Have you heard of an “exercise high?” It’s usually described as an amazing, mood-boosting feeling you get from a workout. Maybe you’ve experienced this when you’ve shaved a few seconds off your best time on the track or gotten through an insane routine and felt the burn in the best way.
This kind of excitement is what makes exercise addicting, but the thrill often wears off after your first few times doing the same workout. That’s why rock climbing, which is exhilarating every time, is an amazing, sustainable fitness addiction!
The Scientific Reason Exercise is Addicting
You don’t have to be a natural-born, superstar athlete to love exercise. Fitness can be addicting for anyone for one simple, scientific reason: exercise causes your body to release endorphins.
Sometimes called “happy hormones,” endorphins are naturally produced by your body and result in a positive feeling. They can minimize the sensation of pain and elevate your mood. Plus, endorphins are good for you.
Experts on exercise and endorphins say that intense workouts typically release a high level of endorphins, so you really feel the positive effects. There are other activities and experiences that cause the release of endorphins and similar positive hormones too, including:
- Laughter
- Spending time with friends
- A sense of accomplishment
- Slight feelings of fear that you overcome (which produce adrenaline and then dopamine)
When you find exercises, like rock climbing, that promote the release of endorphins, dopamine, and other beneficial kinds of hormones, you find a new fitness addiction!
What Makes Rock Climbing So Addictive
Since rock climbing is a form of intense, full-body exercise, it can produce endorphins, adrenaline, dopamine, and other positive hormone releases. On top of these physical senses that make rock climbing addictive, there are other reasons you’ll want to keep coming to the wall over and over again.
For example, some other reasons rock climbing is addictive are that climbing:
- Offers different adventures and challenges every time, so you always have something new to accomplish – no burn-out!
- Tends to come with a sense of comradery among climbers
- Is strategic, giving you something to refine and improve over time
- Can be competitive, whether you’re trying to master a certain route or outpace someone else in a formal competition
- Opens the way for outdoor climbing adventures and travel if you want to explore more
Ultimately, what keeps people coming back to the wall with so much passion is that rock climbing is an exciting adventure.
Whether it’s your first time on the wall or your hundredth, you’ll still feel a rush when you reach outside your comfort zone for that hold and glance down at the ground below. You get a thrill every time you solve the next challenge and reach the top. Climbing is an adventure that never stops.
How to Capitalize on Your Climbing Addiction
It’s not hard to form a rock climbing addiction once you’ve learned the ropes. To really make the most of climbing, though, you should capitalize on the parts that excite you.
For example, do you love hearing people cheer when you succeed and enjoy chatting about lessons and routes? You’ll get the most endorphins and joy if you climb socially. Take Method Climbing’s classes, join a club, or come at the same time as friends so you can get all the positive vibes and benefits of social climbing.
Likewise, if you love a challenge and sense of accomplishment, set lofty goals to work towards. If travel and adventure thrill you, train at Method Climb for your next outdoor climb.
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