Artificial Climbing

Artificial Climbing

by Brad Roberts

Publication Date: October 1998

Have you wanted to claw your way up a sheer crag ever since you saw Stallone do it in "Cliffhanger," but are not quite ready to drive a couple of pitons and spend the night in a hammock above a 1500 foot drop? Or perhaps you have always wondered what it must feel like to stand on top of the peak of a mountain and look down upon the route you have battled and now conquered, but because you live in the Midwest have not been able to attempt this feat? If you have troubled yourself with either of these questions, I would encourage you to put your body and mind to the test on an artificial climbing wall.

The new sport of artificial climbing has taken the country by storm. The benefits are many - outstanding physical training, increased confidence, and the most important aspect of any sport - fun! Now you may be saying to yourself that, "These places are probably full of twenty-year-old adrenaline junkies screaming and yelling like they were at the X-games or something." Well, adrenaline junkies yes, but screaming and yelling no. I, myself, am a twenty-something adrenaline junkie that frequents the climbing gyms, and through observation have realized that the people in a climbing gym are probably even quieter than a Saturday afternoon game of bridge.

The atmosphere in a climbing gym is one of concentration. This stems from the fact that those who make it to the top of a wall do so with a calm and fluid motion, conserving their energy, instead of blowing it by rushing up the first ten feet of the wall. Also, this activity is not limited to twenty-somethings or adrenaline freaks. It is a common site to see middle-aged, business professionals on belay for six-year-old farm kids, or vice versa.

Another benefit to these gyms is that there are many experienced climbers employed by, or are themselves the owners, that go around the floor providing safety and technique instruction to make your experience more enjoyable. A good gym should have well-defined and displayed safety policies as well as specific guidelines that must be met before belaying (tie-ins, knots, belay device, daisy chain). Staff should test your belay ability regardless of how well you climb and should offer advice or classes on proper belaying technique if you are unsure how to belay correctly.

Gyms allow people to get their first taste of climbing in a safe atmosphere. Since gyms rent out equipment, climbers can save a lot of money in the beginning while testing different shoes and other necessities until they know what they are looking for. Indoor climbing also requires less equipment, making it much more economical.

The top ropes are already set up, which saves both time and energy. The holds at gyms are much more obvious, and thus makes learning foot and hand placement much easier. My favorite thing to do at a gym is to sit back and watch the more experienced climbers work out a sequence you just can't seem to muster quite yet. You can learn new techniques, while making friends and resting from your previous climb. The climbing gym is only as difficult or rewarding as you make it.

Climbing gyms are also the ideal training grounds for all levels of indoor and outdoor climbing enthusiasts. Indoor walls have become a godsend to climbers who consider this sport more than a seasonal affair. Indoor gyms allow you to make huge strength gains in shorter times, as any moves or conditions can be simulated. Gyms allow climbers to train specifically, whether for power, endurance, or on-sighting. You can also recreate the hardest moves of a particular route inside the gym and practice until these moves become second nature. By eliminating the long hikes between routes, you can fit in more climbs in one day, and thus increase your endurance. An eight-hour day at the crag can provide the same climbing opportunities as a two hour stint at your local gym.

It is important to realize that while you may flash a 5.10 indoor, it does not necessarily translate into ability outdoors, where 5.9 might be more reasonable. Such differences are caused by the visibility of indoor holds, the added risk outside, and the more difficult terrain of real rock. Talk to the staff at your gym about ways to ease the transition to outdoor climbing before you attempt it.

Another big bonus is the atmosphere in most gyms. The setup of gyms usually facilitates group camaraderie, and it is not uncommon to have everyone in the gym watching, and encouraging, a lone climber making way toward the top of the wall. Having a room full of people cheering you on can do wonders for your climbing esteem. Such situations can also improve motivation during the crux, or hardest part of the climb.

The indoor climbing microcosm is shaped like a circle, a place for everyone...if more come, the circle grows larger. I hope to be making room for you soon.