Closing...Open doors to operators

In the following article from Franchise Times, author Beth Mattson-Teigs repurposing and converting real estate for franchise locations. Gravity Vault's co-founder Tim Walsh discusses the franchises' unique repurposing of empty locations for their indoor rock climbing gyms.

Closing...

..open doors to operators

BETH MATTSON-TEIG

While big retailers close stores, franchisees are targeting the empty boxes for expansion. But not every space works for every operator. A Batteries Plus Bulbs exec insists the right location trumps a vacated space.

Another wave of store closings from national chains such as Radio Shack and Staples has not been good news for landlords. But, franchisees searching for new locations are happy to pounce on the fresh real estate opportunities.

“We tend to stay the course and find the best space, and not necessarily settle” because the box is empty, says B+B’s John Twist.

The road to recovery has been bumpy for shopping center owners. Landlords have made progress in their efforts to fill empty spaces. Yet just as property owners begin to see some improvement, another shoe drops. The weak economic recovery along with growing competition from e-commerce continues to take its toll on retailers.  

Most landlords had hoped the worst was behind them, after weathering the fallout from bankruptcy filings and a slew of store closures from national brands such as Blockbuster Video, Borders and Circuit City. That is not the case. Earlier this year, Radio Shack announced plans to shutter 1,100 stores, while Staples has said it will close 225 stores by the end of 2015. And there are hundreds more store closings still in the pipeline.

The Office Depot/OfficeMax merger has left the new Office Depot with a surplus of about 300 stores expected to close in the next 18 months. It remains to be seen if a buyer will step in to take over the 260-store Brookstone, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April. Barnes & Noble expects to shrink its store count by about one-third over the next few years as its leases expire. Even Walgreens, a solid-credit company, is planning to close 75 of its under-performing or redundant stores this year, according to a recent research report from Cassidy Turley.

Franchisees, on the other hand, are taking advantage of these closures to secure new locations. Store closings are one of the few sources of new real estate inventory open to franchisees.

Batteries Plus Bulbs is one chain taking advantage. The franchise has been opening about 50 to 60 locations each year over the last six to seven years. “There is definitely a tight supply of what we would consider grade A sites in many markets,” says John Twist, vice president of franchise and business development at Batteries Plus Bulbs in Hartland, Wisconsin. There are vacant spaces available, but many are vacant for a reason. Some stores have poor visibility or poor ingress and egress, he adds. 

Converting non-retail space

Renovating one “vanilla box” retail space to a new retail use is fairly easy for most franchisees. However, landing desirable real estate locations also means thinking outside the box on occasion. Converting a non-retail space to a new use can be key to landing a prime location or securing a bargain-priced real estate opportunity. 

Those unique conversion projects are standard fare for The Gravity Vault, an indoor rock-climbing gym. Finding a space that fits the company’s needs is one of the company’s biggest challenges. The concept requires between 10,000 and 15,000 square feet with high ceiling heights of 30 to 40 feet. The first two corporate locations in Chatham and Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, went into facilities originally built as indoor tennis centers in the 1970s.

“Recycling old fitness or old recreation centers works for us,” says Tim Walsh, co-founder of The Gravity Vault. Oftentimes, there is quite a bit of rehab that comes along with those locations, but the “bones” of the buildings in terms of the size and structure are a good match, he adds. 

The older buildings typically need updating, such as adding energy-efficient lighting and roof repairs. So, it is a balance to find the right locations and make sure franchisees don’t end up paying too much to renovate or reconfigure the space. The best advice is to do due diligence on a building before making a commitment. “A lot of times we will get our contractors or architects involved to make sure that the building really does have what we’re looking for,” says Walsh. 

Read article here.

10 Pro Tips for Rock Climbing Beginners

In an article from Popular Mechanics, Stewart Green offers his best advice for getting vertical.

How to Get Started: 10 Pro Tips for Rock-Climbing Beginners

Stewart Green fell in love with rock climbing when he was 12 years old exploring the granite slabs of North Cheyenne Canyon in Colorado Springs, Colo. Nearly 50 years later, he is an authority on the sport and the author of 19 books, most of them rock-climbing guides. 

