Why climb in when you can climb out?
by Chikako Wade

I know this might sound ridiculous: Stand at the bottom of a 40 ft. wall, attach yourself to a rope, claw and scratch and kick your way to the top… and then, for your efforts- you get to come down and try it again. No mountains or waterfalls in the background, no birds chirping in the air, just the hum of an air-conditioner (if you’re lucky), and the echoes of your fellow comrades- “Left foot up-no other left. Ok, now uh… jump for it, C’MON stand UP!” (Common reply: “I AM standing.”)

If we really just wanted to go up the wall, we could have used a ladder. Like most good things in life, it’s the getting there that makes it real. But every journey has its destination, so why do we do it?

Originally, indoor climbing was developed as a training ground for serious alpinists and off-season ice climbers who couldn’t always be at the base of El Capitan.

The all-weather, all-terrain convenience of the indoor climbing gym allows newcomers to enjoy the benefits of rock climbing without the usual outdoor requirements, not the least of these being location. Rock gyms provide beginners with all the necessary equipment and have trained staff to quickly teach the basics, making rock climbing a highly accessible activity anyone can enjoy! The genuine benefits of rock climbing include increased flexibility and muscular control, a unique sense of balance, heightened body awareness and mental endurance. Climbing is truly a multidimensional approach to fitness.

Indoor climbing is a sport and a tool. It is a safe thrill and a serious blast. Like rock-and-roll, it is proving that it too is here to stay.