Is Rock Wall Climbing Cardio Exercise?

If you’ve been wondering if rock wall climbing counts as cardio exercise, this is a very interesting question; as a personal trainer as well as one who has done a lot of rock wall climbing, I’d like to answer this question.

If you observe a skilled rock wall climber working an easy route, the athlete will appear to be exerting little more effort than strolling in a park. To this individual, this particular level of rock wall climbing does not constitute cardio exercise.

If this same individual then undertakes a more difficult route, more exertion will be required, and breathing rate will increase.

Another cause of an increased breathing rate, or sign that the cardiovascular system is being taxed (though mildly), is when a less experienced climber is trying to work a route.

Due to de-conditioning for this type of sport, this individual has not yet learned how to economize movements, and as a result, is getting slightly winded as he moves about the route.

Another scenario is when a person, who used to do a lot of rock wall climbing, hasn’t done it for a very long time. He knows how to move his body for this sport, but de-conditioning prevents these movements. He struggles to do what he used to do with ease, and in the process, works up some wind and sweat.

Beginners to rock wall climbing, especially men, will attempt to “muscle up” a route, and essentially, they end up doing a series of pull-up-type movements. This will wind a person; deeper breathing results; the heart rate becomes elevated, and these are all factors of cardio exercise.

A more experienced climber may find himself fatiguing in a cardio sense when tackling a lengthy route, or by “bouldering” for extended periods of time.

So, the best answer to “Is rock wall climbing cardio exercise” is this: It really depends on the condition of the athlete and the type of route. If one tries to scale the gym’s longest route on lead, as fast as possible, this may bring out some cardio effort, depending on route difficulty.

People top-roping as quickly as possible will be winded at the top. This too is cardio exercise.

Repeatedly struggling to make a move will create a cardio effect, though the effect will be of an erratic, non-continuous nature.

The bottom line is if you want good cardio exercise, I wouldn’t recommend rock wall climbing. I’ve never heard of an individual having to take a rest on a route due to breathlessness or having to catch their breath.

What causes one to pop off a route and hang in their harness is either a slip of the hand or foot, or (more commonly), intense fatigue in the forearms, wrists and/or fingers. Rock wall climbing is not a huff-and-puff cardio sport, though it’s great for buffing up the arms, bringing out aesthetic vascularity and many other benefits like improving flexibility, hand strength and challenging the mind.


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