Today we went rock climbing at Vertical Ventures in Tampa, FL. Even though we went for the fun of it, it quickly became apparent the physical conditioning benefits of the sport. It was interesting to watch and talk to the different people that were participating. After speaking with the owner, Hal, we realized that there were varying stories for the different people that attended. Ranging from the HS wrestler that greatly improved his grip strength and stamina to become one of the best in his class to the climbing enthusiast who used the rock climbing wall daily as their workout.
The cross training and conditioning benefits become immediately apparent during the first climb. Even for the well conditioned athlete that doesn't climb on a regular basis, you will find that you work muscles that haven't been worked in a long time. Endurance and stamina? Just try to climb to the top of one of the overhangs while you are leaning backwards trying your hardest to hang on while continuously moving upward. If you do bouldering you can actually move around the wall and stay climbing for as long as you can hang on. All in all we found rock climbing to be an excellent and difficult workout yet incredibly fun and addictive. It was easy to see why all the regulars keep coming back.
Special thanks to Hal and Vertical Ventures. www.verticalventures.com.
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