Most climbing gyms will give you a quick orientation and pairing to a staff member who can belay (control/anchor the rope from the ground while you climb). Or, many experienced climbers choose to sign up for a belay class to learn how to belay.
Alta Climbing & Fitness is a full-body workout that elevates heart rate and improves cardiovascular fitness. This is one of the few exercises that simultaneously challenges and engages the entire body.
Climbing is a total body workout and can be done indoors or outdoors. It can be as simple as climbing a small boulder in your backyard or as complicated as summiting an 8,000 meter high peak halfway around the world. It can require specialized gear or none at all. Climbing is a fun, challenging and rewarding sport for all fitness levels.
Climbing challenges you to balance your upper and lower body as well as your core, all while engaging and stimulating your mind. You’ll build strength and endurance as you climb, and you’ll also burn a ton of calories in the process. It’s a great way to get a total body workout in a short amount of time.
In the gym, you can try rock climbing and other activities for every level of experience. Beginners can have a blast learning on a controlled wall with safety ropes that will keep them safe until they are ready to attempt a more advanced route. Advanced climbers can work-out their climbing skills at heights that they wouldn’t be able to safely achieve outside, as well as test their endurance on multiple laps of longer routes.
We’re proud to be the only indoor climbing gym in Brooklyn and Manhattan with a 36,000 square foot facility that is designed for all types of climbers. If you’re new to the sport, we recommend starting with the popular sport of top-rope climbing. It’s safe, and you’ll have the support of a belay partner who will manage the rope in case you fall. Once you’re ready to move on, you can try your hand at bouldering, a style of climbing that involves staying close to the ground as you navigate short routes called “problems.”
To learn more about rock climbing and the benefits of joining an indoor rock climbing gym, contact us today! Our team of experts can help you find the right membership to suit your needs.
It’s Low Impact
Climbing is a great full-body workout. It strengthens all of the major muscle groups and helps improve balance. It also burns a lot of calories. Just like other low impact exercises such as swimming or the elliptical, climbing is a good way to get your heart rate up while still being easy on your joints.
Unlike many other sports that require a lot of practice to develop basic movement patterns, climbing is pretty intuitive. You look at a wall with handholds and your mind starts to plan out how you are going to make it to the top without even really thinking about it. This natural intuition can be beneficial for children and can help them build confidence in their ability to overcome other obstacles they may encounter in life.
Climbing also requires a lot of strength and endurance. The upper body gets a tremendous workout from the gripping of the holds and the pushing and pulling of the legs to keep your balance as you move up the wall. Your legs and core also get a workout from the constant pressure on your feet to maintain your balance as you move up the wall. The combination of these different types of strength and endurance training will result in a better overall level of physical fitness.
The balancing aspect of climbing is what makes it so important for improving your coordination. Not only do you have to balance between the varying hold sizes but you have to work out how to sequence your movements. Sequencing is a critical part of climbing and it’s where most climbers fall, not because they don’t have enough strength but because they don’t properly sequence their moves on the wall.
Goal setting is another natural aspect of climbing. Once you have climbed a route that is at or above your grade level, it’s only natural to set your sights on the next one up. This is a great way to stay motivated and see how your climbing skills are improving over time.
Climbing is a fun and challenging sport that can be enjoyed by all ages and levels of experience. It’s a great exercise that can be done on your own or with friends. Just make sure you go to a gym that offers belay services or sign up to be paired with a partner when you come to the rock wall. This will ensure you have someone to belay you while you climb and will also keep you safe in case of any accidents or falls.
It’s a Social Activity
Climbing is a social sport, whether it’s working on problems in a bouldering area or being a belayer for a friend. Being a part of the climbing community also opens doors for professional connections and collaborations.
The camaraderie and support within the climbing community can be life-changing. Four of the six participants could cite specific experiences in their climbing that had a drastic effect on their self-perceived social behaviour. These experiences were all related to a time of climbing in which they behaved egoistically and prioritised their own climbing goals over the needs of others, which led to frustration and a loss of joy in their climbing experience. These formative experiences were the catalyst for changing their inner perspective, leading them to a more balanced and fulfilling climbing lifestyle.
Many people find that they have a natural talent for climbing, which is incredibly empowering. Accomplished climbers move effortlessly over rock, transferring their weight between each point of contact with fluidity and displaying incredible balance and precision. Climbing also allows climbers to achieve a ‘flow’ state, a psychologically highly-enjoyable meditative mental state in which all of the senses are engaged and the mind is fully focused on the task at hand.
While the sport remains a male-dominated one, this is changing with tough women such as Alex Puccio and Sasha DiGiulian showing that there’s no reason females cannot compete at an elite level. It’s possible for children to become professionals at an early age and for adults to continue to climb at an elite level well into their 60s, proving that it’s a sport that anyone can participate in no matter who they are or what shape they are in.
With a focus on being safe, climbing is an enjoyable and accessible sport for people of all ages and abilities. It doesn’t require a lot of expensive equipment, which is great for families. It’s a fun activity that can be done as a group and that works most major muscle groups of the body, including the core, arms, shoulders and fingers. The immediate gratification of a completed climb also acts as a huge motivator, making it an extremely satisfying and rewarding exercise.
It’s a Stress Buster
The mental and physical challenge of climbing is a great stress buster. It requires intense concentration, allowing climbers to shut out any other thoughts and focus solely on the task at hand – successfully scaling a wall. Climbers often set goals for themselves – whether it’s completing a route or improving their climbing grade – which provides motivation and a sense of achievement. This translates into confidence and self-esteem off the wall and resilience to tackle life’s obstacles.
The act of climbing triggers the release of endorphins, which are known to boost mood and reduce anxiety levels. Additionally, the activity promotes a sense of belonging within the climbing community through social engagement, further enhancing happiness and well-being. The rhythmic movement and focused breathing that are integral to climbing promote relaxation, further alleviating stress. For those looking to take their climbing to the next level, SemperFit’s Courthouse Bay Fitness Center offers a class called “Stress Management and Wall Climbing,” which provides Marines with a fun, safe, and engaging outlet for their built-up emotions while strengthening their mind-body connection.
In the city, the fast-paced lifestyle can leave us feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Finding effective ways to unwind and destress becomes essential for a happy and balanced life. Indoor rock climbing, like the kind found at Brooklyn Boulders, provides a unique opportunity to build strength and endurance while also fostering positive feelings of accomplishment and community.
With access to top-of-the-line climbing equipment, classes, camps, events and more, Climbing and Fitness offers a safe and welcoming environment for people of all skill levels to explore new challenges and discover the joys of this exciting sport. Check out their website to find the nearest location and learn more about how climbing can help you strengthen your mind-body connection. We look forward to seeing you soon!