Old School Gyms vs Mega Gyms, Which Is Better for Climbers?

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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

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And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals

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Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

00:00 Old Gyms vs Mega Gyms 01:37 Rock Sport Closes 03:20 Andrew First Gym Memories 06:35 Chris Early Wall Origins 11:26 DIY Gym Spirit 11:51 Rock Sport and Rock Creation 15:09 Rock Creation Business Model 20:45 How Many Gyms Exist 23:32 Gym Growth and Trends 28:29 Gyms as Outdoor Gateway 32:26 Case for Mega Gyms 36:04 Gym Community Vibes 37:24 Modern Mega Gym Magic 39:12 Corporate Future Hypothetical 40:19 Grades Versus Real Rock 42:48 Setting Ergonomics Limits 44:34 WALL-E Mega Gym Satire 46:44 Surprise Guest Joins 48:21 Saving Rock Sport 50:29 Keeping the Old Soul 56:07 Sandbagging and Grade Plans 58:15 Pickleball and Business 01:01:47 Gym Ownership Reality Check 01:07:44 Support Your Local Gyms

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Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter and Michael Martin for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. So mega!

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This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!