Wall Climbing: A complete fitness regimen

Before I was hooked into running, I was first introduced to indoor wall climbing many years ago. At first, it was just a peer bonding session with close friends who wanted to wait-out the traffic congestion before going home, until it became a regular physical fitness regimen. I invested on gears and even trained for local competition that was organized by Power -Up and other climbing gyms around Metro Manila. Soon after, I was not only a regular climber of the indoor wall but became addicted to outdoor rock climbing as well.

After a few years, at the moment when I was starting to get competitive, many climbing gyms, one by one began to close down out of business, including the one in Pasig City where I’m a regular member. As soon as these gyms were gone, so does my enthusiasm to continue and that result to the absence of physical fitness outlet.

I was thankful that a few years after, running became a fast growing fitness culture where many Filipinos are getting hooked including me. After three years of running, I was back in the fitness game. I also shed more than forty pounds of fats that accumulated over the years of dormancy. After several half-marathons and marathons, competitive spirit grew back but my regular training program seemed to lack in core strengthening of the upper body strength, an intensity I normally get during my wall climbing days.

Finally, last May 9, 2012, a familiar structure emerged in the heart of Bonifacio High Streets inside ROX. A forty feet climbing gym was erected by Power-Up designed to cater the fast growing fitness community in BGC.

Mr. Joey Cuerdo, the owner and designer of Power-up ROX climbing gym and long time friend sees the best opportune time to revive the climbing community once again and there is no other better place to restore it but at the Bonifacio Global City, the place in the metro where health conscious and fitness aficionados converge  .

Cuerdo shares: “ The wall design here at ROX is not centered on steep overhangs, but gentle inclines. The wall can be easy enough for beginners to finish, but also challenging enough for pros to train on. The gentle overhanging walls is the official inclination of the International Speed Climbing Competitions. With the height of 12 meters, it is ideal for 10 meter speed climbing training for athletes who are aiming to beat the record.”

Joey further explain that this particular branch of Power-Up, also aims to cater the non-climbers and even runners who wants undergo a cross-discipline training, focusing on the upper body and core strengthening. According to Mr. Cuerdo, a recent study proves that a one-hour of wall climbing can actually burn as much as 936 calories. A calorie burning rate one can achieve by running 21 kilometers. With this basis, wall climbing can also be an effective way to lose weight in an intense execution but in shorter amount of time.

Cuerdo further stressed that “climbing can be a very personal achievement oriented spot and turns challenges into personal accomplishments. These challenges create a better individual rather than aiming to be better in the sport because of someone else’s success”.

So, to my readers who bored and tiered of the conventional gyms and wanted to have a more creative and effective way of getting fit, you may want to head out to ROX Power-Up today and experience a different kind of high in fitness training.