Green climbs around the world and loves to see new climbers develop their abilities. Just back from a climbing and photography trip to California, Green sat down with PopMech to offer these tips for getting vertical: 

1. "Head for a climbing gym," Green says. "Climbing indoors is easy and safe, and it's a great way to try the sport and see what it is about. You can rent equipment, get instruction, and learn basic climbing skills." When you get to an indoor climbing gym, watch the experienced climbers. Reach out to other climbers at the gym and learn from their experiences. 

2. Learn the language: Rock shoes are shoes with smooth soles made of extremely sticky rubber. A harness is a belt that loops around a climber's legs and waist and has attachments that connect to a rope. A belay is a metal device used in belaying (one climber securing the rope for the other climber as he ascends) or in rappelling (a controlled slide down the rope to the ground). Locking carabiners are metal links that connect the climbing rope to the harness. 

3. Perfect your moves and your rock-climbing skills before you head out to the real rock. Considerbuilding your own climbing wall. That way, you can boulder, or climb to small heights, and practice your technique. 

4. Once you feel ready to climb outdoors, recognize that climbing is a dangerous sport. The most advanced indoor skills don't necessarily prepare you for a safe outdoor experience. 

5. To make an outdoor experience as safe as possible, go with experienced climbers. Hire a guide or take outdoor lessons from a guide service. 

To read the rest of the article read here.

Women's Fitness and Intro to Climbing Class

There will be another session of this great class beginning June 10th at The Gravity Vault in Upper Saddle River, NJ!

Free Climbing Tips: Why Get Stronger When You Can Get Better?

This article, written by Andrew Bisharat for rockandice.com discusses the importance of technique over strength. 

Free Climbing Tips: Why Get Stronger When You Can Get Better?

Being good at rock climbing is all about learning proper technique and then ingraining it so it becomes second nature. In the long run, technique will take you much further than a strong back and a vice grip. Yet most climbers are hyper-focused on trying to get stronger oftentimes at the expense of learning good tecehnique.

Emily Harrington, who has climbed multiple 5.14's in various stages of personal fitness, recognizes the superlative of proper technique. Emily has been climbing for 13 years, putting in well over the requisite 10,000 hours one supposedly needs to master any craft. As a result, she believes that no matter what shape she's in, she will always be able to climb at a baseline of 5.12a throughout life.

If you know how to move your body, you should be able to climb 5.12a, Emily says, no matter how strong' you are.

This may seem surprising to the climbers out there for whom 5.12a is a lifetime goal, yet the point is not that 5.12 is easy, but rather that proper technique honed over many hours of practice is more enduring than one's momentary form
(strength and fitness
). The problem is, it's easier to get stronger than it is to get better. Anyone can go to the gym and rip off a bunch of reps or climb a bunch of boulder problems and feel as though they have accomplished something. Training with the goal of improving technique is more cerebral, requiring a certain degree of consciousness about what you're doing. This is because good technique is all about ingraining movements, coordinating the upper and lower body and maintaining awareness of how much effort you're expending to the point that it becomes second nature. Great climbers aren't thinking about what they need to do -- they just do the exact right thing. This is the art of free climbing.

Improvements in one's technique are much less tangible -- harder to measure or gauge. Thus, it can be difficult to know how to approach the gym with the goal of becoming a better free climber. Here are a few tips that you may find useful
:

First, be good: Many beginner and intermediate climbers have approached me wanting to know how to get strong, but I've never heard anyone ask how to get good. The two are undoubtedly related. But instead of jumping on the hardest route or boulder problem you think you can do, focus on making perfect ascents of easier routes and problems. Try to be good before you try to be strong. How perfectly can you climb something?

