Indoor Rock Climbing: A Fun Way to Stay Fit This Year

Looking for a fun way to stay fit in the new year? Why not try indoor rock climbing?

Indoor rock climbing is an activity you may have seen advertised or in children’s theme indoor parks – but you may not have thought about it as something to add to your own fitness regimen. However, rock climbing can provide some unique fitness benefits – especially when it comes to strength training. Plus, since it’s done indoors, you can stay out of the icy winter weather and still get a great workout in.

Here are a few reasons why you may want to consider indoor rock climbing as a fun way to stay fit in the new year.

1.) Build Upper Body Strength

Building upper body strength is one of the most common reasons people add indoor rock climbing routines to their workouts. Keep in mind, not only are you climbing and using your legs, you are also pulling up to the next level of the climbing wall. This requires the use of arm, shoulder, and back muscles that you may not normally be using in your daily life. You can also make your climbing workouts progressively harder as you progress in your fitness and strength. If you find yourself in a position where you are no longer feeling challenged, consider using moving walls and adding weights before moving to the next wall.

2.) Cardiovascular Benefits

While you are working on your upper body and moving up the climbing walls, you are also getting some great cardio. Though it isn’t as intense as a pure cardio workout, like running, it will still increase your heart rate and burn plenty of calories. This is especially true if you are using a moving wall or if you are doing a more intense level of wall climbing. If you really want to increase the cardiovascular impact of rock climbing, consider combining weights and a moving wall.

3.) Build Leg Strength

While rock climbing is excellent for building upper body strength, it will also be a great challenge for your leg and butt muscles. To get a more thorough leg workout, use a climbing pattern that forces your legs to stretch and move further away. This will help you build strength and stretch the muscles in your legs. You can also add weights to increase the challenge.

These are only three of the benefits to using indoor rock climbing in your workout routine to stay fit in the new year. You may be surprised to find out that rock climbing provides an excellent total body workout, is a lot of fun, and can help put you well on the way to achieving your health and fitness goals this year!