The Climbing Wall Association's blog is a place for indoor climbing professionals to find useful and relevant information from industry and business experts. Stay on top of best practices, thought leadership, and trends by subscribing to our newsletter!
In most industries, even saying the word “networking” can warrant some eye-rolling. In commercial routesetting, it might seem odd to prioritize building a network when most of the year you are working with the same core crew in the same gym environment. However, I’ve found... Continue Reading
Many climbing gyms inform customers that “climbing is inherently dangerous” or that “climbing gyms cannot eliminate risk.” Although true, there are ways to reduce risk and when reducing risk, some methods are better than others. “All wall owners, operators,... Continue Reading
Photo courtesy of John D Mactavish Since 2018, Latitude Climbing and Fitness has been serving the climbing community of coastal Virginia. Whether it be supporting service members or expanding their events beyond a traditional climbing and fitness focus, Latitude has found success and grown in one... Continue Reading
If you’ve ever set with me, you know I talk a lot about feelings. Initially, I try to express how the route feels to me. Then I go through a long process to imagine how the route feels for someone who is way taller than me. Then shorter than me. Then heavier than me. Or someone who is... Continue Reading
Brick and mortar businesses like ours only have so much they can grow – a space to house what we offer, a space to house those that make or deliver what we offer, and after that...no more. That’s why it's important to consider scaling: growing beyond the single location and duplicate... Continue Reading
Mike Meyers, 47, at The Crag Nashville. Photo by Kyle Somers. Think all the way back to the ’90s when Spandex was neon, and everything was rad…or is that now? Chris Sharma and Lynn Hill were shining a spotlight on the sport, gyms were starting to pop up, and climbing was becoming... Continue Reading
Do you know what you should and shouldn’t do or say if a serious accident or other calamity occurs at your gym? Do you know what actions to take in the aftermath? Do you know who will speak on behalf of the gym, and take those actions? At the 2012 CWA Summit, the CWA explored crisis... Continue Reading
The Climbing Wall Association is pleased to announce the appointment of two additional representatives to the CWA Board of Directors. Michele Lang, Owner/Operator of Insight Climbing & Movement with two locations in Washington, and Mike St. Laurent, President/COO of Triangle Rock Club with... Continue Reading
You read that headline right. Here at the Climbing Wall Association, I’ve been pouring over the 2022 calendar for the past month, planning out our content so we can continue delivering for our members. You should be thinking ahead for next year too, and I’ll tell you why. But first,... Continue Reading
It's no secret that routesetting is a niche profession that many staff members have questions about. From the outside, especially for new staff and climbers, some days can look like we are just goofing off, having fun climbing, and the sets go up effortlessly. But other days are tenser, where I... Continue Reading
Vaccine requirements have arrived across the United States. From Los Angeles to New York, municipalities are requiring gyms, restaurants, and other indoor venues to ask patrons to prove they've been vaccinated in order to receive services. This is inherently daunting for most businesses. It... Continue Reading
We’ve all been there, meandering through the aisles looking for something, anything, that would be the perfect gift. This holiday season, let’s prep our staff and website to be the best gift guides they can be! The front desk staff is the first to welcome shoppers into the retail... Continue Reading
