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!
Working at an indoor climbing gym comes with a wide range of benefits. Daily participation in a community you care about (not a given in many careers), coworkers who share your values, and the creativity of routesetting. You can also get the fulfillment of coaching and the sense of belonging... Continue Reading
If you are worried or concerned about employee retention, you are not alone. According to Gallup’s 2025 Employee Retention & Attraction Indicator, 52% of all U.S. employees are watching for or actively seeking a new job. Employee satisfaction throughout all industries is at a record... Continue Reading
In cities across the U.S., climbing gyms are increasingly becoming much more than places to test one’s physical limits. They are community hubs, platforms for advocacy, and safe spaces where social and political issues important to membership are going mainstream through the sport of... Continue Reading
Offering youth or coached programming is common in climbing gyms. Whether geared toward competition or recreational options like birthday parties, these programs are still sport programs at their core. SafeSport training and implementation may be needed in any or all of these types of programs,... Continue Reading
Article Brought to You by Monument Sports Group Signage and documentation in indoor climbing gyms serve many purposes. These include a gym’s policies, procedures, and training materials, and all have different functions. Clearly defined gym rules, warnings regarding the risks involved in... Continue Reading
The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) is proud to welcome Josh Haynes (he/him) as its new Education Program Manager. Josh brings more than 25 years of experience in the climbing wall industry—spanning guiding, routesetting, programming, and education. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas,... Continue Reading
As the climbing wall industry and communities grow, so does the array of career opportunities. However, whether you're an employer or an employee, navigating the career path within an indoor climbing gym is not always straightforward. This article addresses the concept of upward versus lateral... Continue Reading
For most climbing enthusiasts, indoor climbing gyms are our happy place, our connection to the sport we love. For those of us for whom real rock is the goal, climbing gyms provide a training ground. They can be a social venue, or a space where we can test our limits. They provide accessibility... Continue Reading
On February 18, 2001, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash involving three cars on the final lap of the Daytona 500. After making contact with two other cars, Earnhardt’s vehicle hit the wall at an angle, with the right front of the car making contact with the wall. Watching... Continue Reading
I hadn’t seen a belay orientation video until I was well into my climbing career. I actually saw one for the first time while climbing after work at my girlfriend’s gym. As usual, I prepared to display my belaying skills to receive the coveted belay check so I could go climb. After I... Continue Reading
I remember one time I was setting at a dingy, University Climbing Wall. I am sure many of our readers here at CWA know the kind of wall I am talking about: fake rock, t-nuts that are either stripped or set back so far you sometimes need an extra, extra-long bolt just for a foot hold. We rarely... Continue Reading
Ever hear the saying, from George Bernard Shaw’s 1903 play entitled Man and Superman, which states, “those who can, do; those who can’t teach.” The trouble with coaching and instruction is that those who provide the instruction are given a position of power over those... Continue Reading
