Traditional climbing involves ascending routes with a rope and safety equipment such as hex bolts or nuts. This equipment, attached to carabiners on quick draws, catches climbers should they slip.

Alta Climbing is a full-body workout and builds strength in all the major muscle groups. It also demands excellent core strength and flexibility.

Climbing is a full body sport, engaging all muscles from the fingers and toes to the core and back. It is also a great mind exercise, requiring concentration and planning in order to solve climbing problems or reach the top of a route. Climbing teaches children to assess risk versus reward and develop their ability to strategize as they work through each challenge. The sense of achievement that comes from reaching the top is also a huge confidence boost for the climber, which can help improve their self esteem and build belief in themselves.

Athletes spend most of their time training on the rock, either in a gym or at outdoor locations. Competitions take place all over the world with athletes competing in several rounds to advance to the next stage. Those with the best performances are then invited to compete in the Olympics, which is set to return for 2024 in Paris.

For many, climbing is an obsession, with elite participants achieving incredible heights and breaking new ground with their physical prowess. For the rest of us, it is a fun and social activity that provides an excellent workout, improving our strength, endurance and cardiovascular health.

There are many different types of climbing, from beginner to advanced levels. Rock climbers can boulder, where they stay close to the ground without a rope, or they can top-rope, where they’re connected to a belay. Athletes can also free solo, which is a perilous form of climbing where the athlete climbs a route without any safety equipment. Climbers have developed a close community, with an inclusive spirit that can break down the boundaries of language and culture.

It’s a Social Activity

Climbers are a diverse group, ranging from children who turn professional at 12, to adults who continue climbing at an elite level well past 60. Climbing is also a sport where you can achieve success regardless of size or strength, with climbers like Alex Puccio and Sasha DiGiulian showing that women can use superior technique to leave their male counterparts in the dust.

The community aspect of climbing makes it a social activity that brings people together, whether in the gym or at the crag. As a result, it’s a great way to meet new people, and the sense of camaraderie can help to strengthen friendships that can last a lifetime. Climbing is also a great way to build confidence, as each successful climb gives you a sense of achievement that can make you feel invincible.

Kids who are introduced to climbing at a young age can learn the importance of concentration and self-discipline. These skills can be invaluable when applying for jobs or sitting down to do their multiplication tables, and the ability to focus on a task until it is completed has been shown to improve mental wellbeing.

In a world where there is a huge emphasis on health, fitness and mindfulness, it’s unsurprising that many people are turning to climbing for a fun and exciting activity that combines physical and mental stimulation. It’s a safe and low-risk pursuit, offering the chance to challenge yourself and push your limits in a supportive environment. The challenge of the sport has been shown to reinforce neural pathways in the brain, boosting memory and critical thinking abilities. As the popularity of climbing continues to grow, it’s likely that more and more people will be tempted to give it a go.

It’s a Challenge

While it’s true that climbing is a physically challenging sport, it also demands a lot from the mind. The climber must continually reassess their situation and make decisions to get to the top, while keeping their eye on the goal and dealing with the physical wear and tear. It’s a very complex mental challenge that builds skills such as problem solving and planning.

Climbers also get plenty of practice overcoming fear. While this can be difficult for beginner climbers, the fact that they can refocus their minds and push through their fear is a huge confidence boost, especially when it’s rewarded with a successfully completed route.

Another great aspect of climbing is that it gets your heart rate up and challenges muscles in ways that fast-moving sports like running or soccer may not. For example, climbing uses your upper and lower body as well as your core and balance. It also involves a lot of isometric holds, where the muscle contracts but doesn’t change length (think holding a plank for extended periods of time). This unique combination of movements works muscles that aren’t typically targeted in other types of exercises.

In addition to mental and physical challenges, climbing is a technical sport, requiring knowledge of safety equipment as well as technique. There are many different styles of climbing, from ‘bouldering’ on short routes that don’t use ropes to catch falls, to’sport climbing’ on taller walls where permanent metal bolts offer secure protection in case of a fall. There is even a style of climbing called ‘trad’, where the climber places their own mechanical devices — such as nuts and hexes — into the rock for protection.

It’s a Thrill

Accomplished climbers ascend rock as if dancing – moving, fluidly, with precision and grace. They transfer weight to maximise efficiency, create and conserve momentum precisely, use strategically placed footholds and hand grips. They solve the puzzle of each route, re-balancing, stretching, reaching, and thinking about how they will make it to the next hold. The resulting mental and physical workout can leave you feeling like you are flying – this is what we call ‘flow’.

This is not an experience reserved for the elite; it’s just as likely to happen in your local gym or crag as anywhere else. In fact, even the most celebrated climbing stars hang out at their local routes and gyms along with everyone else. It’s not uncommon to see them tackling the same route that you have been eyeing up with excitement, then stand back and watch them re-emerge from the rock looking like they were born to do it.

The best climbers are able to repeat, or ‘redpoint’, routes that they have worked on for days and weeks at a time. It takes a lot of work to get to that point, and the route might initially appear impossible. But then, one day, it all comes together: you move your body exactly the way you need to, your tendons respond the exact way they should, and you are on your way up.

It is this combination of challenge, flow and aesthetic reward that makes climbing such an appealing sport. It’s a sport where you can be awed by a person’s skill, but also blown away by their dedication and the tenacity they display in the face of immense adversity.

It’s a Lifestyle

Climbing’s allure is its power to transform lives. Athletes who once stumbled into their local gym for a quick workout now risk serious injury to scale cliffs overlooking the ocean or spend weeks traveling around the world to find new challenges. The highs of climbing are intoxicating, but it’s the lows that teach climbers resilience and perseverance. “If you’re struggling on a route and think you can’t make it up, that just makes you more determined to try again,” says Blount. “It’s the mental struggle that builds your confidence.”

A booming popularity in recent years is largely driven by the addition of rock climbing to the 2020 Olympics, as well as increased participation in indoor climbing. Many of these newcomers are drawn to bouldering, a style of rock climbing that emphasizes short routes with a mix of strength and problem-solving skills. Bouldering routes are often set in a way that encourages creativity, and the solutions vary depending on the climber’s height, reach, and skill level.

Climbers who wish to pursue the sport seriously often need a flexible career to support their obsessions. Though some choose careers in the medical industry, where shifts and long hours can detract from training, others opt for jobs that allow them to climb frequently, like rigging or social media work. Many also choose to be jacks of all trades—the more jobs they can hold, the better—and sometimes spend time working seasonally for cash to fund their trips.