Looking for a New Form of Exercise? Try Indoor Rock Climbing
Actively seeking challenges is a great way for aspiring or current pro cheerleaders to improve themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. You can either learn how to dance, incorporate a punishing workout program, or take interest in martial arts.
There’s also another way to unlock a new and better you. That’s through indoor rock climbing — a challenging activity which leads others to think that rock climbers are either crazy, bold, daring, a masochist, or bored with their lives.
Despite the stereotype, there are multiple benefits to scaling a wall while using just your arms, legs, and head. And these benefits can help you in your pro cheer journey. Let’s start by asking the question:
What Is Rock Climbing?
Rock climbing is a recreational sport that involves scaling a high artificial or natural rock wall with or without the use of special equipment. There is only one goal of rock climbing: Reach the topmost part of the rock without falling.
Climb in any way you can. Use stone crevices or climbing jugs to take yourself to the top. But follow the rules and regulations of rock climbing for your safety.
5 Amazing Benefits of Rock Climbing for Pro Cheerleaders
1. It strengthens your entire body
Compared to traditional workout routines where each set targets specific muscles, rock climbing requires you to use all of your body to move upward and avoid falling. Because of this, playing the sport every week is a great way to make yourself stronger for performing cheer stunts.
2. It gives you a colossal boost of confidence
As mentioned, rock climbing is difficult to do. However, once you get the hang of the game and manage to reach the top, you’ll be confident to tackle any problems in your life. For example, you might say, “Audition stage fright is nothing. I scaled a 60 feet wall without ropes!”
3. It improves your balance
At times, you’ll need to swing your body from either left to right to grab onto jugs that offer an easier way up. This endeavor trains your mind about how your body interacts with gravity. Then, you’ll know how to apply the right amount of force when executing dance moves without falling.
4. It improves your flexibility
Rock climbing is just you literally crawling upward like a spider. You’ll have your arms and legs stretched outwards as they can for most of the time. With regular visits to the rock climbing gym, your muscles become more stretched that you’ll learn how to do splits with ease.
5. It gives you the motivation you need for daily life
In addition to a confidence boost, rock climbing can become your huge source of motivation for pro cheer tasks. This is true especially if you have a fear of heights or procrastinate often. Once you discover that you can overcome your phobias or get to complete something while being good at it, you’ll be proud of yourself and work even harder.
How to Get Started
- Find the nearest and best indoor rock climbing gym in your area.
- Apply for a membership and get a good mentor.
- Start running to increase your aerobic capacity. High stamina is very important to maintain your grip on the wall jugs.
- Buy good rock climbing gloves and shoes. You don’t need to buy special clothing for rock climbing. Your gym clothes will do.
- If you don’t want to share climbing equipment with other gym members, you can buy your own helmet, harness, chalk, carabiners, belay devices, and ropes.
- Learn techniques on choosing the best climbing routes.
Remember that rock climbing is a risky sport and fatalities are often caused by human errors. But they can be avoided as long as safety precautions are taken. Always have a spotter every time you climb.
Need a Great Workout Routine for Your Pro Cheer Audition Prep?
Pro cheerleaders stay fit, flexible, and strong so they can give out their best performance in the arena. However, achieving that wow-worthy, toned physique doesn’t happen overnight. You need to arm yourself with the right daily workouts.
Thinking of becoming a pro cheerleader?
We are offering you our fun, FREE (for a LIMITED time) POM FIT™ INTRO CLASS that teaches you beginner-friendly cardio moves.
To take your cheerleading fitness to the next level, we also have POM FIT™: GAMEDAY1™ - a series of challenging full-body cardio classes that include a body stretch class, kick stretch class, abdominal workout class, and more.
Join a POM FIT™ class below:
POM FIT™ INTRO CLASS (Free for a LIMITED time)
POM FIT™: GAMEDAY1™ (USD 27.00)
