Rock Climbing for Promoting Physical Activity in Youth

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in youth has steadily increased over the last decade, although it appears to have currently stabilized. Physical inactivity is a major contributor to this obesity epidemic, and more than half of American youth do not meet physical activity recommendations. Rock climbing and bouldering require both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, with the metabolic cost comparable to moderate to vigorous physical activity in adults. Minimal data on youth climbers exist, yet climbing is extremely popular with youth, and thus the sport may be a viable option for decreasing the prevalence of obesity. Available data show that rock climbing can provide youth with muscular strength and endurance building exercise, and possibly improve flexibility. In addition, rock climbing has the potential to provide youth with moderate levels of physical activity according to recommended guidelines. Nine peer reviewed articles are included in this review, as these are the articles specifically associated with youth climbing and health-related fitness. Due to limited research in this area, no articles were excluded if they were related to health-related fitness and youth and rock climbing/bouldering. This review aims to systematically address the impact of rock climbing and bouldering on health-related fitness in youth.