LOOKING FOR AN ACTIVITY THAT'S SOCIAL AND WILL GIVE YOU A WORKOUT? GIVE SPORT CLIMBING A TRY

Watching climbing at the Paris Olympics makes it seem as if it’s a sport that would be completely out of the question for a weekend athlete.

The speed, strength and dexterity with which the competitors scale the walls appear impossible to match. Think again.

Climbing might look terrifying on television, with and without ropes. Whether it’s watching “Free Solo” or roped climbers making an ascent on one of the world’s highest peaks, one thing is clear: it’s not for the easily queasy. That’s not the climbing we are talking about here.

“Climbing’s a terrific workout from your fingers to your toes and right through your core,” said Eric Horst, who runs the website training for climbing.​com. “The beauty of climbing gyms is you have this very controlled setting where anybody can walk in and take a climbing lesson and in the first-hour start climbing the walls.”

Recreational climbing doesn’t look much different from what’s being performed in the Olympics. Don’t worry, you won’t have to hang from a hold by your fingertips at a crazy angle – at least at first! Climbing has a level for everyone.

MAKING THE COMMITMENT IS THE TOUGHEST PART OF GETTING STARTED

With over 600 climbing gyms in the United States, the opportunity to get started is there. Gyms offer climbing with ropes and without for beginners. Whichever you choose, you can be certain that given a little time you will get a wellrounded workout.

“The advent of indoor climbing walls has changed accessibility, so it’s easier for people to join and take part in the sport” said Nick Draper, professor of sport and exercise science at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. “One of the things that limits people being active is accessibility.”