Bad feet: Problems in the gym typically get harder as the hand holds become worse and farther apart, while usually the foot jibs remain pretty good. But if you have the ability to help set some problems wherever you climb indoors, I recommend setting decent hand holds and the worst, most polished, difficult-to-stand-on footholds you can find. You want them to be bad, but not so bad that you just force a campus move. You want the focus to be on using your feet properly -- the first and most lastingly important step in becoming good. As a double benefit, nothing will get you stronger than climbing problems with bad feet.

Master the back-step: One of the most useful maneuvers in climbing is the back-step, where you stand on the outside edge of your right foot and rotate your lower body so that your right hip is against the wall (or vice versa). Most people climb straight on, with their hands and feet set as if they were climbing up a ladder. If you watch great climbers, they are rarely so squared up; one hip or another is always twisted toward the wall, with a foot back-stepping. Also, focus on getting into back-steps quicker. Many climbers put, say, their left foot on a hold, then match their right foot on the hold in the back-step position. Instead of messing around with matching feet, many times it's better to cross the right leg over and get into the back-step right away.

To read the rest of the article click here.

Over at Climbing.com, Chris Wright has put together a "how-to" for packing your bag in such a way to make you the most efficient.

Learn This: Pack Smarter

When I see that guy on the trail with a tent, banjo, puppy, and pony keg swaying from carabiners, I’m just left wondering why. Why do so many of our otherwise reasonable mountain buddies want so badly to strap their kit to the outside of their sad, under-utilized packs instead of just putting it all inside? First is the matter of style. I’m not talking about what kind of jacket you’re wearing; I’m talking about whether you’re the guy making it look easy or making it look ugly. Here’s another way to look at it: You wouldn’t strap a banana to the outside of your grocery bag, would you? Then why do you clip water bottles and cams to the outside of your backpack? Bags are meant to be filled, and we should all strive to put our gear inside our packs. Not only will you win those style points, but your pack will carry better because the load will be properly distributed on the frame and not sway. If all of your things are inside, they won’t get in the way, fall off, get snagged, or get wet. Take a look at the pros: Steve House didn’t summit the Slovak Direct on Denali with a Nalgene swinging from a biner on his pack. Here’s how to pack for success.

Choose the right packThere is no single tool for every job, but you can find one pack that will work for most of your trips. The pack that I take to the Himalaya is often the same pack I take to Alaska or the Cascades. You want something that’s big enough to carry everything for the climb, yet small enough that it won’t get in your way on-route. My favorite is a model that expands to 50 liters, cinches down to 30, and weighs 2.5 pounds. It’s light and versatile. I have a quiver of bigger and smaller packs, but this is the one I use most.

Sort your gearTry dividing things into a few categories before you load them. The first group is the little stuff you might need in a hurry, like a headlamp, food, and water. That’s going in the lid for easy access. The rest of your gear is going to fit into one of two categories—things that can change their shape (such as a jacket), and things that can’t (like a pot or water bottle). These subsequently fall into two additional categories: light and heavy.

Arrange by weightTo keep your pack’s weight in line with your center of gravity, it’s better to pack rigid, dense items (rack, cooking gear) in the center of your pack near your back, especially with high-volume packs. Then position lighter items near the top and outer layers of the pack.

For the rest of the tips click here.

Top 10 Technique Tips for Indoor Climbing

Here's a great article from Britain's Climber magazine with tips for indoor climbing, written by Neil Gresham.

TOP 10 TECHNIQUE TIPS FOR INDOOR CLIMBING

1) Footwork Drills

One of the best times to work on your footwork is during your first warm-up climbs. On easy ground you can focus on making each placement perfectly and this will set the standard for the rest of the session. It will also help to reduce the boredom of your warm-up by keeping you mentally challenged. Slow each foot placement down and pause over the hold for a split second while you decide on optimum positioning. Place the foot silently, and without scuffing the wall above the foothold. Try not to re-adjust your feet or to test the footholds excessively. Work on doing this more quickly and intuitively as the warm-up progresses.

