Mind Over Matter

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There are a lot of physical and mental challenges you need to overcome for rock climbing, the most obvious being a fear of heights. Rock climbing, especially indoor rock climbing, is a popular sport for people of all ages, so why don't more people climb? Fear is often used as an excuse for not wanting to try rock climbing. Trusting your belayer is also critical in rock climbing; it's not easy for some people to trust that they will stop their fall. I want to know what difficulties to expect when I go climbing next week, so I looked at what kind of mental and physical strength I'll need by reading online articles and personal experiences of other people.

Looking at the physical strength aspect of rock climbing, you don't necessarily need to be in shape or strong to climb. The first time climbing will be difficult for everyone because your body isn't used to using those muscles. However, each time you climb, you will tone and strengthen those muscles which will make the next time easier than the last. Climbers' forearms, biceps, and triceps are used as leverage to pull themselves up to the next hold. Lower body muscles such as the thighs and glutes are important for stabilizing the climber. Climbing isn't just about the arms and legs though. The back, shoulder, and chest muscles are just as important as arm and leg muscles in climbing. To be fully engaged in climbing, a climber uses his/his core (abs, obliques, and lower back) to draw more power from. Rock climbing serves as a popular workout since it works your entire body.

The Mental Toughness Error : In this article about mental toughness, I learned that fear can interfere with the ability to determine whether to take the risk or not. Sometimes being fearless can lead to accidents because the human body just isn’t physically capable of doing certain things. It's important to control your fears and your mind which doesn't necessarily mean conquering them. For rock climbing, it is important to stay focused on your goal. Being mentally flexible is the key to taking appropriate risks.

I, myself, am slightly scared of heights, but I am more scared of falling from a great height rather than being at a great height. I don't know how I'm going to react from being up so high in the air with only a rope holding me up, but I'm also excited to start taking risks. I've heard from friends that frequently go rock climbing that I will definitely be sore after my first time climbing, but that it will get easier as I get stronger.  Next week, I'm going look into the physics behind climbing.