Few sports can test your physical and mental endurance like the way rock climbing does. Climbing even a relatively small rock can take literally hours. If you are interested in rock climbing then you will have to prepare yourself mentally as well as physically. You will also need to gather as much information as possible on Rock Climbing through the internet; libraries or you can talk to a rock climbing professional.
First you need to understand what actually rock climbing will consist of. When rock climbing, you should always wear a harness. Climbing without a harness is called "free climbing", and it is a very dangerous variation to the original sport. If you have proper rope and harness gear, then you will not have to worry about falling as the rope and harness will prevent you from taking the fall. Instead you will be hanging in mid air. The rope is not meant to help you up or assist you in any way during your climb - it is simply there as a backup in case you slip. With this safety precaution in place, you can make your way up the rock, inch by inch.
Since we essentially live on a giant rock, opportunities for rock climbing are not hard to come by. The difficulty level can also vary greatly. On some rocks, there will be pre-made handholds and footholds for beginners while others will require you to find one or make one. At the other end of the spectrum, you can climb on huge and unspoiled rocks that are as unforgiving and vertically impossible to climb. The more vertical the rock face is, the more difficult the climb!
The entire time you are climbing the rock, your hands and feet will support your entire body weight. When you are halfway up, you don't have the option of sitting down and catching your breath. This is what makes rock climbing such an extreme sport. If you are serious about trying some of the more challenging rocks, you will have to work out and physically train for months in advance. You will have to learn to be able to not only hold your body weight up using only your fingertips, but you will also need to hold it there for a while as you look for your next handhold.
Rock climbing also requires calmness and patience as you ascend up the rock face. It is not advisable to try and hurry up the ascent and this can cause exertion, tear of muscle, extreme fatigue and even accidents. If you take things slowly and strategically plan your route, you will definitely succeed, and will not tire yourself too much. When a climber first starts, it can be hard to recognize good footholds and plan out several steps in advance. You will learn slowly with every climb. Once you are able to recognize the decent footholds or find one where a normal person wouldn't, you will be able to consider yourself as a pro.
If you are completely new to it, you should probably have a coach or a professional trainer who is familiar with everything that is required. If you want to do it all by yourself, the least you can do is go with a friend as a precautionary measure. If someone can reach the top of a rock through a non-dangerous route in order to set up the rope, then you will have the option of finding your own rock that has never been climbed before.
Rock climbing brings out a spirit of adventure in many people. If reading this article has made you itch for the outdoors, then rock climbing might just be a great niche for you. All you need to do now is find out about some of the local rock climbing options and places. Few hours of hard work, and patience can work wonders and at the end of the day, you will be glad that you did it.
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