climbing is born from outdoor climbing. It is designed so that professional climbers can train specific movements even when the weather is bad and during the winter months. Today, this sport can be practiced by anyone, regardless of gender, age and physical appearance, and the gyms that offer climbing walls are more than ever. The main goal of the activity is to climb to the top of the wall without falling (although even if you fall, you will be held back by ropes). And if you’re wondering where the fun of climbing is, we give you an answer right away. The team of routers in the climbing hall creates the climbing route in such a way that every time you climb you face different challenges on your way to the top. Climbing routes are color-coded, and to climb a route, you have to use only holds belonging to that color.

Of course, this is not mandatory. It’s always a good idea to climb in a rainbow style, using whatever color you like.

Is indoor climbing safe?

Now that you know what indoor climbing is, it’s time for the biggest question everyone asks: is it safe? Although climbing is known for its extremity, the answer is yes.

Accidents happen and (as in many sports) climbing can cause injuries caused by overwork. But generally speaking, indoor climbing is actually safer than many other sports. Indoor climbing gyms are designed to eliminate external influences such as falling rocks, rain, and wind while providing protection systems so that you can climb safely without worrying about your health. After all, the biggest risk is in your hands. Every climber should make sure they feel comfortable with the systems and feel safe on the wall. As long as this is true, the risk of indoor climbing injuries can be minimized.

Types of indoor climbing

Bouldering

This is a type of climbing that occurs significantly close to the ground. The bouldering walls are between 8 and 15 feet high, and there are thick pads on the floor to cushion the impact if you fall.

Toproping

The walls of Toproping are high enough and this type of climbing requires more than just protection pads. Instead, climbers are protected with ropes that prevent them from falling off the wall. The rope begins to wrap around a beam at the top of the wall, with both ends hanging down to the ground. In most cases, this type of climbing requires a partner.

Lead Climbing

If you’ve been to a larger climbing room, you may have seen a section of high wall where no ropes are hanging at the top. These walls are dedicated to Lead Climbing. Unlike toproping, in this type of climbing the rope starts at the bottom of the climb. The climber ties as usual, but in this case, he has to attach his rope to convenient points located in strategic places on the wall.

If the climber falls, the rope attached to the last point will protect him from hitting the ground.

What climbing equipment do I need?

If you are a beginner, you need minimal equipment to bring from home. All climbing gyms have the necessary equipment that you can rent. It is enough for you to start. If you start climbing regularly, you will be able to see what equipment you need and then you can buy your own if you like.

What to wear while climbing?

Whatever you want, as long as you can move freely. Climbing requires a wide range of motion on both your arms and legs, so wear clothes that allow you to move freely and are elastic enough. It is also possible to sweat. Climbing halls are usually well ventilated, but it is worth wearing clothes in which you can sweat. Clothes that you would wear for other sports activities will do just as well when climbing.

Indoor climbing is an amazing sport that can be interesting and varied every time you enter the gym. Therefore, if you want to diversify your sports activities with something interesting, exciting and fun, climbing is a great solution!