2) Basic Body Position for Steep Walls

The movement pattern for overhangs is entirely different to the movement pattern for vertical walls. The way we learn to climb on slabs and vertical walls is with our hips parallel, as if climbing a ladder, but this causes all sorts of problems on the steep stuff. With your hips parallel, your arms will be forced to pull extra-hard and you will constantly feel out of balance. The answer is to twist into the wall with your hips and straighten your arms. The way to do this is by stepping over the ‘centre line’ and using footholds on the left with the outside edge of your right foot (or vice versa). You can then brace your spare foot against the wall to form a stable tripod. Each reach can then be assisted by the rotational motion of your body, rather than doing it all with the arms. It is a myth that you need strong arms for overhanging walls – if you get this movement sequence right, you may barely need to bend your arms at all.

3) Flagging

If you are unable to position yourself using your outside edge on an overhanging wall and find yourself off-balance with your hips parallel, then you have two alternatives to correct yourself: first simply to swap feet and get onto the outside edge of your other foot; but swapping feet can feel precarious and you may find that you need to swap them back again as soon as you’ve made the reach. A much slicker option is simply to ‘flag’ your trailing leg into a balance position, to make the reach and then to come out of the flag. You can either do this by bringing the trailing leg behind the active leg (if the foothold is high) or by bringing it inside the active leg (if the foothold is low – see photo). Note that the ‘inside flag’ is a more efficient option as it enables you to twist in to the wall.  

4) Slapping on Steep Walls

Speed and timing are the two most important variables for dynamic moves. The faster you pull-up, the more momentum you will be able to capture at the ‘deadpoint’ (this is the split-second weightless moment at the top end of a dyno). Thrust upwards with your legs and hips rather than just pulling with your arms. You must then co-ordinate the upward reach precisely with the dead-point – if you are too slow then all momentum will be lost. Another common mistake is to lose pressure on the footholds at the moment when you move your hand, especially when the footholds are poor. Keep thinking feet as you slap and keep your body taught to take the strain. On steep walls you must ‘pull’ with your feet rather than pushing. Curved ‘toe-down’ shoes help you to use your foot like a claw. If you are having difficulty sticking the target hold then try ‘cheating’ into position and hanging it, to gain confidence and learn the position. Your hips should finish vertically below the hold to minimize outward swing. If you really are a ‘static’ climber then try double-handed dynos on a gently overhanging wall with your feet on good footholds to teach yourself the timing sequence.

5) Cutting Loose

It’s always best to avoid cutting loose on overhangs but sometimes you have no choice. The secret is to take one leg off before the other to reduce the severity of the swing. Arch your back as you swing, bend one of your legs up behind you and keep the other in front. Tense your back muscles as hard as you can to kill the swing. Try to use the momentum on the reverse side of the swing to help you lift your feet back up. Aim to re-locate them first time, because another attempt will seriously drain your energy. 



Click for the next 5 steps.

The Gravity Vault was featured in the May issue of Climbing magazine. The article, titled "Secret Agent Gym," was written by Climbing Reporter, Kevin Corrigan, details how Lucas and Tim were contacted by a defense contractor to train their technicians to perform maintenance on a spy blimb.

The article is below. Be sure to pick up a copy as well!

50 Common Climber Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)

The following is an article posted on climbing.com by Laura Snider about 50 common climber mistakes and how you can avoid them.

50 Common Climber Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)

I’ve been climbing for more than 15 years, and the mistakes I’ve made cover the gamut. My knot came partly untied while I was climbing at Joshua Tree; I’ve threaded my belay device backward; partway up El Capitan, my partner once completely unclipped me from a belay. Worst, I dropped a dear friend while lowering him off a sport climb in Rifle with a too-short rope. (Fortunately, he wasn’t seriously injured.) If you’re lucky, like I’ve been, your mistakes result in close calls that help keep you vigilant. If you’re not, the results can be tragic.

Not all errors in climbing are deadly— some may just sour your own or other climbers’ experiences. But if you never learn from your screw-ups—and other people’s—you’ll be slower to improve. In climbing, as in life, bad experiences are the foundation of good judgment. With this in mind, we’ve assembled 50 of the most common mistakes made by climbers everywhere—and suggested how to avoid them—in hopes of speeding your journey toward being a safer, smarter climber.

