A Rock-Solid Body

There are plenty of workout plans out there designed to get you in shape—hop on the treadmill, lift free weights, do some ab exercises, and so forth. What about scaling a wall, climbing your way to the top at an indoor rock climbing gym? It sounds like an exercise plan that is fit for a pro, but it turns out that with a little practice even the youngest of competitors can practice the sport, too.
 
At least, that’s what 14-year-old Adam Fox has been doing for the last two years. He says that, while he has tried more traditional sports, like baseball and soccer, he prefers more extreme sports, particularly ones that involve “hanging in the air and falling.”
 
The freshman at Ferguson High School in Florida says that his typical workout involves stretching for about five minutes before easing into some climbing, working up to a rather aggressive pace. Fox climbs for about four hours per day, taking breaks between climbs.
 
He says he uses his knowledge of running to set the pace of his workout which has proven to be quite the cardio routine. Fox also enjoys the fact that a difficult route can provide a challenge for his noggin, similar to a brain teaser pattern.
 
Even at his young age, he has learned the importance of flexibility and a strong core. Fox takes a 90-minute yoga class at the gym at least once a week.
 
Maybe you can't commit to rock climbing quite like Fox (his mom says he doesn’t have “an ounce of fat on him”) but you don’t have to go full throttle to find a good workout in the sport. Check out a local gym in your area and sign up for a beginners class to start learning how to climb the right way. You might be surprised by the total body workout! [Miami Herald]