Why is Rock Climbing so Addicting? 

That feel when you spent all day trying that one route and finally send it, Is magical. That feel when you go on an easier route and just feel that nice flow, and start swagging a bit, is magical. That feel when you get on a route that you would have expected to have trouble with, but just end up crushing it, is magical. Climbing is just magical.

Climbing is addictive because it allows you to go through a constant cycle of challenge, growth and achievement. Once you are good at running, you need to work *really* hard to get better. Same goes for most other sports I can think of. In climbing you can find continuous brand new challenges that will feel hard until you overcome them even if you never climb above V3. Also it allows you solve these challenges not just with strength but intelligence in a combination I don't think any other sport has. The final icing on the cake is it promotes a sense of "flow" which other sports have as well but perhaps not in such an accessible way.

As someone coming from a school team sports background from middle school - college, I'd say the act of training for climbing is much more fun than the act of training for other sports. While you may think you might die while climbing, that's more preferable to me than feeling like you're actively dying while trying to pr on a 13 mile run or getting through a 2x10k workout on the erg. Training for climbing is often more chill and taxing in a more fun and mentally easy way (imo).

I started 5 months ago and have not been able to stop, I've loved it

I see the concrete, non-arbitrary nature of climbing as one of its greatest strengths. You can usually explain everything a lay-person needs to know about someone on a route in two sentences. You can summarise the rules in another two. Simple, but with near infinite variation. Also the lack of a single optimal body type makes climbing a personal challenge to better yourself and learn your own style.

For me, climbing felt like a sport where I could explore the variations of problem solving with my body in a way that was unique to all the other various sports I had tried before. I wasn't necessarily strong or fearless; falling still terrified me, and I still don't have enough strength to do a pull up. But it's the endorphins, the achievement, the community of supportive people that inevitably encourages me to continue climbing in every place I'm at. All I want to do is climb and learn how to do more of it. It feels incredible to be up on the wall, and to feel alive. Breaking beta is also one of the most satisfying aspects of climbing. This was an incredible video! Love watching and I hope you'll visit the climbing gyms in Malaysia someday!

Adrenaline from fear, endorphins from exercise, dopamine from succeeding when you finish a problem, a never ending supply of physical and mental challenges, learning how your body works, getting strong, and the community and friends you make doing it. Plus the feeling that our bodies were just meant to do it. This sport really has everything to lock someone into it. Now I just wish covid and winter would get out of my way so I can get back to climbing!

This put into words what I've been trying to explain to my friends for ages, I can't climb right now due to the UK lockdown and I'm really finding it hard lol. Thanks for this video it's sick

Man straight up called me a nerd ... fair enough

The community aspect is something that is often overlooked. I started climbing back in the early 90's at one of the first climbing gyms in the U.S. From day one there has been an unwritten rule that you greet everyone in a friendly manner (especially if you **don't** know them), and you encourage everyone when they're on the wall. Even at the highest levels of competition we actively try to help each other do better, and be better. We compete with ourselves far more than we could ever compete with each other. With very few exceptions the only time a climber looks down on anyone is because they are simply physically at a higher elevation. To quote the best commentary I've ever heard, "It's just our sport, that's how we do things"

Because it is.... It just is Albert.

Me: Ok, I really should go to sleep now Albert Ok: *posts a video* Me: Sleep is overrated

Can you show more of you and your friends climbing in competition, would be cool to see more non professionals climbing

The thing is that climbing, no matter what age you start, people will support you and it doesn’t feel like a competition to see who is better

Oldschool runescape in a climbing video, wild times

I've been climbing for 2+ years now and am a total addict! I instantly fell in love with it! My non climbing friends who I study with noticed how I slowly became more and more obsessed with climbing and was mainly talking about it. 😂 Sometimes l have to stop myself and realize that not everyone are this obssesed with climbing lol

I’m not able to go rock climbing much and I’m not that great, but I remember the last time I went climbing, I spent so long on this one wall I was determined to figure out and I had no idea why. It was exhilarating and frustrating, but extremely enjoyable. The next day I could barely walk, yet I wanted to go again and again. Thank you for explaining this feeling so well.

This video put into words what I’ve been feeling for the last 3 years, thank you! I joke constantly that being up on a wall cracks all my bones back into place after being cramped into an office chair all day, but it’s the truth.

I think you have missed the problem-solving aspect of climbing - that’s driven by dopamine not endorphins - and it’s highly addictive! Problem-solving is what makes solo climbing so fascinating. And it’s an aspect totally missing from running and other endurance sports.

9:10 I don't know, I think flying a helicoper to the top of mount everest would be pretty challenging xD

I’ve been climbing for 3 months, I go to the gym 5-6 days per week, for the past few weeks my lower back has had a knot in it. I’ve never felt more helpless in my life, I’ve been bored, unmotivated, and unhappy since I got injured. I come from playing hockey so the community for me is amazing and people you don’t know cheer you on. I know I will climb for the rest of my life.