NEVER-EVER MISTAKES

1. Not double-checking your belay and knots
If you’re belaying, make sure the rope is threaded correctly through the belay device and that the locking carabiners in the system are actually locked. If you’re the climber, double-check your knot. Is it tied correctly? Is it tightened? Threaded through the harness correctly? Is the tail long enough? Check your partner’s knot, too.

REAL LIFE: One famous double-check mistake was Lynn Hill’s accident in Buoux, France, in 1989. When Hill—already a 5.13 climber at the time—weighted the rope at the top of a warm-up climb, her unfinished knot zipped through her harness. She fell 75 feet to the ground but survived. Hill says she got distracted by a conversation and forgot to finish the knot; a bulky pullover hid the error.

2. Not wearing a helmet
Trad climbers wear helmets much more often than sport climbers, but why? You can deck, slam the wall, or flip upside down in sport climbing, and loose rock is always a hazard. Evaluate all the risks before you make a fashion-based decision not to protect your head.

3. More confidence than competence
Push yourself to become a better climber, but understand the risks and assess your ability to mitigate them. The American Alpine Club rates “exceeding abilities” as one of the top causes of accidents.

4. Careless belaying
There are many ways to screw up when belaying. In multi-pitch climbing, slack in your tie-in or an unreliable redirect piece can result in dangerous shock loads. When belaying on the ground, taking your brake hand off the rope (even with an assisted braking device) can quickly lead to a dangerous fall. Another common mistake is standing too far away from the cliff when lead belaying— it’s easy to get dragged across the ground when the climber falls. A big loop of slack lying in the dirt is the lazy, incorrect way to give a “soft catch” belay. Finally, save the crag chat until your climber is safely back on the ground.

5. Failing to knot the end of the rope
You can endlessly debate how to equalize a three-piece anchor, but it’s more common to get seriously hurt being lowered on a sport climb than having an anchor fail on a trad route. If you’re belaying a single-pitch route, tie a knot in the end of the rope, tie it to the rope bag, or tie it yourself. Do it out of habit, not just when you think the rope might not reach. Knotting the end of the ropes is equally important when rappelling. Slipping off the ends of rappel ropes is tragically common, even among very experienced climbers.

The rest of this great list can be see here.

The Gravity Vault was recently featured on Entrepreneur.com in an article titled 5 Ways Tech Is Forever Changing Fitness Franchises. The article was written by Kate Taylor and it discusses how technology is forever changing the industry.

5 Ways Tech Is Forever Changing Fitness Franchises

Walking into a gym or fitness studio, technology isn't usually the first thing you notice. But whether you're in a crowded, big-box gym or a boutique fitness studio, tech is increasingly flexing its muscle, playing a defining role in how fitness franchises are run.

Over the last few years, fitness franchises have boomed. About 54.1 million Americans now belong to a health-club franchise, with membership having grown 6.1 percent over the last five years. Revenues have also climbed at an annual pace of about 5.2 percent and are expected to rise 5.6 percent this year alone, according to market research firm IBISWorld.

With Anytime Fitness snagging the top spot on Entrepreneur's 2014 Franchise 500 and boutique fitness franchises quickly gaining ground, the field is ripe for even more growth. And technology is helping to make that happen. 

From apps to wearable calorie-trackers, the future of fitness franchising is tied to tech. Here are five ways that technology is forever changing the industry.

1. People don't have to talk to people…ever

Looking around a gym, you're sure to see a shocking number of members with their eyes glued to their smartphones. From calorie burning to motivation pushing, there's an app for everything in fitness – and gyms are working to get in on the game. Soon, certain fitness franchises will have apps that are integral to every aspect of your workout.

