Climbing is an exciting activity, very well-known in recent years, now recognized as a sport and included in the program of the next Olympics. In addition to its application in outdoor areas and rocks, climbing has entered the gyms with artificial walls and other sports facilities, offering the opportunity for everyone to come and try.
It is a demanding complex activity, in which the climber is advanced on a vertical or inclined hard surface using special techniques and movements. The surface can vary (rock, snow, ice), while for the promotion and movement it is necessary to use feet and hands, using the relief of the surface (cracks, recesses, etc.). It presupposes a satisfactory level of fitness, strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, and concentration in combination with the necessary imagination that fits during the training and gaining experience of the climber.
The difficulty of the climbing field depends on the slope of the route, the quality of the space, and the relief of the surface that gives us opportunities for presses and grips. It can be done with locking (using a rope), or without, usually performed on low rocks and placing in cases mattresses or an assistant (bouldering). The equipment includes the helmet, the 'waist belt'), dynamic ropes, carabiner, and, in general, safety equipment, climbing shoes, and magnesia (to prevent slipping), which along with any additional equipment needed, are provided by the responsible team. As a trainee, apart from the shoes (if applicable), no other contribution to the equipment is needed. Greece is one of the top climbing destinations in the world and more and more equipped routes appear (Meteora, Pelion, Crete, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Leonidio, Attica, etc.).
In conclusion, it is an ideal form of exercise that naturally exercises the whole body and requires large amounts of energy from the body to cope with the execution of movements and paths. As it is a fun and interesting way of exercising, many now happily add it to their fitness routine. And for those who are still hesitant, it is enough to remember that climbing, at its core, is inextricably linked to the primitive nature of man, was an innate activity, but also a necessity for its survival, from the first years of his existence. And if we do not want to go that far, it is very likely that most of us in the recent past of our childhood weighed on the playgrounds and climbed the trees of the neighborhood. So we can conclude that it is worth trying for anyone and, why not, to include this beautiful activity in his life.
