Indoor Climbing

• Why Climb Inside?
• Basic Equipment for Indoor Climbing
• How to Use the Climbing Gym
• Avoiding Injury
• Moving Outdoors

The first artificial climbing walls appeared in Europe in the late 1960s. They were fairly crude and were mostly a way for outdoor rock climbers to practice when the weather was bad.

As artificial walls improved, climbing competitions began to move from real rock to indoor or artificial arenas. Eventually, the concept of indoor climbing gyms took off in the '80s. America's first climbing gym opened in 1987 in Seattle, offering a whole new sports arena to seasoned rock climbers and novices alike.

Artificial climbing surfaces have become quite elaborate since the first crudely chiseled brick walls of the '60s. Today, walls are typically constructed of epoxy, resin, fiberglass and a variety of other compounds with surface textures and interchangeable hand- and footholds. These surfaces are collectively called "plastic," and "pulling plastic" is what thousands of indoor climbers do on a regular basis.

Why Climb Inside?

Indoor climbing facilities are great places to get started in climbing. Climbers can concentrate on proper movement and technique under controlled conditions without having to worry about weather or hazards that can be present in outdoor climbing situations.

Unlike many rock climbing areas, climbing gyms are easily accessible, making it possible for weekend climbers to practice during the week without a big time investment. They also allow people to climb in regions where natural rock formations are rare.

Gyms typically feature top-roped routes. That means that the rope runs from the climber through a point attached to the ceiling and back to the belayer on the floor. Often the belay device is anchored to the floor, as well, to prevent the belayer from being pulled into the wall if the climber falls.

Climbing-route heights average between 20 and 40 feet, and hand- and footholds are scattered up the face. Many gyms also offer routes on which a climber can lead or clip into preset bolts and attach the climbing rope about every body length, while moving upward. Plus, just about every indoor climbing facility has a bouldering area. Here climbers can practice moves while close to the ground, with a crash pad beneath them, so a harness and a belayer are not necessary.

Basic Equipment for Indoor Climbing

One of the great benefits of indoor climbing is that it requires minimal gear. With the following items, you can be off and ready to climb at your local gym or REI store.

• Rock shoes —Shoes with stiff rubber tend to hold up well to gym climbing. Some climbers prefer to wear slippers or low-cut rock shoes for greater flexibility on the more difficult routes. Climbing slippers are typically fairly snug to allow for precision footwork. They can be easily slipped off in between climbs to let the feet rest.
• Harness —You need a harness for any roped climbing.
• Belay device —Frequently belay devices are provided at the rock gym, but some climbers prefer to use their own.
• Chalk bag and chalk —Gymnasts' chalk is used to keep palms dry and ensure secure hand placements. Most gyms require the use of chalk balls, rather than loose chalk, to keep dust to a minimum. The chalk ball is set inside the chalk bag which is clipped to your harness or worn on a belt if you're bouldering.
• Climbing clothing —Make sure it's comfortable and non-restrictive.

If you're just getting started in climbing, consider renting or borrowing the basic gear before you buy it. This helps you learn which styles and sizes work best for you. Most indoor climbing gyms rent many of the items listed above. Contact your local REI for rental details.)

How to Use the Climbing Gym

Take a Class

• If you're new to climbing, it's a good idea to take advantage of classes offered at a gym. Often, classes for groups of women, children, teens or families are available in addition to one-on-one instruction.
• Basic classes usually cover rope handling, belaying and climbing technique, then progress to footwork, balance and climbing movement. Advanced classes typically cover lead climbing and anchors.
• If you're going to a gym for the first time but have outdoor climbing experience, most gyms will still require that you pass a belay check to make sure you understand proper belay technique.

Make the Most of Your Time

• Make sure you take it easy at first.
• Be sure to do some easy stretches for arms, legs and torso. See our article on stretching and yoga for some examples.
• Warm up on low-angle slabs by doing some footwork. Try climbing these without using any handholds at first. This will force you to shift weight over your feet and make you concentrate on your body position.
• Next, do some easy vertical routes, not paying attention to the holds marked as THE route. Just climb naturally for about ten minutes to get into the flow of climbing.
• To gain agility, practice down-climbing rather than being lowered on every route.
• Bouldering is a good way to warm up and to build endurance, too. Traversing a wall allows you to work on balance and technique.

Avoiding Injury

Climbing indoors involves its own set of risks. Most frequently, climbers suffer from overuse injuries or burnout. Injuries of the forearms and hands are common, especially tendinitis. To prevent injury, climbers should take some precautions:

• Try not to push yourself to your limit on every visit to the gym.
• Tape your hands between the fingers to support the tendons.
• Include rest days between hard training, or cross-train to exercise other muscles
• Avoid extreme moves such as leaping up to reach a hold (known as a "dyno" move), which can stress the shoulders and fingers.

Moving Outdoors

The rock gym is an excellent place to push your skills and build strength for outdoor climbing. It is not, however, identical to climbing a mountain or a steep rock face.

People who start out climbing indoors need to be aware that, although the movements and some of the equipment are the same, climbing indoors does not completely prepare them for climbing on real rock in the great outdoors. In addition to physical skills, outdoor climbing requires sound judgment and awareness of environmental factors that can only be learned through practice outdoors.

Almost every REI store has an indoor climbing wall available free to REI members. Contact the REI store nearest you and arrange to give indoor climbing a try.