What is a climbing wall and what is it like?

Sports activities most often require special simulators and huge costs. To save money, you can use the climbing wall, which is easy to install at home.

The climbing wall is a kind of climbing device in accessible and safe conditions. Its use seems to be extremely convenient, because both experienced specialists and novice climbers train with it. An artificial climbing wall will be an excellent way out in a situation where there is no opportunity to practice on real mountainous terrain. The rules for creation and maintenance are governed by GOST R 58066.1-2018. It is also worth mentioning that one such climbing wall is a real sports complex that will help to develop not only climbing skills, but also contribute to strengthening the muscles and putting the figure in order. At the same time, do not forget that adrenaline and emotions will leave unforgettable impressions from visiting such a sports complex. They will cheer up, drive out depression and increase the moral tone of a person.

The climbing wall in its structure can represent a whole room with walls from 5 to 20 meters. At the same time, climbing surfaces consist of special boards at various angles of inclination. The relief at this surface is formed by mounting various multi-colored hooks of various shapes into it. Most often these are artificial stones of several sizes on bolts. Their location is by no means chaotic, but represents a climbing track for the user. Such elements, located at a certain distance from each other, allow you to simulate the relief of a real rock. Moving up such impromptu steps up the bindings, climbers hone their skills. Everyone who wants to have a choice can be presented with several tracks at once with the variable possibility of overcoming them. Moreover, each such path usually presents a rock of varying difficulty, so even a beginner should not be afraid of such an activity.

The sports climbing wall is a professional training equipment. There are several types of them.

• Climbing wall for difficulty. It is a fairly common type of sports discipline and a type of climbing surface designed for adult athletes. It is a high and fairly wide track built into large structures. The height of such a route is at least 12 meters, and the area of ​​the climbing surface starts from 200 square meters. There is an opinion that the larger the climbing wall, the more interest it is for its users. Cases were recorded when such a structure exceeded 30 meters in height and totaled more than 1000 square meters. m. Most often, there are stationary structures with a concrete base. However, sometimes there are also mobile versions of them. It is at these that sports competitions are held in America and Europe.
• Climbing wall for bouldering. This type of climbing is the most common discipline. It differs from its previous brother by its lack of height.The beauty of this design lies in the various angles of the surface and their combinations. To successfully overcome in this case, you will need much more sophisticated acrobatics and developed muscles. For belaying, ropes are not suitable, sports mats are used here.
• The reference high-speed climbing wall. This sample was made specifically for participation in the Olympic Games. The shape of the hooks and the distance between them are exactly the same on every track of this surface. At the same time, there is a standard 15-meter climbing wall and a 10.5-meter one consisting of modules.
• Mobile climbing wall. This variation reaches only 6 meters in height. It is used for sporting events in various places.
• Deep Water Solo. This climbing wall differs from all the others with an unusual safety system: here this role is played not by climbing ropes or sports mats, not by balloons and not by the edges of a climbing wall-trampoline, but by a pool.

The climbing wall simulator is made as a vertical moving strip with an electric drive. Artificial stones are fixed on this strip, along which you can move at the speed of its movement. Such a simulator will allow you to stretch your muscles, perform stretching before entering a classic climbing wall. This device is very convenient because it can be placed in almost any room.

Climbing gyms in schools are presented in 3 types.

• With top belay. This type of belay is organized with special fixed ropes and safety equipment. The student will always stay below the belay points through which the safety cables pass.
• With bottom belay. In this case, the user will be belayed with dynamic ropes and safety equipment. Belay points are installed along the climbing route. The belayer must pull and release the rope when the climber snaps the rope into the steel carabiner or removes it during the descent.
• With boulders. For such structures, a safety system is not needed, since they reach a height of no more than 3 meters. However, at the same time, gymnastic insurance is organized, and mats with a thickness of at least 40-50 centimeters are laid under the structure.

