Rock Climbing for Fitness

Can you get to the top?

Did you know that Dr. Yoho is an avid outdoorsman?

One of his favorite activities is rock climbing. He has been climbing for most of his life, mastering the tough skill during his sabbatical from medical school at age 22. He has climbed many peaks in the western US. But Yosemite is the place he loves most. He has climbed Half Dome (El Capitan) four times. Two of those climbs were: the Northwest Face in 18 hours (2004), and the "Nose” route in less than 24 hours (2005).

Dr.Yoho is interested in more than medical procedures. He has always had an interest in fitness and nutrition. He takes a holistic approach to his own activity and to the health of his patients. He recommends good diet and exercise. He also believes that psychological health is as important as physical health.

Rock climbing is actually great mental exercise, in addition to being great physical exercise. It requires lots of focus to get the techniques right. And for most people, there is an element of fear involved in clinging to a wall high off the ground. Overcoming this fear and literally reaching for the top can be a big mood-booster and confidence-builder.

When people think of rock climbing, they often assume that the activity is all about upper body strength. But in fact, it is one of the best full-body exercises around, requiring lots of involvement of the legs, core, and back in addition to the arms and chest. It is also an accessible activity. Even non-adventure types can take advantage of climbing walls in gyms. Many community centers and sporting stores offer instructions for beginners. Taking classes is a good idea, because rock climbing is intensively technical, although you might be surprised at how quickly you can pick up the basics.

Check out more information about Dr. Yoho here.

Dr. Yoho's adventure with a horse in Buenos Aires

Dr. Yoho took a trip to Buenos Aires to attend a medical meeting about cosmetic surgery.  During the trip, he went into the countryside and did some touring and jumped on a horse for the first time in 20 years. 

He was having a wonderful time until the horse found that he was on his way back to the corral at the end of the ride and began to break into a faster pace.  Dr. Yoho was anxious about the horse's speed and was afraid that he'd fall off, so he pulled back on the reins and the horse bucked him right off. 

While Dr. Yoho insisted that he fell gracefully, close observers claim that he looked like a sack of potatoes as he flew through the air and hit the ground.  Fortunately, very little was bruised except for his right buttock and his ego, and he continued on the sightseeing trip with no further mishaps.

Dr. Yoho used to be a real climber

Photo above was taken during an ascent by Dr. Yoho of El Capitan's Nose route in Yosemite. An article was published in Alpinist magazine (April 18, 2007) about Dr. Yoho's "first ascent" in Zion National Park, which he did in 1987 with his friend Dave Jones. This climb has recently been climbed "free" by another set of climbers. This means that at no point was it necessary to use gear placed in the rock to advance up the climb. There are some photos and a nice story. See link for photos and article.

Dr. Yoho has climbed the Nose Route of El Capitan in less than 24 hours, see chart. See Biography for Dr. Yoho's personal biography.