Will Gym Climbing Make Me a Better Climber?

[Charlie S]

Note that this is a side topic to the standard training procedure, which I am continuing to follow.

My local gym has fallen into the category of "competition-style" route setting, as described by Josh Levin in this very interesting article:
fiveten.com/community/blog-detail/14785-the-future-of-comp-climbing

First, I can't stand this style of climbing in general because it is so far removed from outdoor climbing.

BUT, the gym has a nice tall campus board (my house's ceiling are too low to put in my own...for now.  The garage is an option but there's no climate control).

I find this style of route setting exceedingly hard to ARC on.  Precision movements are dictated to the hands as opposed to footwork.  I suppose it'd be good for power training...if it wasn't always an all-points-off dyno.

So now my question: Is there any benefit (either physical or mental) from climbing on these styles on non-workout days?

Business case:
Year membership at gym for my wife and I: $1,012

Treadwall: $6000 (?)  (This would be the ideal way for me to get vertical climbing in at my home.  Anything else would have to be horizontal traverses only)
Heat/AC Installation in garage: $500 (?)
Holds, pads, mounting apparatus so I can still park the car in the garage: $500

Total Home Package: $7000

Hard to rationalize that from a fiscal perspective

[MarkAnderson]

Charlie, have you considered building a woody instead of buying a treadwall? A woody takes more space but it's a lot cheaper.

That article is fascinating, it really highlights the ever-growing chasm between indoor and outdoor "climbing". It's interesting that these gyms are bankrolled largely by customers who climb outside, yet the staff and most influential patrons are primarily (sometimes exclusively) indoor climbers. My opinion is that the outdoor climbers need to speak up and make it clear what type of facility/experience they want. Hopefully more competition between gyms in the future will lead to better options for actual rock climbers.

In the meantime I'll continue to rage against the machine in my barn

[Chris W]

Charlie

1) My campus board is in my barn, which isn't climate controlled. The summer season was my first time campusing, but I did fine shirtless sitting in front of a nice fan (temps and humidity percentage in the 90's)
2) Parking a car in the garage is overrated (but my wife disagrees, so I have my barn and she parks in the garage).
3) A nice window unit/space heater could take care of climate control in the garage if it isn't huge.

Hope that info helps your decision, but I'm sure you can see my personal bias towards training at home.

[Charlie S]

Chris, you're a tougher man than me! The garage gets afternoon sun (and it's brick) so it's often hotter than outside.

I'll have to take another look at building a woody in the garage. But I guess the answer to the original question is: you'll become a better competition climber but as far as specificity for my goals are concerned...forget about it.

[Chris W]

Charlie, I'm not sure I would say "tough"; trad climbing scares me. I'm sorry your gym isn't working well for you. Good luck on your garage. If you do decide to build in there, give a window AC unit a try. I cool my whole house (granted, it's a small rancher) with window units and they can make a huge difference.

[focus]

Charlie S,
Thanks for the link to that article. I was happy to read someone discuss what I've been thinking for a while, and the article is referring gyms I climb in so it really hit home. 

I too am not a fan at all of the comp routes. Many friends are psyched when the comps end and we "get" to climb those routes. Not me.
They just don't resemble anything I would climb outside. 

I agree with Mark in terms of speaking up and at least ask for a mix of route styles. 

I've been contemplating the same question you ask, but more specifically in relation to gym route climbing vs bouldering and other training methods. 
Outside, I am 100% route climber but starting to wonder if I would see better results/improvement by devoting more indoor time to bouldering/training and less on routes. 

I am moving soon and will be building a home wall that I except to get a lot of use out of. Seems like an effective (cost and climbing) alternative. 
Though, there is a social aspect to the gym that may or may not be important to you. 


 

[Charlie S]

Aug 4, 2014 5:56:36 GMT -7 focus said:

Though, there is a social aspect to the gym that may or may not be important to you. 

And therein lies a significant reason to climb itself!