Rock Climbing Walls
Bringing Your
Fitness to New Heights
At
one time or another
everyone who visits a gym gets tired or bored by their fitness routine.
This boredom can quite often cause many people to climb the walls,
literally!
One of the most common items
being added by fitness centers around the country are rock climbing
walls.
You may have seen these walls at fairs, amusement parks, or
children’s
centers. They are irregularly shaped walls with small hand and
footholds
attached at various intervals up the height of the wall.
Looking at them than can
sometimes be quite intimidating because who wants to look like a fool
and
fall off the wall in front of the entire gym. However once you realize
the benefits rock climbing has, you might be willing to give it a
try.
Before you get started you’re probably going need to take a
safety class.
These are between an hour or two in length and go over the safety rules
and may include some climbing tips as well. The fitness center should
always
have an experienced staff member manning the ropes at the bottom (known
as a belayer). Should you fall off the wall (and you will at some
point)
the belayer slows your descent to prevent injury.
Most climbing walls will
have at least two difficulty levels, beginner and advanced, while some
may have three or four. Resist the temptation to go directly to the
advanced
and start on the easiest course. Most people assume that climbing a
rock
wall will only exercise their upper body muscle groups. However, as
muscle
soreness the next day will show you, it’s a whole body
exercise. Even people
with well developed arms, shoulders and chest muscles may experience
some
soreness, as these muscle groups are now being used in new ways.
Climbing
a rock wall is also a mental challenge, as you will have to negotiate a
path with the hand and foot holds to reach the top. Here are some tips
for people just starting out:
Use a firm but not overly
tight grip. Don’t grip too strongly to the handholds like
clinging on for
dear life. If you do fall the belayer at the bottom will slow your
descent.
Use your feet. Use your lower
body to help balance your weight. This not only gives you a better
exercise
but makes the climb easier.
Use you hips. By pointing
and shifting your hips in the direction you are reaching you can better
control your center of gravity and keep your balance.
Be calm. Your first few times
you are probably going to be very nervous. Let the belayer on the ropes
know you aren’t experienced. The main advantage indoor
climbing has over
outdoor climbing is controlled conditions that were designed with
safety
as a priority.
This article was written
by Allison Preston of www.Fitness-Web.com
. Fitness-Web.com is a website with reviews of popular consumer fitness
products and diet programs. Allison also publishes health, diet,
exercise,
and nutrition articles in her fitness blog located at http://www.fitness-web.com/category/blog/
Posted on: Monday September
11, 2006