LOOKING FOR A SPORT THAT COMBINES THE ENDURANCE OF BASKETBALL, THE AGILITY OF SOCCER AND THE MENTAL ALERTNESS OF BOXING?

Indoor rock climbing will push your limits and have you coming back for more! With climbing gyms popping up all over the world, indoor climbing has become one of the fastest growing sports.

Many are discovering the benefits of this sport and are ditching their regular gym memberships in favor of tackling a vertical thrill. Guaranteed to be an intense, invigorating workout, rock climbing engages every muscle group.

CHILL spoke with James Richardson, owner of Climber’s Rock in Burlington, Ontario to learn more about the sport and its climb to success.

Why do you think rock climbing is such a popular sport amongst every age group?

I think it’s the rediscovery of the love of climbing.

When you’re a kid you climb over everything, it’s just part of our natural instinct. For adults, everyone I ask has a different answer. Some do it because they want to conquer a certain fear; others want to get in shape because it’s really a great workout. I think the people who get hooked on the sport love the challenge and the sense of satisfaction when they get to the top.

Is rock climbing a trend or a fad?

It’s definitely a trend. If you look at what’s happening in Europe, the States, and western Canada, the sport is growing and getting more and more popular. It’s one of those sports that when people discover it and enjoy it, they go out there and get their friends or family involved.

What are the mental and physical benefits of this exciting sport?

It’s a social sport. You can climb with anyone young or old, advanced or beginner. It’s not like tennis, where you have to be evenly matched. For the physical benefits, you’re fighting gravity as soon as your feet leave the ground. It works all of your muscles and especially your brain. You’re on the rock and thinking about solving problems.

What are some safety tips that climbers should follow?

You have to make sure everything you do in climbing revolves around the spirit of double safety. Everything is double backed; you tie two knots around the rope, and everything you do has a backup device. You should always communicate with your partner, double check that everything is in its place and pay attention. If you follow these rules then climbing is one of the safest things that you can do.

What kind of skills do climbers need?

When people first start climbing they tend to use their arms a lot to pull themselves up to the top but once you learn a better technique you realize you have much stronger muscles in your legs. You want to conserve your energy, focus on your technique, movement and your core strength to help your body contort and get to different positions to get to the top.

Why climb indoors?

The benefit to climbing indoors is that this is a controlled environment. You’re protected from the elements. We control all the equipment. We have padded floors, we inspect all your equipment for you, and we teach you things you need to know to climb safely.

What’s the best advice you can give to a first-time climber?

The best advice I can give to a first time climber is to take a lesson from someone who knows what they’re doing. Our introduction to climbing course usually lasts an hour and a half. We teach you how to put a harness on properly, how to tie the knots into the harness and how to work the belay device.

What are the most common misconceptions about this sport?

I think the biggest misconception is that it’s a macho sport for high adrenaline guys who like to do death-defying activities.

It’s probably a lot more like Pilates or something where there’s a lot more flexibility. Half of our participants are women and they do really well, really fast. So it’s a sport for anybody. We have one member who’s in her eighties and our youngest is three years old. It’s terrific to see that in this sport.

Why are people so attracted to climbing?

I’ve done a lot of sports activities in my life and climbing is the one that I always come back to. It’s the one that sort of keeps me motivated, challenges me the most mentally and physically. It doesn’t matter how good you get, there are climbs that will always be hard.

The mountain is always there saying: “You think you’re good? Well try to climb me.” Ready to climb? Visit climbersrock.com for more information.