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Indoor climbing has been looked down upon by some climbers since it ever existed, and some climbers today still swear that they will never bring themselves to climbing on plastic. These self-ordained “purists” decry indoor climbing for being a bastardization of rock climbing for taking something natural and beautiful and trying to replicate it with wood and plastic. Though some of these claims have merit; indoor climbing will never be the same as the real thing, it has garnered a respectable following and provides an excellent training ground for climbers who are not lucky enough to be able to make it to mountain everyday.
Though some attempts have been made at improving the plywood climbing wall, most indoor climbing walls are similar to the first indoor walls put together in basements and garages around the world. A wooden stud frame is built in the desired shape of the wall, then sheeted with plywood. The plywood is drilled and T-nuts are installed on the back side. Plastic, wood, or resin climbing holds are then bolted into the t-nuts on the front side, though sometimes the plywood is painted with a texture paint to make smearing easier and to make the climbing mirror outdoor climbing a little better.
The texture paint usually has sand added to it for grip, though some more expensive setups use a thicker compound that almost resembles stucco. Either way, most indoor climbing walls will require fresh texturing every few years to keep up their friction. Since holds can be moved and adjusted with ease, indoor climbing walls allow climbers to try new routes and bolder problems whenever they want.
While out of the weather they can work on strength, balance, and movement in a controlled environment. Indoor climbing also allows those who do not have easy access to any good outdoor climbing for hundreds of miles to enjoy the sport of rock climbing and to become better climbers. Indoor climbing allows them to justify long road trips to Rocky Mountain National Park or Hueco or Bishop to finally climb on real rock.
Indoor climbing competitions have also become extremely popular, attracting spectators and sponsors from around the country. These competitions allow climbers to test their mettle against each other and against themselves while still having a good time. Youth indoor climbing teams are getting to be more and more popular, giving kids and alternative to baseball or basketball.
Not only that, almost all of the skills learned while climbing indoors are transferable to climbing on real rock, allowing the gym rats to climb harder problems and more routes than they would be able to climb if they had not spent any time climbing indoors. Maybe the “purists” just do not want anyone climbing on their best spots.
www.indoorclimbing.com World-wide indoor rock climbing walls and gyms list, rock climbing wall construction, rock climbing training plans, rock climbing competitions...
www.pacificedgeclimbinggym.com Comprehensive Indoor and Outdoor Climbing School; Yoga and Fitness Programs...
www.rockworks.co.uk Rockworks climbing wall systems are designed to provide the most advanced range of options...