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redleafSo i've gotten into climbing here - the timing is interesting. I've always sort of wanted to try climbing, but there were barriers to entry ($, location, no one to belay, etc) even though there has been some outside encouragement to try - but here there is no racquetball, which has been my go to sport for the winter besides yoga. I NEED something to replace it to have any sort of sanity in the winter and squash isn't going to cut it for a while. Here everything costs money, so doing yoga is as expensive as climbing . . . so why not try it?
It turns out climbing is fantastic strength training and decent for flexibility - similar results to yoga (I can feel myself getting stronger each time!) but the method is different - it plays on my stubbornness instead of testing my patience. It frankly is exactly what I need now - everything else is X steps forward, X steps back, through in some confusion and drama for good measure. It's also making me more confident in my balance and body strength in a way I haven't been since I was regularly climbing trees . . . my other activities don't involve falling and failure in the same way climbing does - there isn't as much at risk if I fail at a yoga pose for example compared to reaching for a hold five feet up while bouldering. I'll certainly plateau in climbing (probably soon if the ability of my climbing buddy who is seven inches taller with much more upper body and core strength then me is any guide) and it will become much less of a straight confidence builder, but right now it is an excellent challenge and a sure sign that I am moving forwards in my life.
Hopefully I will have photos of climbing soon - but we need to regularly have a third to take the pictures
It turns out climbing is fantastic strength training and decent for flexibility - similar results to yoga (I can feel myself getting stronger each time!) but the method is different - it plays on my stubbornness instead of testing my patience. It frankly is exactly what I need now - everything else is X steps forward, X steps back, through in some confusion and drama for good measure. It's also making me more confident in my balance and body strength in a way I haven't been since I was regularly climbing trees . . . my other activities don't involve falling and failure in the same way climbing does - there isn't as much at risk if I fail at a yoga pose for example compared to reaching for a hold five feet up while bouldering. I'll certainly plateau in climbing (probably soon if the ability of my climbing buddy who is seven inches taller with much more upper body and core strength then me is any guide) and it will become much less of a straight confidence builder, but right now it is an excellent challenge and a sure sign that I am moving forwards in my life.
Hopefully I will have photos of climbing soon - but we need to regularly have a third to take the pictures
(no subject)
Date: 24/10/2011 01:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 24/10/2011 04:17 (UTC)Via a random search, hope that's okay
Date: 31/10/2011 09:40 (UTC)probably soon if the ability of my climbing buddy who is seven inches taller with much more upper body and core strength then me is any guide
Ah, you might be surprised. Strength helps, but learning technique can carry you a very long way.