"Our app keeps evolving," says Retro Fitness CEO and self-described "tech junkie" Eric Casaburi. "We can do silly things [like] ordering your shake from your phone while you're working out… and obvious things like I want to join your gym, I want to find the gym, I want to check in with my phone." Retro Fitness wants to take every aspect of the gym experience and condense it into an app, eventually hoping to allow members to upgrade their membership and book time with personal trainers through the app.

2. Classes can be 'cloned' more easily

One of the biggest challenges fitness franchises face is standardizing quality as they expand. For food chains the recipe for success can be simple: set menus, standardize locations and create a general script for employees. However, in fitness franchises, especially those that focus on studio classes, such standardization is harder to come by.

Instead of relying on individual instructors hundreds of miles away, Barre Bee Fit is able to teach and update instructors using hundreds of videos with choreographed routines over their web portal.

Just training the instructors wasn't enough however: the fitness studio franchise can control every aspect of the classes that allowed it to find success in Chicago. "We developed an iPad application that basically took out human error," says co-CEO and co-founder Ariana Chernin. The app chooses the music, sets the volume of the music and microphone and even controls the lighting in the room. 

"We looked at what makes a great class in the fitness industry. We realized there were several variables, and we wanted to use technology to eliminate those variables," says co-CEO and cofounder Jillian Lorenz.

Read full story here.

A Long Climb With the Right Nutrients

When you are faced with a long climb it is important to make sure your body is properly prepared before you even step foot onto that rock. Thanks to the folks at Climbing Magazine we have some great tips as to how to properly prepare your nutrition for a long climb. Preview the article below or read the full story here.

"Fuel Up"

Proper Nutrition for a Long Climb 

BY: Matthew Kadey, Registered Dietician

Any serious climber knows the intense stress of a sun-up to sun-down climb. To maintain flexibility, power, balance, and muscular endurance, you need good nutrition and hydration before and during your climb. Making smart food and drink choices can help you move quicker, tame those screaming muscles, and achieve better mental focus (read: less risk of injury). Here’s how to fuel the machine.

The Night Before the Climb

If you’re preparing for a full day of climbing, you’ll benefit from a dinner largely based on nutrient- rich carbohydrate foods, such as whole grains, beans, and fruits. This will help assure that your muscle glycogen— the primary fuel source for intense exercise—is fully stocked. Roughly 65 percent of the meal’s calories should be derived from carbs. Also include some lean protein, such as chicken breast or tofu, and healthy fats including avocado or olive oil.

Eat this:

Black bean burgers topped with guacamole with a side of quinoa
Whole wheat pasta with ground, grass-fed beef, red sauce, and salad
Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice

Read full article here.

The Importance of H2O

It is extremely important to properly fuel your body. Thanks to our friends at the American Heart Association we are able to truly understand the benefits of staying hydrated and how it plays a key role in your day. Preview article below or see full story here. 

Staying Hydrated - Staying Healthy

When the temperatures rise, getting enough to drink is important whether you’re playing sports, traveling or just sitting in the sun.

And it’s critical for your heart health.

Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. And, it helps the muscles remove waste so that they can work efficiently.

“If you’re well hydrated, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard,” said John Batson, M.D, a sports medicine physician with Lowcountry Spine & Sport in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and an American Heart Association volunteer.

Dehydration can be a serious condition that can lead to problems ranging from swollen feet or a headache to life-threatening illnesses such as heat stroke.

How much water do you need?

What does being well hydrated mean? The amount of water a person needs depends on climatic conditions, clothing worn and exercise intensity and duration, Batson said.

A person who perspires heavily will need to drink more than someone who doesn’t. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, may also mean you need to drink more to avoid over-taxing the heart or other organs. People with cystic fibrosis have high concentrations of sodium in their sweat and also need to use caution to avoid dehydration. And some medications can act as diuretics, causing the body to lose more fluid.

Thirst isn’t the best indicator that you need to drink. “If you get thirsty, you’re already dehydrated,” Batson said.

Batson said the easiest thing to do is pay attention to the color of your urine. Pale and clear means you’re well hydrated. If it’s dark, drink more fluids.

