Movement Blog

Climbing grades. Love them, hate them, argue about them in the parking lot—they're a root part of climbing culture. There are a ton of grading systems across the world of climbing, but the goal is to come to a shared understanding of what you can expect when venturing into the vertical unknown. Here at Movement, we like to use the Yosemite Decimal System (more on this later).

Finding a sport you love doesn’t always happen early in life. Sometimes, it takes years to discover an activity that excites you, challenges you, and keeps you returning for more. For Movement San Francisco members Diarmuid and Mary, climbing became that sport—proving that it’s never too late to start something new. We caught up with them to talk about their climbing journey and what keeps them coming back to the gym. Check out our conversation below!

Are you looking for a new fitness hobby to stay active and meet new people? Finding your community can feel overwhelming, but what if your gym could also be your social hub? At Movement Gyms, we make it easy to connect with others while improving your fitness. Whether you’re new to the area or just ready to try something different, our climbing, fitness classes, and community challenges create the perfect space to build strength and friendships.

Hosted at Movement Plano this past weekend, 21 of the country’s top Speed Climbers assembled for USA Climbing’s Speed Training Camp. Offering our Climbers premium lessons to aid in keeping their excellent performance this season. (photo by: Phuc Nguyen) Head Coach of the Team CRG Atlanta, Olexiy Shulga, led the wonderful climbing program. Utilizing her extensive expertise working with some of the county’s highest performing Speed Climbers. Various officials from the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee also made the journey to support our athletes, like Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach, Amanda Fleece, and Senior Psychological Services Provider, Sean McCann. (photo by: Phuc Nguyen) Beyond just tuning their skills in a more collaborative space, this camp gave the opportunity to bring together athletes from around the country to make bonds, compare programming, and share techniques. A chance some only get during competitions.

We sat down with Movement Colorado member and Golden Meet-Up Group leader Jacqui to chat about all things climbing. Check out our conversation below!

You might think route setting is just drilling plastic holds onto walls all day. And sure, that's technically part of it - but saying that's all there is to setting is like saying painting is just putting colors on canvas or cooking is just throwing ingredients in a pan.

Picture this — it's the last week of December. You're not sure what day it is, pie is becoming one of the major food groups, and it's day five of hosting the parents. Doesn't a gym session sound good right about now? Read on for the ultimate guide on bringing your family and friends along with you to Movement, whether you're traveling or hosting this holiday season!

In our gyms, everything is inspected regularly—bolts, anchors, quickdraws, you name it. But out at the crags, where there isn’t a Rockstar facilities team to back you up, it’s up to the climbing community to keep each other safe. At outdoor climbing areas, on public land, there is no routine maintenance or inspection by land management agencies, and all work is done by local volunteers. This means as climbers we are responsible for the bolts and anchors we choose to use! Thankfully, with the help of the American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA), caring for the crags you love has never been easier.

Here at Movement Fountain Valley, we're so psyched to introduce our new gym director team. We'd like you all to meet Tiff, who stepped into the Gym Director Role back in October, and Tara who became our Assistant Gym Director earlier this November. Together, they make up “TnT” — a powerhouse team dedicated to keeping the stoke alive and the community thriving. Tiff and Tara aren’t new faces around here. They’ve each been integral parts of the Movement family for years, bringing their passion for climbing and community to every aspect of what they do.