Adventure Fitness Athletic Club in Thornton, Colorado, is minutes away from some of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the country, giving everyone in our area virtually unlimited outdoor climbing spaces to explore.
Yet our indoor rock climbing area — The Cave — is one of the most popular attractions at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club. Our members are welcome to climb The Cave and our Belay wall anytime they want to. We also offer private sessions by appointment.
Still, you might wonder, why would we offer indoor rock climbing at our gym, with so many natural rock walls right outside?
Read on for a few answers to that question.
It’s great for beginners
If you’re just starting out with rock climbing, you’ll need a safe place to learn the ropes. Indoor rock climbing is perfect for beginners because you’re able to practice in a controlled environment with our instructors and staff nearby to teach you everything you need to know.
It helps you build up your strength
Rock climbing provides an intense upper body workout that greatly increases upper body strength, core muscles, and balance. This is why experienced climbers seem to have superhero-like abilities! But that kind of strength takes time to develop. You certainly don’t want to find out that you’re not as strong as you thought while you’re out on a mountain ledge. Indoor rock climbing offers you an opportunity to build your strength and balance for outdoor adventures.
It’s a nice place to meet people
You should always bring a partner when rock climbing outdoors, but what if you don’t know anyone who wants to join you? Our gym has a friendly, social atmosphere where you can meet people who enjoy climbing as much as you do. You might even make new friends who will join you on outdoor climbs.
You can use our gym year-round
As beautiful as our state is, there are still times when the weather makes climbing outside impossible. Those who still need their rock climbing fix can simply head over to The Cave at our gym!
Benefits of Rock Climbing
Whether it’s done inside or outside, rock climbing offers an array of physical and mental health benefits, which is why the sport has steadily grown in popularity over the last few years. It’s become so popular, in fact, that three climbing movies were released in 2017-2018 — Free Solo, Dawn Wall, and Silence — plus, climbing will also make its debut in the 2020 Olympics!
What makes rock climbing such a big hit?
It Engages Lots of Muscles
Few exercises train a diverse range of muscle groups like rock climbing. From your core holding you steady as you reach for the next rock, to your thighs and calves maintaining your balance, to your arms and hands pulling you upward, your entire body is engaged in getting you higher (or lower). Studies have shown that climbing involves complex movements that call upon every muscle group, more so than the repetitive motions of cycling, running, or rowing.
It Provides a Decent Cardiovascular Workout
In addition to providing resistance exercise for all of your muscle groups, climbing gives your heart and lungs a good challenge, too. No matter what your skill level is, if you push yourself during your climb, your heart rate will increase and you’ll get a great cardiovascular workout.
It Burns Calories
It is estimated that climbing burns about 8-10 calories a minute, which is about the same calorie burn as spinning. And for many people, rock climbing is a lot more fun than other intense cardio workouts like spinning, treadmills, and elliptical trainers.
It’s Good for Your Brain
Recent studies have shown that rock climbing — like other activities that involve muscle coordination and balance — can improve your working memory. A 2015 study also showed that eight weeks of rock climbing significantly reduced the severity of depression in their participants.
Learn More
If you’re interested in rock climbing at our gym, call Susan at 720-849-0245, email her at susan@adventurefitness.club, or stop by and see us sometime. We look forward to meeting you and telling you all about Adventure Fitness Athletic Club.
To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.
