Climbing Gyms vs. Traditional Gyms: Why Fitness is Shifting to the Pads

Written by: Anne Riddle-Cruz

Rock climbing gyms have exploded in popularity over the last decade, not only because climbing is an engaging workout, but also because climbing gyms are the perfect environment to foster a community centered on being active. While you can still rely on traditional gyms for hopping on a treadmill or lifting some weights, climbing gyms offer so much more.

The Core Differences: Isolation vs. Dynamic Movement

Going to a traditional gym is typically a solitary experience. You arrive, pick a machine, and wear your headphones to tune everything (and everyone) out. After a while, the routine can begin to feel monotonous. In contrast, rock climbing gives you unique challenges to solve every visit, and is inherently social and playful. With every climb, you’re developing core stability, flexibility, and physical grit—it’s a great full-body workout. The strength and durability you build on the mat also creates functional fitness, meaning that the muscles you exert aren’t just vanity projects, they’re tools that can keep your body healthy and moving everyday.

Key Benefits of Shifting to a Climbing Gym

A Workout for the Mind and Body

Bouldering requires you to be mentally engaged and present in order to ‘read’ rock climbing routes and stay focused on the wall. Part of the fun is honing your mind-body connection to piece together different moves to complete a climb.The analog nature of rock climbing is also the perfect antidote to ‘doomscrolling’ on the treadmill or at home. There’s no fear of missing out or itching to grab your phone when you’re having a blast on the pads.

Functional Strength Over Vanity Projects

Climbing isn’t just about your upper body. Muscles like your abs, glutes, and hip flexors all have to work together to push you higher on the wall. Rather than building up different areas of strength in isolation, like you would in a traditional gym, climbing puts all these muscles to use with dynamic strength and structural durability in your body. No matter what your fitness goals are, adding rock climbing into your routine will push you to become stronger (and you’ll have more fun doing it!).

Social Connection in an Analog Space

Many traditional gyms focus on individual progression and an ‘alone together’ atmosphere, making it hard to forge social connections. Meanwhile, bouldering is an approachable, collaborative sport where it’s easy to unplug and make friends on the mat by bonding over a project or a shared obsession with climbing. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been climbing for a day or for 15 years, climbers are happy to share tips and make you feel at home in the gym. Climbing gyms also often have meet ups and social events where you can meet other climbers and further deepen your connection to the gym as your third space. As a Bouldering Project member, you might find that heading to the climbing gym feels more like a hang-out with built-in difficult play, rather than an obligatory workout. 

Debunking the Myth: Do You Have to Choose?

There’s a misconception that you have to choose between the convenience of a traditional gym and the thrill of indoor rock climbing. Top-tier climbing facilities give you the best of both worlds with great climbing terrain, challenging fitness classes to build skills and community, and traditional gym equipment like cardio machines and weights for solo training. Simply put: you can have it all at a top-tier climbing gym. 

How Bouldering Project Redefines the Gym Experience

Bouldering Project takes a holistic approach to movement and fitness. Each facility acts as a ‘working laboratory’ where you can experiment with different methods of building core strength and functional movement, whether it’s on the wall, in a yoga class, or by using traditional gym equipment. Having multiple options to work out all under one roof also means you can build a balanced, varied workout routine without having to shuffle between a traditional gym and specialty fitness studios. Plus, whenever you step into Bouldering Project, you’ll be welcomed by knowledgeable, eager-to-share instructors, and a warm and inviting community that’ll keep you stoked on moving together. 

Final Thoughts: Elevating Your Routine

If you’re looking for the perfect alternative to passing the time on a treadmill or want to inject some excitement into your fitness routine, it’s time to shake things up. You’ll find all the benefits of a traditional gym, plus all the heart-pounding fun of indoor rock climbing. See the best of what climbing gyms have to offer for yourself by purchasing a day pass, or check out the yoga or fitness class schedule at your local Bouldering Project.

About the author: Anne is the Social Media Coordinator at Bouldering Project Brooklyn. When she’s not working or climbing, she’s probably exploring swimming holes in the Hudson Valley or riding her bike around New York City.