Each new year is greeted with great enthusiasm. We hope that it will be better than the previous one and will see the achievement of our objectives. But, there are two types of people: those who are content to formulate wishes and patiently wait for them to come true by providence and those who make resolutions, plan and take relevant actions to achieve their goals. If you belong to the latter category, taking out a bouldering gym membership may be your best New Year’s resolution.
What is indoor bouldering?
Climbing is an old sport once practiced in the middle of nature on rock walls by a handful of enthusiasts. Equipped with the appropriate equipment, the latter stormed the mountains and rocky massifs that they challenged themselves to climb. But since the 1970s, bouldering has come to give a new dimension and greater openness to this sport. Many bouldering halls have thus gradually appeared in the sports landscape and you can practice your passion in complete safety on artificial and steep walls reproducing rocky advances, from the age of 4 years.
Unlike classic rock climbing, bouldering relies more on getting through tricky spots than altitude. Indeed, the summit is generally at jumping height, at a low altitude of four meters maximum. The major difficulty lies in being able to solve the various block problems on your route.
The benefits of indoor bouldering
Many sports halls give you the opportunity to go rock climbing in Paris . It is an activity that is also gaining more and more followers because of the many advantages associated with it.
On a physical level, indoor bouldering allows you to work the whole body, because you will have very few repetitive movements to do. All your muscles will therefore be solicited with each workout, in particular the muscles of the arms, back, torso and abdomen. In addition, the muscles of the thighs, shoulders, and calves are not left out. This naturally leads to a harmonious development of the whole body and an excellent physical form. Also, indoor bouldering helps develop balance, agility, flexibility and endurance. A one-hour session allows you to burn between 540 and 750 kcal.
On a mental level, climbing boosts your self-confidence, your self-control and your concentration. It is also a good school of anticipation, strategy and self-transcendence to succeed in solving the bouldering problems to which you will be subjected. Moreover, there is nothing better than indoor bouldering to learn how to face and overcome your phobia of heights. It is also a good activity to better manage stress. Indeed, your effort to concentrate on your ascent will inevitably lead you to empty your mind and keep your cool. This will have the effect of reducing your stress and with the endorphins that you will have secreted during the activity, you will experience a deep feeling of well-being.
A few precautions to avoid accidents
If indoor bouldering is the sport par excellence to be favored this year for its many health benefits, it remains essential to take certain precautions into account to avoid accidents.
Among the qualities that are required for the practice of climbing, we distinguish among others balance, flexibility and of course a minimum of strength. Likewise, this sport is not recommended if you suffer from joint pain, joint pathologies with the risk of dislocation (shoulder), unbalanced heart disease and coronary diseases, unbalanced epilepsy, high blood pressure and history of spontaneous pneumothorax.
You should also avoid this sporting activity if you are taking any substances or medications that may impair judgment or decrease reflexes. Moreover, you must make sure you have the right equipment for climbing and be assisted by a qualified instructor if you are just starting out.
When properly supervised, indoor bouldering is a sport that promotes good physical and mental health, as well as overall well-being.