25 Men's Health Readers Spent A Sunday Rock-Climbing And Bouldering

21 Aug 2011 – At the SAFRA Yishun Adventure Sports Centre, 25 Men's Health readers, who had signed up for a day-long rock-climbing and bouldering workshop, each earned a Singapore National Climbing Standards (SNCS) Level certification.

The event began with a 90-minute theory session that explained the types of climbing, equipment, rope knots and communication between a climber and his "belayer" (the person anchoring the safety line).

For the practical part of the workshop, the men were brought to an 18m high rock to practise their drills, while the instructors observed and guided the participants.

Many of the men, such as Richard Chu, 45, a shipyward engineer, were rock-climbing for the first time. He said: "I've seen climbers when I travelled to Zion National Park in the US, and was fascinated. It is a demanding sport that requires the ability to carefully coordinate the arms and legs." Another first-timer, Santosh Burud, 30, a personal trainer, enjoyed the sport's element of adventure. "Rock-climbing is challenging, compared to other sports. It's tough! That makes it fun. It's also an excellent workout," he said.