“50 Ways to Find Co-founders”

The Gravity Vault was featured in Inc. on Monday, March 31st, 2014 entitled “50 Ways to Find Co-founders.” The article was written by Inc. Reporter Bill Murphy Jr. and was a list of 50 ways to find a good co-founder. The Gravity Vault was featured as number 18 under “Playing sports together” and included information about how Lucas and Tim developed the basis for their partnership through rock climbing. Check out the full list here or preview below. 

18. Playing sports together

I heard a lot of stories of former teammates working together. Similarly, Lucas Kovalcik and Tim Walsh met through a mutual friend in high school and grew a friendship based on a love of rock climbing. Now they run Gravity Vault, a franchised, indoor rock climbing business.

See full list here.

"Rock-Climbing Generation at Foot of U.S. Startup Ascent: Economy"

The Gravity Vault was featured in an article titled, “Rock-Climbing Generation at Foot of U.S. Startup Ascent: Economy” than ran on Friday, March 21, 2014 on Bloomberg.com. and BusinessWeek.com. Read below to learn about how young entrepreneurs are creating businesses poised and ready for growth. The article includes information about Lucas and Tim’s backgrounds, the concept inception story, and how they are enjoying their lifestyle by operating a rock climbing gym. Preview article below or read full story here.

"Rock-Climbing Generation at Foot of U.S. Startup Ascent: Economy"

BY: Shobhana Chandra

Lucas Kovalcik and Tim Walsh turned their passion for rock climbing into a business. Their success helps show why U.S. entrepreneurship probably is about to get a shot in the arm.

After toiling at jobs such as hotel management and wireless network administration, the high school friends opened Gravity Vault in 2005, a cavernous 13,000-plus square foot (1,208 square meter) gym for those wanting to work up a sweat by rappelling faux walls, overhangs and arches. What began in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, as a six-person operation -- including their wives -- now has two locations with 45 employees.

“We learned what we enjoy doing, and part of our skill set is knowing who we are, what we’re good at,” said Kovalcik, 37.

A record 93 million Americans will be 30 to 49 years old in 2030, a group that includes the Echo Boomers born to the Baby Boom Generation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation projects. Kovalcik and Walsh, 38, are part of this age bracket, the one most likely to start new businesses, which research shows account for a disproportionate share of job creation.

“We should expect more new businesses to be created,” said Dane Stangler, vice president of research and policy at the foundation, a Kansas City, Missouri-based private group focused on education and entrepreneurship. “That’s a positive for the economy. It’s a piece of good news in the standard narrative about how we’re aging as a country.”

Read full story here.

Olympics Debut Ice Climbing

This year marked the debut of ice climbing in the Winter Olympics. Thanks to the folks at Gear Junkie we have the opportunity to hear an insiders perspective straight from Sochi of what it was really like. Read the full article here or preview below.

"Ice Climbing At The Olympics. Insider's Perspective From 'World Stage' In Sochi"

BY: GORDON MCARTHUR

When the world came to Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, ice climbing was right there, front and center. While the sport was not a competition, the exhibition wall introduced spectators from around the world to a sport often practiced in remote and rugged wilderness.

Gordon McArthur, a climber from British Columbia, was in the mix. The Wigwam-sponsored athlete stopped in Russia to take part in the exhibition as he toured for the World Cup competition with Team Canada.

“There wasn’t any official competition. Just a group of amazing athletes from all over the world showcasing the sport in front of the world,” McArthur said. Below, he shares the experience of climbing at the Olympics in Sochi. —Sean McCoy

Read full article here.

Have fun and climb safe

Climbing is exhilarating and fun, but it is important to know the basics and stay safe while climbing. The folks at Rock & Ice have provided us with some great tips and belay technique to keep you out of the hospital and on the mountain. Preview the article below or read full story here.

"How to Climb Safe: Belay School"

BY: Tyler Stableford

I’ve always viewed trad- or ice-climbing falls as more serious than sport whippers. Heck, most of us, myself included, have become so accustomed to dropping onto bolts that we now fall more often than we send. The casualness has trickled down to belayers, who scratch their dogs and lounge in lawn chairs as their partners plummet earthward.


