LAUREN NEUHOFF
2014 has been a great year for all sporting communities at Tuks. Along with the success of more regular sporting codes, Exploratio has begun a new era with the new Exploratio Committee members and the newly appointed chairperson Murray von Maltitz.
Exploratio is a social club at Tuks where people who enjoy the outdoors are accommodated with rock climbing, hiking and adventure racing. The members of the club form a team of adventurous people who do not shy away from adventure or a challenge.
The club competes in the University Sports South Africa (USSA) competitions along with many other more informal events. Exploratio came third in the last USSA championship. However, due to the nature of these activities being individual, Exploratio also assists members in getting involved in all the various events.
Exploratio hosts an annual Beginners’ Weekend camp during the month of September where new members are introduced to climbing and bouldering. Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed without the use of ropes or harnesses but is done on short routes usually not higher than 3 metres. The members have the opportunity to get to know one another better, along the other Exploratio members. They also receive the benefit of being able to improve on their bouldering skills and exchange techniques.
The club also takes part in the Boven Mountain Festival, which is a fairly large climbing event held at the mecca of South African climbing, Waterval Boven.
There are various methods of training that Exploratio takes part in. The best known method is jspending time outside and practising. As an alternative to that there are indoor climbing gyms available. More advanced methods of training for the club are campus and finger board training. Campus training is essentially doing pull ups that focus on increasing tendon strength as well as upper body strength. The training regimes are beginning to include cardio-activities, such as running and intensive stretching. This is due to the rigors and hardships that climbing places on the body. Core-strength is also vital, if not the most important aspect of climbing training.
Exploratio is an open club, meaning even non-students can join the club. The club also accommodates beginners and takes the time to teach eager people how to climb.
Exploratio seeks people who like a challenge, want to conquer their fear of heights and have no limits on life. The club believes that “action conquers fear, inaction feeds fear.”
Image: up.ac.za
