Conquering Heights: 

All About Climbing on a Climbing Wall

climbing wall

What it is?

Let's start with what a climbing wall is. It is an artificial structure for climbing, usually located indoors. It was invented by the French climber and engineer Francois Savin, who also founded Entre-Prises, the largest manufacturer of climbing wall surfaces and other construction elements today. There are many different climbing walls that simulate natural rocks of varying difficulty and use different materials for the climbing panels. They are used from children's playgrounds to sports centers with different levels of difficulty for professionals, semi-professionals, and amateurs.

Special holds are attached to the surface of climbing walls, allowing for a variety of characteristics to be created, such as difficulty level, speed, and comfort of climbing. Some holds are designed to imitate popular climbing destinations around the world.

A vertical sequence of holds from the bottom to the top of a climbing wall is called a route, which can vary in height and difficulty. Additionally, most major climbing walls have a designated bouldering area

climbing wall

What is bouldering?

Bouldering is a specific type of rock climbing that involves navigating low, yet challenging routes that require special climbing techniques. Typically, bouldering routes are no more than 4-5 meters high. The only form of protection in bouldering is the use of special mats, also known as "crash pads". If a climber falls, the soft mats prevent injury.

One of the attractive aspects of bouldering is its dynamic nature. This type of climbing requires a lot of energy and strength. Climbers must be able to utilize all of their strength in just a few movements. Sometimes, in order to reach the next handhold, only certain muscle groups need to be used and climbers must exert a lot of effort. This makes bouldering somewhat similar to martial arts.

In bouldering, the emphasis is on practicing specific movements and a short series of handholds. Unlike difficulty climbing, bouldering allows for an unlimited number of attempts within a certain time period (usually 4-6 minutes).

The two main types of indoor climbing

climbing wall

Speed climbing

Speed climbing is the most dynamic type of rock climbing, which takes place on artificial walls. The main goal of this type of climbing, as you can understand from the name, is to climb the route in the shortest possible time.

Imagine that you need to reach the top of a route that can be 10 to 27 meters high in the shortest possible time. You are only given five minutes to "calculate" the route and plan each move, like in a chess game. Then you must skillfully play your "solo game" and quickly climb to the top, using all your resources and skills.

Speed climbing, especially in a head-to-head race, allows you to feel the spirit of healthy competition and learn to conquer heights in just a few seconds!

climbing wall

Difficulty climbing

Sport climbing on difficulty is the most popular and prestigious discipline due to victories and achievements in this type of climbing. To prepare fully for difficulty competitions, a training wall with the right relief, size and shape of holds, steepness of the slope, and other important components is necessary.

Endurance, speed, excellent technique, ability to concentrate, make correct decisions, personal composure and organization, strength, flexibility, and grace are essential in difficulty climbing. This type of climbing allows you to fully enjoy the joy of overcoming challenges and experience the incomparable taste of victory.

The benefits of climbing

  • Muscle strengthening. When climbing a wall, all muscle groups work, especially the arms, back, legs and abdominal muscles. This allows you to not only strengthen muscles, but also burn a large number of calories.
  • Development of coordination and balance. Climbing requires good coordination and balance, so climbing walls help develop these skills.
  • The development of concentration. Climbing a climbing wall requires maximum concentration, so climbing walls can help improve this skill.
  • Relaxation and stress reduction. Classes on the climbing wall help to relax, relieve stress and tension.

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