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Netflix show leads to rock-climbing popularity
FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Rock climbing gyms continue to gain traction throughout the Tampa Bay area as people look for workouts that challenge both the body and mind.
That curiosity spiked this weekend, as elite climber Alex Honnold scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan live on Netflix. The American climbed the building without ropes or safety gear.
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What we know:
The emerging sport requires careful planning, with every move needing intention and precision. Many compare each route to solving a puzzle, where one wrong choice can end a climb.
Garrett Schwier, a manager at Central Rock Gym in Tampa, said that mental challenge is a major draw.
"You’re having to think through all the climbs, similar to a math problem," he said. "It really engages you physically and mentally."
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That same level of focus was on display throughout Honnold’s skyscraper feat, leaving countless climbers feeling inspired.
What they're saying:
Schwier said pulling off that climb takes uncommon discipline.
"It involves so much skill, courage and mental fortitude to do something of that magnitude," he said.
Noah Remondelli, a regular climber at Central Rock Gym, pointed to a similar spike in popularity following the release of Honnold’s Oscar-winning documentary "Free Solo."
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"Doing this will absolutely bring more people into this community," Remondelli said. "Just like when ‘Free Solo’ happened, it brought in an influx of climbers."
Vanessa Rodriguez, a climber at Vertical Ventures in St. Petersburg, said climbing has helped her build confidence.
"It makes you capable of things you never thought you could do," she said. "I love the confidence it gives you."
Rodriguez said the growth of rock climbing locally in the Tampa Bay area has been hard to ignore.
"The explosion over the past few years has been insane," she said.
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Dig deeper:
Despite Florida’s flat terrain, indoor climbing gyms have continued to expand with new locations statewide. Kegan Fenclau, the assistant manager at Vertical Ventures, believes indoor facilities have helped bridge that geographic gap.
"Right now, the total amount of gym locations in the state are nearing 40," he said. "Which is pretty cool, seeing as there’s no outdoor climbing in the state of Florida."
Big picture view:
Rock climbing’s recent rise has also been fueled by its inclusion in the Olympic Games. Back in the summer of 2021, the sport debuted during the Tokyo games before returning during the Paris games. That exposure introduced competitive climbing to a global audience and helped legitimize the sport.
"We saw a whole new influx of people after that," Rodriguez concluded. "The climbing community is different than any other sport."
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with the manager at Central Rock Gym Tampa, manager at Vertical Ventures and rock climbers.