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" I am on top of the world. Okay, &amp;quot;on top of the world&amp;quot; is a little bit of an exaggeration. But hey, considering that I am approximately 35 feet in the air and holding onto a mere knob in a wall, I am allowed to be dramatic. Yes, I am rock-climbing. Considering my immense fear of heights, it is very surprising that you&amp;#039;d find me here. But after nearly dozing off during my most recent elliptical workout, I knew it was time to spruce up my sweat session! Boot camp classes are nice, but I wanted something different, something challenging, and something that required me to push my limits: rock-climbing! I decided to hit up the Gravity Vault for a little instruction and a whole lot of excitement! Here&amp;#039;s the lowdown: At most rock gyms there are two types of workouts available:   Top roping: This is where your partner &amp;quot;belays&amp;quot; you (holds the other end of the rope to keep you from falling). It&amp;#039;s a pretty simple rope-and-pulley system, but yes, your partner holds your life in his or her hands, so he or she needs to be belay-certified (and should like you...at least a little bit!)   Bouldering: This is rock climbing in its simplest form! You climb without ropes and have &amp;#039;crash pads&amp;#039; beneath you (to soften your fall). Even though the trails aren&amp;#039;t as high, you should always have a spotter. I tried both! The verdict? Rock-climbing is an awesome strength and cardio workout! My legs were shaking from hoisting myself up, while my forearms were burning. Bouldering was a bit more physically demanding because I didn&amp;#039;t have a rope supporting me\u2014so if I needed a break, I had to start over. Both were mentally challenging too. I felt like I was playing a chess game trying to figure out the best ways to contort my body, to get up to the top. The best part? I pushed my boundaries and faced my fear of heights! The next day I woke up sore and smiling. I had successfully made it to the top and gotten a great workout. How about you\u2014do you think rock-climbing might be something you&amp;#039;d be willing to try? Sound off in the comments! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/health/fitness/a13599/rock-climbing-workout/>