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Humans have been climbing rocks forever. However, the trend has come back strong in the past few years. No one really knows why, but it could have something to do with more TV and movies about the sport such as ‘Free Solo’ (2018).

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Bouldering, a special kind of rock climbing, is when you go up against smaller rock faces with no harness at all. Although you can usually choose to use a harness and ropes or not.

▲There are a multitude of mental and physical benefits to rock climbing. In short, it can only add to your quality of life. If you are looking for a new sport or hobby to take up, you should seriously consider climbing for the following reasons.

▲If you cannot be bothered to create a whole gym routine, nor have the patience to carry it out, rock climbing is for you. As you climb, your arms and legs are under serious strain, your core is tensed, and even your fingers build strength.

▲Those sweet words ring true in this case. The average man burns 899 calories, and women 774 calories, per hour of climbing. It's more than a run, and perhaps even more than a gym session.

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You are in a climb or fall situation, so you will often find yourself pushing harder than you usually would. This is the way you build endurance and stamina, so all you have to do is keep going and you’ll become a superhuman in no time.

▲When you climb, you often have to reach far away from your body. This causes your muscles to stretch and become more flexible over time.

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Rock climbing is the act of scaling up rock faces. You can either do it in an indoor gym or on actual rock faces.

▲Despite all these awesome benefits, compared to other activities, such as running and weight lifting, climbing is pretty low impact. It is the sustained tensing rather than quick bursts, and the fact that you are climbing upwards, that makes it light on your body.

▲As with any exercise, it combats those evil stress hormones and gets endorphins pumping through your system. The combination of mental focus and chemical change means rock climbing can really help to alleviate stress.

▲If you do not want to fall, you have to use all your brainpower to figure out your path. The need to concentrate on one thing is good for the mind because it improves your ability to focus.

▲Often, when you are on the wall, you become so focused on the climb that you go into a meditative state. The world outside melts away and there is only you and the wall. This meditation has many mental health benefits.

▲Climbing is a sweaty business. As your muscles work harder, they need more oxygen, thus making you breathe more frequently. It ends up being an anaerobic workout, which improves your fitness.

▲By setting small goals in the shape of finishing a certain route or reaching a difficulty level, you feel like a success every time you go climbing. It does not always happen, but often climbing makes you feel confident in your body and your mind.

▲Firstly, in case you think it might be expensive, it's not. Climbing gyms are about the same price as normal gyms. Outdoor climbing is never that expensive either, because you do not need much equipment.

▲It is easy to get addicted to rock climbing because people always want to get that little bit better. As soon as you conquer a specific route, the next one is available straight away. Even those who are not competitive will probably become ambitious climbers.

▲Climbing is a psychological game as well as a physical one. When you're on the wall you have to determine the rocks to take, where to put your feet, and so on. It is a puzzle game that improves your problem-solving capabilities.

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Whether you are training in a gym or on a mountain, your perspective on the world changes. All your problems lie on the earth, but you can climb above them. The change helps you to see things from another angle, literally and theoretically.

▲Your whole body is clinging to a few points on a wall, so you have to learn to distribute your weight well. Through climbing, you will learn better control over your muscles, and so become more balanced.

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Researchers ran a study to test whether rock climbing could help with depression. They found that after eight weeks, participants reported feeling the symptoms of depression less.

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For those of you out there who are afraid of heights, rock climbing is a great way to overcome your fear. You can start a little bit at a time and, if you fall, there is a big mattress waiting to cushion you.

Sources: (Cool of the Wild) (Time)

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Due to its low-impact nature, climbing is an easy sport to do until you are much older. Your muscles stay supple, and your mind sharp. Perhaps just stick to the low climbs if you are in your seventies though.

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If you are in a gym, then this does not apply. However, if you climb in nature, you will see sights that you could never have seen without climbing. It brings you out into the environment as no other sport does.

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The climbing community is one of the most welcoming sports communities you can join. If you go every week, you’ll have climbing buddies up for a beer in no time!

▲It's normal to climb in teams because the other person(s) can see things you do not. You have to learn to communicate with them without ambiguity. Learning to speak clearly is an important thing to practice, and climbing gives you the opportunity.

▲On top of all these benefits, rock climbing is just really fun. You kind of feel like a kid again, bouncing around on mats, scaling up heights. It is a great way to just let loose.

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You have no option but to put absolute trust in your partner to guide you to the right rocks, and they must trust you too. It is an excellent exercise to learn to trust other people in your day-to-day life.

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Come rain or shine, you will still be able to climb. Whether outdoors in the cold, or indoors in a gym, there will always be a place to climb.

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Are you thinking about taking up a new hobby or sport? Well, climbing offers endless benefits, and the best thing of all is it doesn't even feel like a sport!

You may think that to be a climber you have to be a certain shape or age, but this is completely wrong. The low impact of the sport means that everyone can try it. It's fun, good exercise, and completely affordable.

Click through this gallery to find out why you need to start rock climbing today.

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Are you thinking about taking up a new hobby or sport? Well, climbing offers endless benefits, and the best thing of all is it doesn't even feel like a sport!

Click through this gallery to find out why you need to start rock climbing today.

Why you should start rock climbing

All the benefits of this great sport

16/07/24 por StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Sports

Are you thinking about taking up a new hobby or sport? Well, climbing offers endless benefits, and the best thing of all is it doesn't even feel like a sport!

Click through this gallery to find out why you need to start rock climbing today.