The sport doesn't just have physical benefits -- it's a mental game. "Rock climbing fires every system of the body and mind."
It's hard not to be mesmerized by rock climbers as they move up a wall with equal parts power, precision, and calm. Their bodies seem to defy gravity -- but what's happening inside them may be even more remarkable.
"Rock climbing fires every system of the body and mind," says Pete Rohleder, a kinesiologist at Kansas State University. "It engages nearly every muscle, challenges your cardiovascular system, and requires laser-focused problem-solving all at once. Add in the rush of thrill-seeking and the satisfaction of overcoming challenge, and you get a powerful blend of physical benefit, psychological transformation, and positive emotional reward."
Ulyana Nadia Horodyskyj, a National Geographic Explorer and avid climber for nearly two decades, agrees. "For me, climbing is meditation in motion because it demands you be present in the moment," she says.
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Benefits like these help explain why climbing has evolved from a niche pursuit among mountaineers into a multi-billion-dollar global sport. "With hundreds of indoor gyms now running across the U.S. and around the world, climbing has become an accessible workout nearly everyone can enjoy," says Horodyskyj, who is also head of science communications at the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.