Climbing can be a fantastically fun way to lose weight and improve your fitness. Not only that, but the thrills and social skills involved with some climbing clubs can be a great boost for your emotional wellness, as well as being great for your physical wellbeing, of course.
Alex Honnold is an American climber who has had some very exciting adventures. Even as a child, daredevil climber Alex would climb on top of the fridge, terrifying his mother. Now he terrifies the whole world with his escapes in big wall free solo climbing, a very dangerous and yet pure discipline that involves climbing up huge rock faces without any ropes or even a partner.
This very scary form of climbing involves setting yourself a series of unique physical challenges, usually in iconic locations based around the world. Alex Honnold has set numerous speed records for his climbs, including last June, when he completed the ‘Triple’ which involved climbing three huge walls in Yosemite National Park – a 3,000 foot one, a 2,000 foot one and a Half Dome. He did this in a record 18hr 50 minutes. He lost his footing 20 times and even endured an insect attack but still managed the climb 95% without ropes.
Honnold says that a lot of the thrill for him is to push his own boundaries. Sometimes that can mean beating a speed record, but sometimes it can simply mean accomplishing a new climb that he has not done before. He said that the more he trains, the less fear he feels.
Honnold makes sure that he maintains a high level of stamina, strength and core strength, to help him maintain his balance when climbing. He says that you need good focus as well as strong fingers and arms. For speed climbs, you need to have amazing lungs and iron legs.