Indoor Climbing is an increasingly popular form of rock climbing performed on artificial structures that attempt to mimic the experience of outdoor rock climbing but in a more controlled environment.

The first indoor walls tended to be made primarily of brick leaving little scope for interesting routes, as the steepness of the wall and variety of the hand holds were somewhat limited.

Construction method

The most common construction method involves screwing resin hand holds on to wooden boards. The boards can be of varying height & steepness (from completely horizontal 'roofs' to not even vertical 'slabs') and have a large variety of holds (such as very small 'crimps,' slanted-surfaced 'slopers,' and 'jugs,' which are often large and easy to hold) attached. This variety, coupled with the ability for the climbs to be changed by attaching the holds onto the wall differently, has resulted in indoor climbing becoming a very successful sport.

Seasonal effect

Indoor climbing has also seen an increase in popularity in areas with rainy climates where climbing outdoors is sometimes difficult. Besides offering an alternative during inclement weather, many working adults find that they can get to the gym after work and still climb even though it is too dark outside. In order to improve in any sport, consistent practice is crucial. With the advent of indoor climbing, weather, seasonal difficulties, and busy schedules are less of an obstacle to consistent improvement, and enjoyment of the sport.

Indoor climbing gym

The proliferation of indoor climbing gyms has increased the accessibility, and thus the popularity, of the sport of climbing. Since environmental conditions (ranging from the structural integrity of the climbing surfaces, to equipment wear, to proper use of equipment) can be more controlled in such a setting, indoor climbing is perhaps a safer and more friendly introduction to the sport. In fact, birthday parties and youth teams are common at many rock gyms.

This sense of security has a downside- a new gym climber may head to the cliffs and find they do not have all of the necessary skills for climbing in a setting without preplaced anchors, and explicit route finding.

Indoor rock climbing

Indoor rock climbing is also continually described as an alternate and secondary option to outdoor climbing. Although this may be true for a range of climbers, many climbers see outdoor climbing as an excursion from the gym, and much less usual than indoor climbing. For this reason, indoor climbing should not be classified as a secondary sport, as it is a competitive sport, governed by many national organizations throughout the world, and therefore quite different from outdoor climbing.