subject: Improving Your Health With Bouldering [print this page] Let's face it, to those who have never heard of it, bouldering may seem like the event following the caber toss at the Scottish games. But while it couldn't be any more different, you might need to be as strong as a Scotsman to try this exhilarating sport.
Bouldering is simply a type of climbing that doesn't involve ropes, helmets, carabineers, etc. Instead of traversing up steep rock walls, a climber will scale a small or medium-sized boulder with only his body hugging the side of the rock.
Although it seems like it would be much easier than traditional rock climbing, it is a surprisingly challenging spin-off from rope climbing. It takes a well-trained, insanely strong climber to conquer the toughest boulder.
This is why bouldering can be such an amazing tool to strengthen your body. Beginner and intermediate climbers can beef up muscles and improve in other strength areas by tackling smaller boulders.
Take advantage of this great sport while having an adrenaline rush at the same time! Here are some of the reasons why bouldering can be a friend to you and your body:
While some boulders you will climb will be located right off the road or in a climbing gym, much of the time you have to hike to get to the boulders you want to climb. Even before you start your bouldering workout, you've already done a "warm-up" by walking up an inclined path.
It also can do wonders for your body's flexibility. In order to successfully climb up some rocks, the hand hold you need will seem out of reach, and only your flexible body can get you to the next step!
As you climb more and more boulders, the flexibility in your arms and legs will grow more and more. Bouldering can make your upper body a rock. It can increase your upper body strength to where you want it to be.
T o get up a rock face, you need to vertically hold your body for an extended period of time. Over time, your body's strength will increase until you can do more complex climbs.
It requires stamina and can increase your body's endurance. As I stated before, you have to hold your body on the rock face until you make it to the top or decide to try it from the bottom again.
Sometimes this can take a long time! Having a strong body stamina will enable you to be able to have enough energy to conquer the challenge of the boulder.
Bouldering can also tone your muscles in ways that you never thought possible. This is one of the best benefits of the sport.To get up the face, you're going to probably have to use muscles you've never used before.
Repeated use of these muscles in order to pull your body up the face will tone your muscles and after time will make them bigger than ever before. Finally, it requires an intense sense of balance.
Holding your entire body up on a face by essentially using only your fingers and tips of your feet isn't for the weak at heart. Those who work at it will eventually be able to balance their whole bodies in seemingly impossible ways.
This will only make it easier for them to conquer the rock. Bouldering is insanely fun compared to other fitness routines.
You don't have to get bored by getting on the same treadmill or weight machine at the gym every day. By simply getting together a group of friends, you can make bouldering a social event in addition to a fitness routine, which will make it feel like you're not even working out!
Also, the sport is a challenge and takes mind power, which makes it fun for those who want a difficult challenge while still getting something out of it. It doesn't take a person with a Schwarzenegger physique to start being successful at bouldering.
Those with normal body types can start on easier boulders and increase their strength little by little until they can tackle tougher obstacles. And anyone can do it! Kids, college students, middle-aged commuters, stay-at-home moms- anyone can benefit from this fun pastime.
All it takes is a positive attitude and somewhere to climb, and you are on your way to getting the most out of this amazing sport. Improve your health with bouldering!
