Serious leisure and the practice of climbing

Abstract

The study proposes a reflexive analysis based on ethnographic immersion within a group of sport climbing practitioners, a leisure activity that offers a transformative and formative experience for participants. The Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP), proposed by Robert Stebbins, is presented as a theoretical framework and will be used to examine participation in the group and the practice of climbing itself as a leisure form. The leisure configurations within this context are analyzed with the intention of dialoguing with the SLP and contextualizing its propositions. By being part of the group, the participant undergoes an immersive journey, incorporating multiple elements such as experience, knowledge, identification, and belonging. The climbing group becomes not only a space for climbing practice but also for social interaction and sociability.