What do you really think of how the climbing feature in health clubs simulate real climbing!

Climbing walls rarely mimic natural rock accurately. In recent years textured walls, slope, overhangs, & size/shape of holds have improved, but ultimately climbing walls r always going to be nothing more than a series of predesignated hand & foot holds. Ledges, fist holds, jamming, cracks, & lots of other features commonly found on natural rock r rarely seen in a gym or sport route.

Additionally, climbing in gym gives the climber only the very basic safety skills. There is no worry of weather, falling rocks, dropped gear, sunburn, hypothermia, insects, & a list of other things one experiences in the outdoors. Likewise, the knowledge of ropes, anchors, & protection use is negligible.

Lastly, Gym climbing usually involves short climbs only. While climbing outside can also involve only short routes too, the only way u will ever experience long routes is by climbing on real rock.

As Willie was explaining, indoor climbing facilities lack a lot of what is involved in outdoor climbing. However, indoor facilities do have 1 major advantage over ''real'' climbing. variability. Since the holds can be changed up significantly w/in an hour, u can completely change the face of a wall that u cant do w/ outdoor climbing. The benefit is from a training aspect. It can be used to compliment one is outdoor experience. For folks that live in a more northern area, climbing season is short & a climber may not have the means to go elsewhere. So by climbing indoors, they will be able to get themselves stronger & experience a variety of routes that a single location outdoors cant provide. As for simulating distance, laps on an indoor wall will allow u to work significantly on endurance & technique in a safer environment. There r pros & cons to both indoor & outdoor climbing. In my opinion, using indoor facilities to train for the outdoors from a technique & endurance perspective will provide a much more enjoyable experience when outdoors. No one likes to fall up a route, so why not use the training facilities u have available. l will agree 100% w/ Willie that the actual act of climbing outdoors is a completely different beast than climbing indoors.

l disagree with the previous answer.
i think many good route setters & wall designers have captured the reality of real rock very well in fake walls.

i find climbing inside benefits climbing outdorrs quite alot. there r many aspects which u cant learn from a fake wall like some foot work but if ur a good climber inside u r generally quite good on realy rock too:P

ofcourse u cant completely capture the reality of real rock faces on an indoor wall though.

l will add to what the guys have talked about, in that they r correct. There is no real replacement of any kind for outdoor climbing. To replicate that experience u must go out of doors & experience it in it is reality & it is entirety.

What rock gyms r good for is that u gain muscle memory. Your muscles become ingrained with the repetitions of doing typical skills that u use on real rock over & over again. This allows ur mind build confidence when pulling a particular move or catching ur leader. Indoors is only practice. Every element changes in the real world & needs to be considered before venturing there. Usually only the holds get moved when u climb indoors.

l think Willie just about covered it.

Gym climbing should be a supplement to climbing on real rock.

they just dont. l love the outdoors & climbing outdoors, but indoor walls r just easy. They can be just as challenging as real rock & u can climb whe its raining at night & they can be minutes from ur house, unlike some local crags. Pre fab walls dont simulate real rock well, but they do give u a place to climb & some manufactuers r better than others.

l once climbed in on an indoor ice wall. It was made of healing rubber & u could stick ice axes into it & the holes would seal when u removed it, this is probably the most realistic thing l have encountered, then again it wasnt simulating rock