Addictive

thank you for making this and presenting our addiction in such an eloquent manner

Your videos are so freaking great. I love all of them so much. Much love to all of you!!

i love your videos pls never stop making them

Fantastic video, very well articulated!

Dude your videos are always so good

I love your insights! Thank you for enabling my addiction

Going through a wrist injury right now and I can definitely relate to the feeling of withdrawal from not being able to climb. At times it feels like I'll never get back to where I was and that bums me out--but seeing videos like yours helps keep my head up and looking forward

Beautiful video, brother! The narrative in the background was fantastic

Amazing video Albert

Such a nicely put together video! I’ll start forwarding this vid to my non-caliber friends who ask why i love climbing so much

This is one of our better videos technical speaking. I enjoyed it!

Thank you so much for this. I feel like you are the only one who understands me. This video helped me understand myself. I know why I love the gym so much now. My friends may never understand, but it feels nice to have someone understand even though you don't know me. Thank you so much Albert.

Climbing (returning to it after serious injury) was the thing that got me out of a serious 3+ year hole of depression, the lowest i can imagine sinking outside of doing hard drugs. Not only that, but the people i returned to welcomed me back with more than open arms and actively make my life better in ways that i find it hard to express the gratitude i feel for them and this sport. Love you all

Just recognized my home crag- Morrison south, CO, at 7:09. Awesome send.

The endorphin/discipline thing is something that you get with any exercise that becomes a practice. Climbing is inherently interesting to humans - they have all that climbing stuff in playgrounds for kid because climbing is just interesting. Hanging upside down from the monkey bars, climbing trees ... it's just something you want to do as a kid, not for any sort of thrill of conquest but just to try out the moves. Some kids have it more than others, but I don't think it ever goes away, even if it isn't cultivated. Adults get more fall-averse, but climbing things is an inherently satisfying kind of physical problem-solving.

Start a bit over a year ago, addicted since...in the gym they great me with ``you again?``. I was always okay at sports, I was very fit and everything but since I'm climbing I'm never not thinking about it, changed my life goals, my career path even bought a build-out van this week. I don't know what to say this video is just everything i am and i am so happy about it... Thanks for your videos Albert

I totally agree with how you explain the easiness of becoming addicted to climbing. Still, I would add that, literally, being in touch with mother earth is big part of that holistic feeling I'm addicted to when climbing outside. Also, having to trust in your partner is something very unique in climbing. Cheers, Angelo

Watched this video yesterday and sent my first v7 at Katy today haha. Dude your videos have gotten so much better. It’s weird as we all grow as climbers you grow as a RU-vid lmao.

your videos are almost as addictive as rock climbing, keep them coming, watched all of beta break last night, great playlist !

my favourite thing about climbing is that it kind of mimicks the motivation you need in life, i guess - because moves that feel impossible at the start can became possible in only a short time with the right training and mindset. that's the beauty in climbing for me (mainly bouldering) - that i can accomplish things i thought were impossible for me, sometimes just by trying it more, that's wild. also the community, it's so versatile and so kind. :)

Amazing Video (as always). Cant wait for the gyms to Open Up in Germany again.

Hi there Albert. Just wanted to tell you that your analysis in this video on 'the general characteristics of the climber's' explained to me as a parent to a 17 year old son, living in Israel, why he love bouldering so much, but also explained some more deep things in is character. Thanks for inlighting me as a parent.

Holy moly, what a wonderful video! Thank you for that, Albert. Well done!

I've discovered it last summer, and I can't stop ❤️. It's the ultimate sport for shutting of your racing thoughts. Suffering from the lockdown and not being able to climb :( last time was end of October...

This is one of the best video that speaks to me as a climber

Happy birthday! Cannot agree more with these sentiments. I started at the beginning of the year for ankle rehab and have fallen down the rabbit hole. Great video as always.

I love the videogame analogy! Bouldering reminds me of a boss fight from MMORPG’s like World of Warcraft. It’s about going up against a specific climbing route and trying to complete it. There are some parts of the route which are harder than others, and you slowly improve the more times you attempt the problem. You get closer to the top, with the earlier parts eventually becoming easier to the point of triviality once you work out how to do them. Finally, you reach the top (finishing the boss). This feeling of slowly improving at a specific problem and completing it is incredibly satisfying for me, whether in a videogame or otherwise. There is something nice about a very clear set of goals with an easy way to tell whether you’re improving. In addition to improving at bouldering in the technical sense, you also improve over time in terms of fitness and strength. To go back to the MMORPG example, improving these feels like acquiring better items and getting a higher level, while improving at the technical aspects feels like just getting more competent at the specific actions to take in the game.

