If you're feeling adventurous this weekend, give climbing a go.
Image by James E. Scarborough (Wikimedia Commons)
Adelaide has two indoor gyms, one with high walls using rope and harness, and one for bouldering which requires no equipment.
Vertical Reality in Holden Hill is a traditionally set-up gym, with many climbs of varying difficulty. Book yourself in for an induction session then you're ready to climb.
Boulderzone in Thebarton has three metre high walls, which is for a type of climbing called bouldering. At the base of the climbs are sandpits to break your fall. Bouldering aims to improve your strength and agility, so you don't climb upwards so much as across the face and under ledges.
Climbing is a fantastic challenge for your overall body strength, and demands the use of muscles you don't often think about. It involves developing technique to allow you to climb the most difficult courses using only 'features' - chips and cracks in the rock.
Climbing indoors is fully accessible to beginners, but can challenge experienced climbers too. Everyone should try climbing at least once, and when you do, you'll keep going back for the thrill of reaching the top.
