Halls & Walls 2021: Our POV on this year’s edition

vertical pro event

In a year full of controversy, lockdowns, and Pandemic after-effects, we would like to stand behind an event that alleviated the world of climbing and left a positive impact on many exhibiting companies.

We are talking about the first edition of Halls & Walls 2021 – an event for fellow climbing professionals and brands that explored further the beauty, versatility, and opportunities of climbing.

We are happy to say that our team at Holds&Walls did participate in the event, exchanged ideas with experts in the niche, and took a step ahead in providing the latest trends in climbing halls, walls, and gym centers.

In this article, we would like to express how grateful we are for the opportunity to collaborate and extend the knowledge around climbing gear to all visitors and participants. It was truly was an amazing time.

Also, we are going to explain briefly what the Halls & Walls event stands for, who is it for, what did organizers and attendees say about it and how do we see the future of it.

After that, we are not going to dive deep into any more text but with all the photos we have taken, we would like to transcend the innovative technological atmosphere that was spreading around the 20th of November 2021.

You are excited to know more, aren’t you?

About Halls & Walls 2021

Halls & Walls is the event for vertical professionals at which more than 140 companies from 23 countries exposed the latest trends in the climbing and safety sectors.

To many professionals, organizers, and press the first edition of Halls & Walls has been a total success even during these more challenging times when it comes to attending an event.

Our team totally agrees with the CEO – Messe Friedrichshafen Klaus Wellmann, who says that all preparation led to a “top-class success”.

Of course, directors, marketing staff, and people agree on that, too. If you are a fan of climbing, a big climbing enthusiast, or a professional climber, then Halls & Walls was the event for you.

The Halls & Walls 2021 event had places when you could:

  • enter the Demo + Test Area and try out for yourself – numerous workshops included, product tests, demonstrations, and training in real-time.
  • go to the Expo section – there all international manufacturers do present their latest models, innovations, and future project visions. The place was top-notch for boosting customer experience, feedback, and attracting trade fair offers.
  • visit the Forum & Networking – getting the latest know-how from the professionals is priceless. At Halls & Walls attending these lectures and receiving priceless information is possible.
  • Talk about the latest Trends and Innovations – discussions on new products, prototypes, and start-up ideas.

Believe it, Halls & Walls 2021 was an outstanding event at which many ideas were shared in the climbing niche.

The way our team at Holds&Walls looks at the VP event and organization is like a start to something much broader than what it was this year.

Imagine more participants, innovative technology, and fewer restrictions for live events. That would be great for next year.

We can conclude that Halls & Walls is the future for climbing events in Europe and we would be honored to participate and help with everything we can in the next editions.

Holds&Walls is sending props to the team behind this. They are amazing and more information can be found on their official website.

A climbing atmosphere worth a visit…

Here comes the best part. You would be able to witness how great and versatile of an even Halls & Walls 2021 was.

Here are some mesmerizing projects below:

Final verdict on Halls & Walls 2021

As far as the reviews go, we can agree that this event was full of opportunities to try, discuss and take notes on innovations.

We are impatiently waiting for next year’s edition where the whole thing seems to be much bigger, advanced, and will get to more people.

In the meantime, if you need a professional wholesaler, expert team, or need to discuss further ideas on investments in the climbing niche, you can always trust our team at Holds&Walls and contact us.

Everything you need to know about volumes

Volumes. Those who help setters create great routes and whom climbers love to climb. Indoor climbing is a thriving sport, which means more devices for more enjoyable, interesting, and fun climbing are created. Starting their life from interestingly shaped, baked clay to the present day, when they are created mainly from foam cast in polyester resin, the volumes seem to have evolved more than the climbing walls for which they were created.

Today, plywood volumes are becoming the latest sensation of an indoor climbing revolution. You’ve seen them in the gym, added as a feature, or even used for climbing without the standard handles. Well, volumes change the way setters create routes and climbers climb.

In this article, we will tell you a little more about what exactly are volumes and how to climb them.

WHAT ARE THE VOLUMES?

Volumes are those giant additions of various shapes that are attached to the wall like any other climbing device. The difference? On the volume itself, there are even more places to attach different holds. When volumes are added to a wall, they are considered an extension of it, which means they are always on, no matter which route you take. This gives the setters virtually unlimited opportunities to change the way you can climb a wall. The volumes are designed to turn a static and flat climbing wall into a dynamically changing three-dimensional space, offering a great experience to its climbers. Depending on the way the setter places volumes, you can now climb between them, around, or on them, which makes climbing a real challenge for the climber.

WHY VOLUMES?

Volumes are not only ways to turn familiar terrain into something completely new, they can also be used instead of the grips themselves. Often on the climbing walls, you can see only volumes, without added grips. Volumes without grips become instantly more difficult to climb than any holding at an angle and require a lot of experience and mistakes. They aim to stimulate you to improve your skills and challenge your analytical thinking. Additional concentration and experience are required to climb a wall covered with volumes.

HOW TO CLIMB VOLUMES?