This is my favorite video. earlier this morning i climbed my project and got a new high point, and i started thinking why i love climbing so much. Climbing is such an individual sport (not a bad thing) that the only opponent, is you. in team sports, you face against other teams, and if you lost, you could easliy blame the other team. but in climbing, the truth is, the only opponent is you. you have to beat yourself to get better, beat your past self to be better. you cant blame anyone for your mistake, when you climb, there's only you and the holds, no one else to blame if you couldnt reach that hold. but when you finally finished that project of yours, the sweat, the tears, all of that effort becomes worth it. this video point out so much more that i didn't notice before. thank you Albert, you gave me a whole new set of open eyes why i love this sport.

Literally the video I’ve been waiting for! 😄

Climbing is the only sport that has made me feel truly happy while doing it. With everything else there was this constant pressure of letting others down or feeling like I was too far behind in skill to ever catch up. With climbing, even when I fall, I have a sense within myself that I'm not failing, but in a constant state of improvement. That I can and will get better and I can have fun while doing so. I've never felt joy in competition with anyone but myself and this sport is perfect for that.

For me, climbing is about achievement. That feeling of triumph and achievement that you get when topping a problem you've been working on for a while or even across multiple sessions. But even if you don't top, as long as you get at least one grip further than last time or you find a way to do a move easier, you still end up feeling like you've achieved something. I do also like how when you get talking to others and you try different things on a problem, you all encourage each other, it's such a nice thing that everyone motivates everyone else when they are climbing. Even in competitions, everyone is still friendly and cheering each other on. For me with my mental health problems, climbing has been great. I hate 2020 for taking away my ability to go down climbing but hopefully in a couple of months when the vaccine is more spread out, I can get to climbing again and get back that feeling.

You rock! You always talk about all the interesting stuff in climbing I want the media to talk about. So well researched and presented. Quality is astounding. Please don't stop

albert i love this thank you

This was such a fun video! Loved to see my home gym 🌈✨

one reason climbing is great for me is that it is in my mind one of the most enjoyable forms of exercise. i can get stronger and in better shape while also having fun. climbing is so much more enjoyable than doing something that might give similar results like weightlifting or something like calisthenics.

Great video!

I feel rock climbing is very similar to competative video games in a way, and is addicting for alot of the same reasons. When you see visual improvement while working something, which is made painstakingly obvious wether it be a number going up such as kdr in a game or the highest level of V you can boulder you just want to keep going at it. People don't get this same rush from something like soccer or football. Much like you said seeing your own's accomplishments is much more rewarding feeling than seeing your team's accomplisments. Even if you don't game or anything like that, seeing the grading scale go up is the most addicting factor much like a bank account going up.

Hey Albert, first congrats for the 40k. I think the three reasons you said would be agreed also for most other sports. For me what makes climbing very unique it is that climbing is a sport both for mind ans body. Your serie Beta Breaker is the best proof of it. I think there is scarcely another sport which challenges both mind and body so perfectly together, and where you rely so much on creativity.

ALLLBERT its hard to explain how special your channel is. I got a v7 in three trys today (it was my style and probably soft but whatever) thanks for reinforcing my love for climbing with your awesome videos! keep crushing it

Interesting video. I think it's a little different for me, though. I'm afraid of heights (I climb only in the gym), and I find the fear unpleasant (as fear is designed to be). I climb despite the fear. I also climb alone, so no community. There's a couple things I really like about climbing. I like the basic physical activity of climbing. It has a childlike appeal. And it has full body physical exertion, which many exercises don't have. The other thing I like about climbing is the challenge of getting to the top. Sort of like the accomplishment aspect you cite, but it's the most basic accomplishment you can get in the sport -- climb up, climb down, repeat.

Ever since I started this sport, climbing has been the only thing on my mind, I recently climbed my first v4 - v6 and that feeling after topping out is one of the best

Nice vids and great narration :)

Couldn't agree more with you. Excellent video!

Proud to be an early subscriber, keep up the great work!

Love this, my birthday was yesterday and just spent it climbing too😭

A climbing video with a few osrs clips mixed in? My dreams really have come true!

Insightful! What made me love climbing was that I could do a whole body work out and not be near my phone for 3-4hrs without realising 😦 and then of course when you go outdoors and lie on the mats in your breaks and cloud watch is also very magical 🌞🌞🌞

Awesome video! Quality just keeps going up!

great video!

