There’s nothing like a little competition to motivate an athlete, and the sport of rock climbing is no exception. Mainly used to pass time while training in the climbing gym, several games, like “Take-away,” are well known while others are original creations.
Husband-wife duo Wills Young and Lisa Rands moved all the way from Bishop, California to Chattanooga to guide climbers at High Point Climbing and Fitness. “The rock climbing around here is so good; it’s different, something new,” says Young. “There’s so much going on in terms of new cliff development and new boulders being found.”Playing climbing games isn’t critical to excelling at the sport, assures Wills Young, climbing guide at the new High Point Climbing and Fitness, but “it’s a way to get people to focus; by watching each other it creates a friendly competition.” Namely, it’s a way to get young climbers to focus, Young clarifies. “Young children have very short attention spans,” he explains. “Games are more just getting kids engaged; it’s getting them moving … and fitter.
“Climbing itself is a game,” continues Young. “It’s like a puzzle. To make it more of a game, really all you’re doing is changing the game.”
Change up your routine by trying one of these games during your next visit to the climbing gym:
Take-away: Begin by creating a route on the climbing wall, marking each hold with chalk or tape. After each player successfully climbs the route, the last one removes the marking on one of the holds. If a climber can’t complete the route, the next one in line must try, and if no one can successfully climb the route, the original climber must prove it can be done. If even that climber can’t complete the route, the erased hold is remarked.