Climbing volumes requires a completely different set of skills than climbing ordinary grips. The technique is focused on balance and precision, as you don’t seem to have any real handles to use. However, any volume can make you feel like a normal grip, as long as you know how to climb it.

Balance is most important when climbing volumes. Moving the weight from unstable to stable positions can be more useful than just grabbing the volume.

Pushing and holding between two volumes is also a known climbing trick that you can use if the wall allows it.

Remember that all sides of a volume are usable, so you can use any means to climb on them. Just let your imagination run wild and make full use of the situation you are in.

Sometimes, to climb a volume, you need to make movements related to jumping, stretching, and balance. All of them can be done with the right coordination and attention. It usually takes more practice to master these skills, but with the right guidance, you will do brilliantly.

Here’s how climbing affects children’s development

If you are a parent, at least once you have wondered what sport to enroll your child to provide them with enough physical activity and help them grow and develop. It is known that children need to move constantly so that their bodies can be in shape and grow healthy. Moreover, sports not only affect the child’s physique. Regular exercise helps to develop their thinking and social skills.

In today’s digital world, however, parents face another problem – how to choose an interesting sport that will detach the child from the computer or phone and make them want to go.

The solution to this problem comes in the face of climbing – a sport that is not only useful but also interesting for both children and adults. It will make sure that you meet both requirements: climbing provides the child with the necessary movement so that they can grow and develop while having fun and play with other children. If you’re still wondering if it’s right for your child, here’s how climbing affects children’s development:

Physical benefits of climbing

Climbing challenges and strengthens every part of the body. When climbing, children must breathe deeply and this oxidizes the body. Pulling up with the help of the hands increases the heart rate, and using the legs to step and hold, trains the child’s muscles.

Also, climbing:

Strengthens tissue and makes bones, muscles, and joints stronger;

Provides cardiovascular exercise for the heart and lungs;

Improves balance, coordination, and flexibility, thus reducing falls and potential injuries;

Helps maintain a healthy weight, thus producing more energy and fewer health risks.

Psychological benefits of climbing

The psychological development of children goes hand in hand with their physical development. In fact, perhaps it is best to say that sport is extremely important for the development not only of the physique but also of the child’s psyche. In this case, climbing can also help. If your child climbs regularly, you will notice:

Improved ability to learn and remember;

Improved focus and attention;

Better problem-solving skills;

Lower risk of anxiety and depression.

Climbing also improves children’s social skills

Among other things, children need to communicate regularly with other children. How your child makes new friends and gets along with other children around them can be decisive in what his social skills will be as an adult. Climbing can also help in this area. This is how:

Climbing teaches children how to set goals and how to achieve them;

By climbing, children learn how to overcome their fears;

Climbing helps build trust and teamwork.

Climbing is a great way to get your child to play sports and at the same time, it will help them grow not only physically but also mentally. By climbing, the child will learn many skills that will help them as an adult and will make many valuable friendships. And the best part of it all is the fact that you can climb together and spend valuable time with your child.

Here are the muscle groups that are trained during climbing!

If you are one of those avid climbers, then your body will be grateful for a long time! Climbing is one of the most intense physical activities you can participate in, and it also provides a handful of mental health benefits.

Climbing is one of the most physically intense activities you can do. With it, you use your strength to lift your body from the wall. And your whole body works during that time. Whether you are newly climber or you are a sworn climber, you know that all your muscles are involved.

When you climb regularly, you begin to notice significant development of several muscles. This way you can see how climbing trains your whole body and keeps you in shape. Here are the muscles that develop best during climbing.

Back and shoulder muscles

Your lats are the main muscles used to lengthen your shoulders. These muscles are located on the side of the back and attach to the humerus. When you pull up and down the climbing wall, your lats are responsible for lifting your whole body. And although they are the most important back muscles when it comes to climbing, the rest of your back also works all the time. Climbing engages your rhomboids, trapezoids, and anterior deltoids.

Forearms

When you climb, your hands and fingers carry your entire body weight as you use your grip to climb up. The muscles responsible for gripping and holding are located in your forearm. The flexors carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor carpi radialis, flexor pollicis longus, and flexor digitorum coordinate to give you the power to grip and lift. They are all located in your forearm, which makes climbing a super-challenging workout for those muscles that are not trained in other conventional exercises such as running.

Biceps

Do you want well-shaped biceps? Climbing will help you get them. During climbing, your biceps will be subjected to a serious load, as they help to lift the body. However, if you are not careful and climb incorrectly, your biceps may be overloaded and you may even feel pain.

Belly

We just said that if you are not careful when climbing, your biceps can get tired, right? Well, there is a solution for this, which involves the abdominal muscles. Your abdomen plays a key role in maintaining balance when climbing to help other muscles in the body. The abdomen acts as a stabilizer and remains in an isometric contraction to keep the pelvis in line with the chest. This will help you withstand the enormous strain on your own body, and will help prevent injury.

