Climbing For New Heights Of Fitness
posted in Home |By Alex Cox-Taylor
Indoor Rock climbing a technical perspective
So why is indoor rock climbing gaining in popularity faster then many other sports and why has this trend been consistent over the last 10 to 15 years?
As an exercise physiologist the sport of rock climbing is fascinating. Rock climbing requires full body integration, strength, flexibility, power, endurance and is totally addictive.
Climbing would be one of the most comprehensively demanding physical activities going and many people are flocking to experience the benefits such a holistic sport brings.
The Science
You can expect to burn approximately 7-9 calories per minute whilst climbing which is a staggering 420 -550 calories an hour depending on the intensity of the climb and your physical attributes. This is up there with a serious 60 minute run or about an hour and a half of weights work.
The clincher is the variety involved with climbing. Climbing involves so many movements and full body (kinetic chain) co-ordination. The result is, no two climbs are the same and there is always more then one way to scale a wall.
When you are learning to climb, (like me) you tend to put all your effort into strength and holding on. In fact so I’m told, this is the worst thing you can do. Climbing is all about technique and maximising your force production through body positioning. In Exercise Physiology we call this functional training. Through the use of your musculature in a smart way, a bio-mechanically correct way, rather then simply applying maximal force, you can multiply the ease of every day activities and drastically reduce your risk of injury. Climbing is highly functional, it is full body integration and challenges the mind and body simultaneously.
The fantastic message here is, climbing has it all. From core to power and flexibility, through to training your body to maximise functional ability. The physiology of climbing is something I have only recently come to appreciate. However I should have guessed that climbing was such high quality exercise I mean, have you ever seen an out of shape climber. I rest my case…………….Neither have I.