
Old School Gyms vs Mega Gyms, Which Is Better for Climbers?
From The Struggle Climbing Show by Ryan Devlin
March 18, 2026 · 1h 11m · Episode 322
About this episode
The episode discusses the pros and cons of old school gyms versus mega gyms for climbers.
Join the email list to get a FREE private finger training clinic with Dr. Tyler Nelson(normally $10) www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/strong Support the Show on PatreonGet access to all Pro Clinics, bonus episodes, and more.https://www.patreon.com/thestruggleclimbingshow Andrew Bisharat and Chris Kalous (along with a surprise guest) join to explore: Climbing gym culture of the 90s Trends in corporate vs independent gyms Which gyms prepare climbers better for real rock A case against mega gyms A case for mega gyms Will soft gym grades result in mass upgrading of classic outdoor climbs? When a local gym closes... and is miraculously saved Is pickle ball competitive with climbing? How dirtbags can help save indie gyms - And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals - Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right) 00:00 Old Gyms vs Mega Gyms01:37 Rock Sport Closes03:20 Andrew First Gym Memories06:35 Chris Early Wall Origins11:26 DIY Gym Spirit11:51 Rock Sport and Rock Creation15:09 Rock Creation Business Model20:45 How Many Gyms Exist23:32 Gym Growth and Trends28:29 Gyms as Outdoor Gateway32:26 Case…
People in this episode
Host: Ryan Devlin
Guests: Andrew Bisharat, Chris Kalous
Topics covered
- climbing gym culture
- independent vs corporate gyms
- real rock preparation
- gym community
- climbing trends
- pickleball vs climbing
Keywords
- climbing gyms
- gym culture
- independent gyms
- mega gyms
- rock climbing
- climbing trends
- pickleball
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Patreon, Rock Sport, Rock Creation, thestruggleclimbingshow.com, thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals
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