Why climb?

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Train your mind and body

BENEFITS OF CLIMBING

Climbing is one of the few sports that demands strength, coordination and brainpower all at once: every route is a small problem solved step by step. That is why it hooks children, adults and older people alike, and why more and more research is being done on it. Here is what is known and what is not yet, without exaggeration.

471

adults with moderate depression in the studies of a 2025 review on bouldering

424

children and young people aged 6 to 19 in the 2025 review on climbing and mental health

150 min

of weekly activity is the minimum the WHO recommends for adults, plus strength work on two days

to get started

FOUR REASONS

01 · MIND

ExperienceTo avoid falling you have to be in the present: there is no room on the wall for your phone or your to-do list.
EvidenceA systematic review (BMC Psychiatry, 2025) pooled 7 studies with 471 adults with moderate depression: 8 to 10 weeks of bouldering with mindfulness exercises reduced symptoms compared with a waiting list, and the effect was maintained at 6 or 12 months.
It is not a substitute for treatment. If you suffer from depression, consult a professional.

02 · BODY

Fingers, forearms, back, core and legs are involved in every move: you work pulling, pushing, balance and mobility at the same time.
WHOAdults should accumulate 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week and do muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days. Climbing is one way to meet the strength part.
You set the intensity: from easy routes to get started to high-level challenges.

03 · KIDS AND TEENS

Climbing is a natural movement in childhood, and on the wall they work on coordination, balance and spatial awareness while playing.
EvidenceA 2025 review (5 trials, 424 participants aged 6 to 19) reports, in one study with teenagers, less psychological distress and more wellbeing, and in another, greater self-efficacy in children with special needs. The evidence is still scarce.
WHOChildren and teenagers: 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity and strengthening of muscle and bone on at least three days a week.

04 · COMMUNITY

Climbing is done in company: you compare routes, cheer on whoever tries a hard move and celebrate when it works. At SKALA there are classes, Kids Academy and an internal league for members.
EvidenceMixed results: one study found less feeling of alienation in at-risk teenagers after a climbing programme, and another found no changes in social cohesion.

What the science says

Well supported

In adults with moderate depression, bouldering with mindfulness improved symptoms compared with doing nothing, with an effect maintained for up to a year.
No adverse effects were reported in the included studies.

We do not know yet

Whether climbing beats other options: compared with group cognitive behavioural therapy there were no clear differences, nor compared with walking with poles.
How much is due to the climbing, the mindfulness or the fact of doing it in a group.
For children and young people there are few studies, small and different from one another.

is easy

GETTING STARTED

1 · TRY IT

Book your first experience with an instructor, no prior knowledge needed.

Buy your day ticket

2 · BUILD YOUR ROUTINE

A couple of sessions a week, with rest in between, are enough to notice progress without overdoing it. With a membership you can come back without thinking about each ticket.

See the membership prices

3 · PROGRESS

Classes and courses to learn technique, or free climbing when you feel comfortable.

Discover the courses

Ready

TO GIVE IT A GO?

First experienceYour first time on the wall, with an instructor.→Prices and membershipsTickets, passes and memberships for every pace.→Activities and classesLearn technique with our instructors.→Kids AcademyClimbing for children and young people, at their own pace.→BirthdaysA different kids party, climbing.→SchoolsActivities for school groups.→ShopClimbing shoes, chalk and all your gear.→Gift SKALAAn experience that stays in the memory.→

For information purposes only. It does not replace medical advice or treatment. If you have a health condition, consult your doctor before you start.

Sources: systematic review on bouldering and depression in adults, BMC Psychiatry, 2025; review on therapeutic climbing in children and adolescents, Kaar et al., 2025; WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, 2020.