The home climbing wall is basically an entertainment complex for children. It will be a great way to develop the sporting qualities of a child, awaken new emotions in him, and also pleasantly complement the design. The structure resembles a rocky surface that you can do yourself. It can be a wall-mounted version of an embossed surface or an outdoor complex. It can be placed in the courtyard under a canopy if there is no room for it in the house. You can also use a mini climbing wall for your home. If you want to make your own climbing wall for children in your home, you need to follow the instructions below.

• First you need to prepare plywood 15 mm thick, as well as a screwdriver with nuts. Looking ahead, it is worth saying that the angle of inclination of the future climbing simulator will depend solely on the wishes of the owners.
• On one side, wooden blocks are attached to the plywood. They will help connect the climbing surface to the wall of the house.
• On the outside of the base, it is necessary to make holes for future protrusions. Each of them must be sized so that a nut can fit into it. The number of hooks is limited only by the owner's plans.
• Also, if desired, this side can be treated with varnish or paint.

For climbing, you cannot do with the acquisition of only one climbing wall. You also need to have the following items.

• Shock absorbing coating. It can be used as mats with a shock-absorbing base to protect the user from falling. The required thickness of the projectile for a specific mountaineering simulator is calculated according to the following formula: 20 cm minimum thickness + 10 cm for each meter of the route. Lay the mats so that there are no gaps between them.
• Hooks. These accessories represent the very artificial stones on which climbers move. There are several models of hooks that differ in purpose: "pockets" are used for all levels of training, are recommended for beginners for the first lessons, "buns" require more skill and motor skills, as they have a sloping rounded shape, "minuscules" are used only by professionals due to their small size ... At the same time, the "passport" for each track is the colors of the hooks on it: green track - for beginners, yellow and red - for intermediate level of training, white - for professional level. In addition to sets with individual elements, there are overhead options made of polyurethane. The average track for an adult includes about 20 holds.
• Special equipment. It includes a whole set of necessary things. First, these are climbing shoes. This is a special climbing shoe that is equipped with a thin rubber sole. Such material will not allow the foot to slide on the ledge, and the thickness will help its wearer feel all the irregularities. Secondly, a special composition for drying hands. It keeps the palms and fingers dry, which increases their grip on the rocks for tricky grip. And thirdly, this is magnesia with special bags for it.
• Safety equipment. It includes various devices to keep the climber safe. It is an automatic belay consisting of a belt and leg loops system, a rope for ascent, descent, breakdown mitigation and belay. It also includes steel carabiners for securing belay parts, braces for using the lower belay, an additional belay device, and safety hooks that are driven into cracks in rocks and hold carabiners with cables.
• Traverses. This facility is specially designed for warm-up and movement training. It is a low structure designed for horizontal movement. In height, as a rule, does not exceed 3 meters, but in length it can reach as much as 25 meters. Since this is also a kind of climbing wall, it needs its own insurance system. Sports mats and gymnastics belay are used for safety.
• Helmet. The protective headgear is a separate piece of equipment. It is made of special shockproof polystyrene foam. For ease of wearing, the safety helmet is equipped with soft inserts. Since this is a full-fledged mountaineering equipment, it has a front headlamp mount (four clips) and a special compartment for the rear red warning light.
• Relaxation wall. It is positioned as a kind of variation of the modular climbing surface. It is used to develop various muscle groups, strengthen the body and endurance, as well as the vestibular apparatus.

The largest climbing wall in the world is the dam on Lake Luzzone, which is as much as 165 meters. The surface has a complex relief and a changing character... All the money for the visit is spent on the maintenance of the dam. A very interesting climbing wall is located in Groningen.In addition to its height (as much as 37 meters), it has an unusual shape of a curved sword or tower, its ramifications create additional difficulties when passing the route. Because of its shape, it is called "Excalibur".

An extremely unusual surface for climbers is the bizarre wall at Illoiha Omotesando in Tokyo. It represents an imitation of being in the Looking Glass. In the role of hooks, there are variously shaped mirrors, vases, paintings and pots, as well as antlers and birdcages.