Legs

If you climb, you don’t need any leg training. Climbing is guaranteed to make them healthier, stronger, and fitter. Your quadrangles, inner thighs, and calves will work hardest as you climb to the top.

So, once you know which muscles you are exercising while climbing, it is important to know that proper technique is very important if you want to keep your body in shape. This means that you need to do it with an instructor when you start to learn the proper climbing technique. Doing so will provide you with everything you need to climb with pleasure and be in shape.

How often should I climb as a beginner in indoor climbing?

If you have recently started climbing in a gym, you are probably wondering how often it is good to climb and when it’s time to rest. As a beginner, you can hardly choose how often you need to climb to improve technique, strength, and stamina, without overloading your body.

Can you have time to go to the climbing hall once or twice a week?

How can you tell if that is enough?

You ask the question: How to allocate the days for climbing during the week and when to rest?

We answered all these questions and we are giving them to you in the next lines. 

And so, how often do you have to climb as a beginner?

Beginner climbers should go to the hall maximum 3 times a week – divide the days into 7 days so that you do not climb for two consecutive days. Give your muscles the time to recover from the load and the new type of exercise that you put them through. If you start climbing more than 3 times a week as a beginner, you will probably improve faster than you need, and your muscles will not have adequate time to recover.

With practice, you can increase the number of days you climb each week to improve your technique. Then, if you are climbing for two days in a row, try to give yourself a lighter workout on the second day so that you do not overwork your muscles.

What will happen to my body if I climb every day?

If you just started climbing, but you love it so much you want to climb often, it’s good to know that as a beginner this can be very dangerous. If the climbing strength needed in a situation is something the body is not used to, you may get seriously injured.

This is also the reason why more rest time is needed for beginner climbers. Follow the rule for a maximum of 3 times a week for the first few months, and after that, you can start visiting the climbing gym more often. 

When can I start climbing more often?

Over time, you will want to improve your climbing techniques. Then you will start to wonder if it’s time to increase the number of workouts per week. The answer to this question is up to you, and to determine if you are ready to increase, keep the following in mind:

You are no longer improving your skills

If you notice that you are on the same level, or the improvement is minimal, you can increase the number of days you climb. Do it carefully though, you don’t want any damages. 

You don’t feel that much pain after climbing

During the first weeks of climbing, you will feel springs and you will have muscle tension from which you will have to recover. Over time, you will notice that the pain decreases. When this happens, you can increase the number of weekly visits to the climbing hall.

When is it time to reduce climbing?

If you have started visiting the climbing room more often, you will feel a difference. This difference can be positive or negative. The positive side effects produced by increasing the number of people trained are improved climbing ability, increased strength and endurance, and full health benefits. But if you hurt yourself all the time when you get out, you constantly feel tired, or it shows a negative impact on other parts of your life, it’s time to think and reduce the time you spend in the climbing room.

Climbing is a great way to exercise regularly and have fun at the same time. With the right frequency of climbing, you will be able to improve your skills smoothly and without any complications.

The Next Big Thing in Climbing: Home Walls

at home climbing walls

Every avid climber knows how satisfying it is to climb a wall. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-epidemic measures, it is becoming more difficult for many athletes, amateurs and professionals, to perform their favorite sport. Fortunately, there is a solution for all climbing enthusiasts – the at home climbing wall is gaining popularity and is about to become a wonderful way to keep fit, try new climbing techniques and teach your children to climb. Here’s what else you need to know about home climbing walls:

What is it?

Most home climbing walls are do-it-yourself projects. They range from massive backyard installations that look like small boulder gyms to single 4’x8 ′ panels mounted at an angle in the living rooms of avid climbers. Holds are often made of wood, stones, and elemental resins. Thus, the result is a mini climbing wall that you can climb any time you want.

Benefits of at home climbing wall

If you are an avid climber, but you are still wondering if it is a good idea to install a climbing wall in your home, these 5 benefits will convince you:

• You can climb at any time and keep fit even when you can’t leave your home;

• You save the time you would spend driving to the climbing hall and back. You save money too;

• You can adjust your route according to your wishes;

• You can practice different climbing techniques and improve your current ones;

• You will have fun with the whole family. The climbing wall at home is suitable for both adults and children.

Why do you need a wall for climbing at home?

Home walls are often associated with strength work and training of specific movements. It’s all about symmetrical, tendon-friendly repetition to become stronger and make the movements you want with ease. The difference between professional climbing walls and the ones at home is that when you climb at home, you have to do everything yourself and you don’t have a professional to monitor your movements.

On the other hand, the home climbing wall is smaller and safer, allowing you to climb while having fun with friends or letting the kids climb without worrying about them getting hurt. It is important to find a design that meets your needs and requirements. And, if you’re wondering, build a climbing wall to allow all kinds of climbing fun, not just 45 ° system board training.

If you are already sure that you want to turn your home into a climbing oasis and build the at home climbing wall in the living room, yard, and even your basement, do not hesitate to contact us. We at Holds and Walls will take care of building the wall you imagine and providing the necessary holds to create fun and challenging climbing routes for yourself or your children.