Why You Should Try Rock Climbing

By
Dan J
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Rock climbing is a super fun activity that can be done indoors or outdoors. It’s super challenging mentally and physically—it takes a lot of strength, endurance, balance, and mental stamina. Here are three benefits associated with this challenging sport.

Cardio and Strength Workout

Rock climbing boosts your heart rate and builds muscle. It requires a lot of upper body strength to pull yourself up and strong leg muscles to balance.

Increases Flexibility

In order to reach the rocks, you have to be flexible and be able to separate your hands and feet a good distance apart.

Challenging Yourself

Fear of heights is one of the most common fears among people. Because you are attached to a harness when you are climbing there is a sense of safety, which allows people to conquer their fears.

You also see how far you can push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Once you have completed the climb, you can try more challenging routes.

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Five years ago, I was an eager music student looking for paying gigs and any opportunity to perform in Albuquerque. I was a newbie ski instructor and growing into being an independent outdoorswoman, following through with plans for solo road trips and multiday backpacking / peaks. I was trying to figure out how to be outside as much as possible while still getting good grades and working multiple part-time jobs. I wanted to go to grad school for occupational therapy. There were lofty plans involving music therapy and performance. I wanted to be good at everything. • • • • • Five years before that, I was a high school kid in Tijeras obsessed with musicals (especially Phantom of the Opera), trying to get away with shenanigans under my parents’ noses (it worked 1/2 the time 🤷🏼‍♀️) ((sorry mom and dad)), falling in love for the first time, being on the speech and debate team, figuring out if I believed in the religion I had been raised on, and exploring outside. • • • • • Five years before that, I was living in Virginia, playing field hockey, practicing my flute nightly, obsessing over Marguerite Henry books and Breyer horses, and spending time at the barn for horseback riding lessons and animal adventures while my big sister hit peak horse girl status. • • • • • Holy shit, it is strange to look back and compartmentalize life in five-year blocks. But despite all the changes, I think I’m finally starting to find my stride in growing toward the sort of woman I want to be. I’m 25 today. Not in graduate school, no steady 9-5 job, absolutely no plans for kids, a house, a ring, or any of those other things I’ve been told I should want. But I’m happy! It feels *really good* to know that. And I’m doing ok financially, figuring out this adulthood stuff as I go. More and more, I learn that most things will eventually turn out ok with hard work, honesty, persistence, and grit. Thanks for this shot and a great birthday thus far, Rhett. And thanks to my family for the never-ending love, patience, and support. I’m really glad to be here.

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