Who else here climbs for fitness?

[tonypurmal]

I hit the climbing gym twice a week for my main fitness activity. It's the activity I've stayed the most consistently involved with in my life. I really like it because it satisfies me both physically ane mentally. Its been the best stress reducer I've ever find. Whenever I've had a difficult day, when I can get into the gym, I have to focus on my climbing and by doing so I'm able to let go of the stress for a while.

Since climbing is easier with less pounds, I'm more motivated to watch my weight. I also need to be limber, so I make sure to stretch before climbing.

I also climb outdoors, but not as often as I'd like. I hope to get out more this year than in previous years, but it depends on what life throws my way.

[asiel]

I've just taken this up recently and I agree, it is one of the best stress releases. At the end I'm exhausted and I've put all my effort into thinking about climbing so that anything I was worried about before has totally gone out of mind.

I'm a dancer as well, so I'm relatively limber, but I find that climbing uses a whole heap of different muscles in entirely different ways, and as a result I'm getting all this new muscle tone.

At the moment I've only done indoor climbing, but I'll be making a trip to Thailand in a couple of months and the plan is to do a fair bit of climbing there so I'll have to expand my repertoire to outdoors soon.

[rawgirl]

That sounds like tons of fun!

[SerafinaC]

i climbed for the first time last week. it was a blast! the only problem i found was being extremely sore for the next couple days... but i'm sure that goes away with time. :)

do you climb with a harness? i did both with and without last week. i was nervous without would be dangerous, but the wall was only 6 feet high or so, you just had to follow a certain path.

[tonypurmal]

Asiel - I've heard lots of great things about climbing in Thailand, I hope you have a blast there.

I was in Australia last year in April and May, but my trip didn't include time for climbing. I've seen some great pictures of climbing in Australia in the Blue Mountains (which looked great from the plane) and Mt Arapiles. It looks like the climbing is a lot of fun there, but you do have some rather dangerous fauna that I wouldn't want to run into on a climb.

Serafina - I usually climb with a harness. When you climb without a harness and rope, usually on low rocks it's called bouldering. When you climb without a harness and rope on tall boulders (over 12 feet ??) it's called highballing. When you climb without a harness and rope on a route that's normally climbed with harness and rope, it's called free soloing. I boulder sometimes when I can't find a partner in the gym, but I never highball or free solo.

[zoebird]

i love climbing. i've only been climbing for about a year--and i finally found a climbing partner who meets my schedule needs. thank goodness. i try to climb twice a week, but in recent months it's been once every two weeks, and mostly bouldering. bouldering is fun, but not my preference.

so, tomorrow, i'm meeting my climbing partner at the gym for some fun. looks like we might climb monday and thursday afternoons from 12-2 or 3. that would be awesome for both of us. climbing is such great fun--and a great workout.

also, being in a gym is nice. outside is AWESOME, but a gym is convenient.

[Fallen]

It looks like fun and I have tried it years ago, but I had issues being able to climb higher than 4 feet off the ground. I plan on trying it again.

[veganinohio]

Climbing is fun and a great workout. I've been climbing before my runs lately, and I'm always surprised at how much the climbing takes out of my legs--feels like I've already run a few miles.

[asp3]

One of my gym partners and I will be heading down to Pinnacles National Park tomorrow for a day of climbing. She's a much better climber than I am, but I think we'll have a good time.

Anyone who lives in the San Jose area and wants to try climbing should check out the Planet Granite grand opening on June 3rd and 4th 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. They'll have free belay lessons and free climbing passes. You may have to pay for shoe and harness rentals, but that should only be about $6 to $8. It normally costs $16 just for the day pass (without rentals) and they usually charge for the belay lesson as well. I don't have enough posts to post a link, but for more information check out http colon slash slash www dot planetgranite dot com .

[Morrigann]

Went first time in years last Sunday! We're DEFINATELY going this weekend!! I lov eit-- works well to contrast with my kung fu practice.