It is easy to succumb to the assumption that mountain climbing is an activity reserved only for the fittest, most vital, healthiest, and most daring. While we do not disprove the fact that this is a technically challenging activity, it comes with many benefits that will improve and enrich everyone's lives bold enough to attempt it.
Climbing mountains have social, physical, and emotional benefits for everyone regardless of age group, endurance level, activity level, etc. It is a potent key to managing stress, improving your fitness, and challenging yourself.
Here are some impressive ways in which climbing mountains will enrich your life
Jump to:
- 1. A Great Stress Buster
- 2. You Learn Patience and Persistence
- 3. Improves Flexibility
- 4. A Great Way to Learn About Change
- 5. You Get to Connect With Nature
- 6. It teaches you to be Positive.
- 7. You Get to Connect With People of Like Minds
- 8. Every Climb Teaches You Something New
- 9. Great for the Heart
- 10. Physical and Health benefits are great.
1. A Great Stress Buster
With the cares and worries of the present-day world, it is not surprising that stress affects a high population percentage. A demanding physical activity like mountain climbing can help declutter one’s mind. This is not surprising as the hard work you put into climbing mountains keeps such stressful thoughts away from your mind.
Also, the preparation and strategizing involved in climbing a mountain will keep your mind engaged positively.
2. You Learn Patience and Persistence
Climbing mountains is hard work. You are moving vertically against gravity which involves a great deal of strength. The physical and mental difficulties involved will test you.
Veteran climbers will tell you that you do not consider the whole mountain before climbing. It is a recipe for discouragement. Instead, you take it a step at a time until you reach the peak—an excellent way to improve your patience and perseverance.
3. Improves Flexibility
Mountain climbing involves continuously shuttling your leg between a backward and forward movement. This is a great way to boost stability and mobility for the joints. It strengthens the muscle fibers, improving your elasticity and flexibility.
With a flexible body, your chances of injury, pain, and discomfort reduce drastically. Overall, this improves your quality of life.
4. A Great Way to Learn About Change
The weather on the mountain changes drastically without any warning. One minute, it could be sunny, and the other minute, the clouds will pour. This teaches a critical lesson in life – preparation.
Also, there is usually more than one way up a mountain. People have climbed Mount Logan, the highest peak in Canada, by 13 different routes. In addition, you learn that things change, and you have to be prepared to skillfully navigate the change.
5. You Get to Connect With Nature
Mountain climbing takes you out of your comfort zone. You get to re-establish a relationship with nature and understand that life is beyond the city's hustling and bustling.
Most mountains are characterized by clean and pure air, relaxing and refreshing for the body, according to a report. In addition, the report further stated that Oxygen at altitude comes with many benefits:
- Improved digestion
- An overall better mood
- Better clarity of mind
- Ability to recover from exercise fast
Besides, the fantastic scenery helps you appreciate nature. It can also provide an excellent platform to meditate and practice mindfulness.
6. It teaches you to be Positive.
A pessimist might not be successful in climbing a mountain. It is not surprising because if you set your mind on defeat, it will affect your mental ability to climb. Configuring your mind for impossibility will not help when climbing a mountain.
A positive and willing mind, however, will encourage you to try. Even if you do not get to the peak on the first try, you will continue to try. With a positive mind, you will be surprised at how much you can do.
7. You Get to Connect With People of Like Minds
Climbers are a terrific set of people. They are positive and strong-willed people. They are happy, energetic, willing, and ready to face any challenge. Mountain climbing allows you to meet this fantastic set of people and connect.
All mountain climbers have a similar goal – to overcome every challenge and get to the peak. It also provides a terrific avenue to make lifelong friends with these people. Since your interest aligns, the chance of friendship becoming lifelong friends is high.
8. Every Climb Teaches You Something New
Regular climbers all acknowledge the fact that there are lessons with every mountain climbed. Some lessons you will learn are:
- Preparation because the weather can change without warning
- Going with waterproof gear like cameras
- Leaving your mobile phone behind as the temperature might be too cold for the phone
- Through research, you can get a better route up the mountain
- Getting a comfortable tent should you need to sleep overnight
- The right footwear could make the difference.
The lessons are numerous, and you will discover more with every climb.
9. Great for the Heart
Mountain climbing is a tedious activity. It is a stressful activity that increases the heartbeat. This makes it a cardiovascular activity that not only improves the muscle but also builds strength and increases blood flow. This makes it suitable for the heart as various parts of the body get ample blood supply.
The increased pumping of blood significantly reduces your risk of heart disease. This activity also improves your overall quality of life.
10. Physical and Health benefits are great.
Great and consistent climbers will discover that they get to build strength and endurance. It is like a physical activity that demands energy. In time, you will find out that your diet improves. When you consider the energy demands of climbing mountains, fast foods, and other unhealthy foods will hardly sustain you.
In time, your diet tends towards a healthy and balanced meal. The diet sustains you with the benefit of a healthy meal. You become very fit, which makes every climb easier. This also translates to a stronger and healthy body and bones.
Conclusion
Mountain climbing is a huge and daring endeavor. It can be a memorable endeavor in your life. In the end, however, you will desire to do more.
It is exhausting; it could take months and several attempts. With a strong determination, however, you will get to the peak. On getting to the peak, you breathe a sigh of relief. This is because you just achieved a goal, and crossed off one of the essential things in your long-term goals.
Not only does this fulfill your goal, but you also get many benefits that will enrich your life. The mental, social, and physical benefits will improve your overall quality of life.
Read also:
Leave a Reply