#118 Ward Byrum — Setting Climbs For Tens of Thousands of Climbers, What Makes A Climb Good, Indoor vs Outdoor Grades, and What A ‘Testpiece’ is at Movement Gyms
Sep 30, 2024
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Ward Byrum, Director of Routesetting for Movement gyms, shares his extensive knowledge of indoor climbing. He discusses the art and science of route setting, emphasizing its role in shaping climbers' experiences. Ward reflects on the evolution of climbing gyms and culture, contrasting U.S. and Japanese approaches. He covers the complexities of grading climbs, highlighting inclusivity and the importance of tailored experiences. The conversation also explores the balance between aesthetics, functionality, and the transformative impact of climbing on beginners.
Ward Byrum emphasizes the importance of intentional route setting that simultaneously challenges climbers and fosters organic learning in movement.
The podcast highlights the role of mentorship in maintaining quality and consistency in regional route setting while adapting to local climber needs.
A focus on sustainability in climbing holds and materials is emerging, reflecting the industry's commitment to environmentally friendly practices and innovation.
The iterative learning process through failure is crucial, as it helps climbers and setters gain insights, refine skills, and enhance climbing experiences.
Deep dives
Exploring New Movement in Climbing
Creatives in climbing seek to push boundaries while exploring movements that challenge climbers to discover their capabilities. This focus on organic learning allows climbers to engage deeply with unique movement concepts that they may not have previously encountered. The journey to success is less about rigid sequences and more about navigating and adapting to the environment. This approach fosters a sense of discovery, which is crucial for climbers to truly understand movement through space.
The Importance of Commercial Route Setting
Commercial route setting plays a pivotal role in shaping the climbing experiences of many individuals who may never climb outdoors. The director of setting at Movement, responsible for thousands of climbers, emphasizes crafting varied and engaging climbing routes that cater to diverse skill levels and backgrounds. The artistic aspect of setting involves creating challenges that are enjoyable and educational, enhancing the overall climbing community experience. By doing this, setters help build a positive and supportive environment that encourages climbers to grow.
Collaboration Across Regions in Route Setting
Significant efforts go into maintaining consistency while allowing for local flavor in route setting across various regions. Each location adapts to the climbing community's needs while being mentored by senior setters who guide and enhance the regional route setting team. The challenge lies in balancing uniformity with regional characteristics, ensuring that each gym's routes reflect the skill levels and preferences of local climbers. This mentorship and collaboration is essential for creating an engaging atmosphere for climbers.
The Evolution of Climbing Gyms
The rapid growth of climbing gyms has resulted in an increase in the average skill level of climbers, influencing the difficulty of routes. While climbing gyms continuously strive to cater to beginners, they often face the challenge of raising aspirations for more advanced climbers as well. The community dynamics shape which levels of climbing are most prevalent, which means that as new climbers join, the overall quality of the climbing experience evolves. This creates an exciting cycle where the climbing culture grows based on the needs and desires of the community.
Route Setting as an Artistic Expression
Route setting intertwines artistry and design, with setters creating engaging climbing experiences that encompass aesthetics and functionality. The goal is to entice climbers into trying new routes while also ensuring that every aspect of the climb serves a purpose. With climbers spending their time and resources in gyms, it’s crucial to provide a visually appealing and inviting atmosphere that keeps them returning. Therefore, setters not only focus on technical skill but also on how their creations fit within the broader climbing experience.
Quality Control in Route Setting
Quality control in route setting is essential to ensure that climbs are appropriately challenging yet accessible. Setters must carefully consider the difficulty and flow of a route, including where to place rests and how to integrate cruxes effectively. This process involves testing climbs to guarantee an engaging experience, integrating as many perspectives as possible for improvement. Collaboration and open communication between setters and climbers can help refine routes, making them more enjoyable for everyone involved.
The Future of Sustainability in Climbing
The future of climbing holds and materials is headed towards sustainability, as the industry seeks to create environmentally friendly options. Efforts include utilizing desirable materials that reduce weight while maintaining functional performance. As climbing gyms evolve, there will likely be a greater emphasis on how to incorporate sustainable practices throughout the setting process. The industry must balance the need for innovation with responsible manufacturing, which will shape the climbing landscape in the years to come.
Learning through Failure in Climbing
A crucial aspect of climbing and route setting involves learning through failure, with setters aiming to create experiences that encourage climbers to embrace challenges. This mindset enables both climbers and setters to reflect on what works well and what needs improvement, promoting growth in skill and experience. Fostering an environment where climbers can discuss their experiences leads to better quality climbs while empowering setters to adapt their approach. Ultimately, the value of this iterative process helps develop a deeper understanding of climbing movement.
Ward Byrum is the Director of Routesetting for all Movement gyms in the East Region. Yes, that Movement. The biggest climbing gym chain in America and probably the world. That means that Ward and his team decide what the climbing will be like for thousands of climbers. Scratch that, ten’s of thousands of climbers. It might even be hundreds of thousands of climbers or even millions! But hey, who’s counting? The climbs his team puts up will likely be their first experience of climbing and quite possibly the only climbing they ever do.
Tune in and hear what the principles are behind one of the biggest route setting programs to ever have been created. And hear about it directly from Ward, who has been behind the scenes during the incredible evolution of indoor climbing and setting these past few decades.
