It’s the climb!
George Mallory’s famous retort when asked about his reasons for climbing Everest encapsulates the human spirit and symbolises an individual’s desire to conquer the unknown. But people climb for so many more reasons other than this, and his response doesn’t even scratch the surface of why we climb.
Climbing, a pursuit that I initially dismissed, is a thrilling activity that enables the climber to navigate more than just a wall with a series of coloured hand and foot holds. When first introduced to climbing, I really didn’t get it. For someone who enjoys life at speed, yearning for a faster time and quicker reps, going slow seems so excruciatingly tedious. More recently in life, I’ve discovered that the process can be more important than the product. The process of climbing enables an individual to build muscle strength, boost endurance and engage different muscles. Some of these groups can be overlooked by runners. Also, climbing improves cardiovascular health, something we all need to do! Navigating a wall is a whole-body workout, and this significantly improves the cardiovascular system. The heart and lungs work harder to provide oxygen-rich blood to the muscles.
But it’s not only the body that benefits, the mind does too. Like running, climbing releases endorphins, mood boosters, so you feel good. And, trust me, a good mood booster was exactly what I needed. Alongside this, climbing increases norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that releases stress, and let’s face it, we all could do with a little less stress in our lives!
Beyond this, what I learned, when I finally gave this sport a chance, was that the mental agility required to navigate a wall is where you reap the benefits. Each climb presents a series of puzzles to be solved, like a juicy maths problem. You’re required to plot, plan and navigate a route. Also, as you adapt to the challenges of the climb, you solve problems, forcing growth and personal development. And for someone, like me, who has the concentration level of a gnat, I had to focus and lock in.
Reaching the top of the wall presents a sense of powerful achievement and accomplishment. Looking around the room, surveying the walls, I realised climbing teaches you to face challenges head-on and not shrink away from them. In many respects, climbing, cliché though it may sound, is a lot like life – it’s about the route that you take and not the final destination. Suddenly, it all makes sense…