Great video and thanks for sharing your view, which are some of many reasons why climbing is the best sport for anyone at any stage in their life. I found it 6 years ago by accident when I was picking up my Chinese exchange student from a basketball game. I saw a bunch of ropes, rock holds, etc. and figured I’d give it a try. I pumped out and gasped for air in 30 minutes, and I thought I was in great shape from MMA (Jiu-Jitsu Muay Thai). Yep-addicted. What most people may not see are “the real world problem solving skills” (since climbs are problems). It helped me with a greater bond with my now college daughter (my climber in high school/on team/still climbs), work out things in my 14 year (2nd) marriage, better coping with PTSD (military vet), but most of all do things I may never had tried. For example, building my own 14 foot campus board, cave wall for myself, traverse wall for my youngest daughter (13) and building home gym style things. Climbing unlocks your capabilities to perform and be better as a person because it’s an individual mission with community of support.

I started climbing last friday, I climbed for the second time this past tuesday and for the 3rd time yesterday. Yesterday I went with my cousin (who has never climbed) and we spent an hour and a half trying to climb a V4. I must have fell 40 times before finally lunging, reaching, and grabbing the hardest hold of the problem. The moment I grabbed and lifted myself, i felt such a rush of happiness and joy. my arms felt fully destroyed, but i loved it.

I just realized you're a momentum silver street, that's my gym! Love your content!

Great video man. You know you're addicted when you think about chalking up for arbitrary tasks, like making coffee.

I think its the fact that its so easy (initially) to get better at it. To put in that effort and immediately see improvement is the addictive part. Goals are addictive. (Especially short term goals) Training to reach a goal is addictive. (The more effort you put in the more improvement you see). Meanwhile its incredibly good for your mind, body and soul without any negatives! (minus the over-training injuries you will 100% get) !!! Whats not to love?

Dasani! Nice to see Morrison Colorado. in your video.

Never thought i'd see OSRS in your videos LOL, got a chuckle out of me

Awesome video, made my day better

I have once heard that climbing is like meditation. I felt like I could relate to this a lot. I'm in a bad place sometimes, but climbing always gets me out of it, or at least, allows me to concentrate on moving my body precisley so I can't think about anything else. When I climb, I feel like I finally found something I was looking for. That's why I climb ❤

Seeing this video when coming back from outside bouldering... surrounded by deep snow at freezing temperatures (and loving it 😬).

I love your gyms crash pad chairs haha

Haven't finished watching yet, but climbing to me reminds me of playing tag as a child. In the same way world chase tag is a sport effectively allowing you to be a kid, climbing is very similar. Climbing and chasing/running are hard wired into our brains as activities for self preservation and survival. To do something that feels so full on and yet so innocently fun is at least to me an incredible experience

For me climbing is a amazing sport cos i have many breathing problems so I run out of oxygen at runs at any speed but as the routes i do are static my lungs dont need to suffer. The only other things i found that work for me are unicycling and bow shooting as they arent as horrible to my lungs. In bicycling you often try to get fast and long ways wich tire me out again but i manage to get 15 min routes done

Sick new vid Albert! Awesome I got to help lol

awesome video

7:00 - is that Morrison? Bouldered on the opposite side a few years ago (on a road trip in passing) and that ridge in the background looks familiar. These are the traits of an addicted brain, "hmmm, that random rock looks familiar, release nostalgic endorphins in 3, 2, 1." Haha.

Ayyyy I was at that Bouldering Gym at 2:30 (Momentum, Silverstreet in Houston) a few weeks ago, that's sick!

well done! excellent video :)

Saw the skwamas! Big fan of those shoes 🔥🔥Great vid

The One Punch Man reference at the end hit home :’)

You did the eagles dirty at 4:51 with the outdated Superbowl chart lol. Great video tho I love the channel!

At the end of 2021 i broke up with my gf after a 6 year relationship. Instead of sitting around and sobbing all day, I started going to the climbing gym. The moment i started climbing i forgot about all the things that trouble my mind. It felt great and relaxing and pretty soon i started making progress, climbing harder routes and gaining alot of strenght. Now 4 months later i feel better than ever and it blows me away what my body is capable of doing. Last week i did my first 7b route and it felt amazing :p

Bruh speech at the end 🤌 beautifully written. But as you said you said alot of climbers are nerds and you can't fly a copter to the top of mt everest cus the air is too thin 😶. But man I cant get over your vids, you should release like an hour megasode at 50k subs thats my dream!!! You've got a really good thing going here and I hope you never stop.

Watching this while delaying the end of my sesh at the gym.

That’s so cool we go to the same gym

I climbed late 2019 and early 2020, then I took almost a year hiatus... About 3 months ago I restarted my climbing passion and haven’t stopped and have been climbing a ton! I’m now climbing some v4 routes 😊😊

@6:40 is a climb called Coaches Corner V9, in Morrison CO

The philosophical ending was beautiful

I think most extreme sports feel this way. I've been addicted to rock climbing, dirt biking, snowboarding and parkour. Getting addicted to running was the only odd one out for me