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Fitness Fans Climbing The Walls
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NBC17 • Raleigh - Durham - Chapel Hill
Feb 14, 2008, 2008
Julie Henry, Health & Fitness Reporter
MORRISVILLE, N.C. - If you’re looking for a way to take your fitness routine to a new level, you might want to consider rock climbing. Indoor rock climbing gyms are providing a fitness alternative for many folks in the Triangle, proving it’s not just a sport for extreme athletes.
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Related Link: Triangle Rock Club
“Some days we come in and it’s all members, just pulling down real hard on some problems,” said Andrew Kratz, co-owner of the Triangle Rock Club. “And other days we come in and it’s full of first timers, kids and adults alike.”
They come for the challenge. Unlike more predictable workouts, rock climbing involves your whole body. Veteran climber and personal trainer Kevin Perrone says that’s what makes it fun.
“Because it’s so kinesthetic, there’s everything from the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers are involved. That type of challenge can really keep you motivated to keep finding new things to do and there’s always going to be something else for you to try.”
The Triangle Rock Club is a converted warehouse, covered in stone. Brightly colored hand and footholds mark climbing paths, and the goal is to figure out how to get from point A to B and beyond.
“It’s a lot of problem-solving,” said Perrone. “Basically, you have to figure out how to get from the start to the top in the easiest way possible.”
Surprisingly, climbers say it isn’t all about upper body strength. Kratz says while you use your hands and arms to hold on, the focus of climbing is to get the weight back over your feet. Climbers wear special shoes to allow them to grip the anchor points in the wall.
Obviously, safety is a concern, so all climbers have to use belay ropes on the high walls. Safety mats and a cushioned floor protect folks who are bouldering, or low climbing.
It’s a great way to burn calories too. On average, an hour of rock climbing burns more calories than comparable time spent running, biking, or even swimming.
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