Turn that sport route into a thin crack or frozen pillar, however, and—whoa!—falling suddenly becomes a horrible prospect: What if that TCU rips, or ice shears? Even as a belayer, when I hear the cry of “Falling!”, I tense up and brace hard for the upward jolt.

Paradoxically, a good firm catch may be exactly the wrong move—an unyielding belay can double the impact forces on the top piece of gear, a critical consideration when leading on natural gear.

For this installment of Climb Safe, Rock and Ice Publisher Duane Raleigh and I field-tested impact forces during a common fall scenario—a nine-foot whipper with about 55 feet of rope out—using two belay techniques. For one set of falls, I belayed with a Petzl Grigri anchored securely to the ground (a static belay) while Duane hurled himself off the rock; for the next, I clipped the Grigri to my belay loop and, leaving myself unanchored, jumped up at the moment of impact, yielding a dynamic belay.

Read full story here. 

“Gravity Vault Brings Franchising to Climbing”

Recently The Gravity Vault was featured in Climbing Business Journal. The article focused on the growth and development of Gravity Vault. Lucas discussed the growth plans for the brand and the positive feedback that Gravity Vault has been receiving from prospective franchisees. Lucas further discussed the brand’s recent opening in Middletown and their upcoming opening in Allen. The article details the amount needed to open a franchise with Gravity Vault. Preview the article below or read full story here.

“Gravity Vault Brings Franchising to Climbing”

If you type the search term “climbing gym franchise” into your favorite web search engine, there is only one name that comes up. That name is Gravity Vault.

Like almost every successful climbing gym in North America, Gravity Vault wants to expand. But unlike other gyms, they are going about it in a totally different way.



New Jersey-based Gravity Vault Climbing Centers is the first climbing gym company in America, and possibly the world, to franchise their brand. After 8 years and building two corporate locations, Gravity Vault just opened their first franchised location in Middletown, New Jersey. They have also signed a contract to open their second franchised location in Allentown, PA later this year, and are looking at Hudson County, NJ for a third corporate location coming soon.

The big question many traditional developers are asking is why franchise your brand? For Lucas Kovalcik, co-founder of Gravity Vault, it comes down to changing people’s lives through the sport of climbing. Kovalcik and his partner Tim Walsh have decided that the most effective way to introduce the sport, and their brand, to new climbers is to help other entrepreneurs open climbing facilities with the Gravity Vault name.

Read full article here. 

The Best Rock Climbing Shoes Review

Looking for your first pair of climbing shoes or for your 15th and to switch things up a little bit? Thanks to the folks at Outdoor Gearlab we can review 25 of the best climbing shoes on the market. Preview the article below or read full article and watch video here. 

The Best Rock Climbing Shoes Review

What are the best climbing shoes? To find out, we reviewed 25 of the best men's rock climbing shoes and put them in head-to-head competition. We evaluated these shoes on edging, cracks, comfort, pockets, and sensitivity. We did side-by-side comparisons both in our lab, the gym, coastal sport crags and on Yosemite's big walls. Below we break down how the best shoes performed in each test.

See all statistics here.

Gain Confidence in Yourself: Climb Higher

Want to conquer your next big climb? Look at the attitude you take going into it. Thanks to the folks at 360 Sports we have a few tips to boost that confidence. Preview article below or read full article here.

"Positive Mindset: 5 steps to gaining confidence"

BY: 360 Sports

Having confidence is the key to achieving many great things in life. It's about the attitude you choose towards life and situations. Its also the way you think and feel about yourself.

Maybe you lost it somewhere along the way – a few lost matches, a failed relationship, unhappy about your appearance or a loss of job. Loss of confidence stems from feelings of failure, disappointment, doubt and low self esteem.

Here's a 5-point plan on to how you can get it back quickly:

1. Focus on the positive. Stop looking for what's wrong and see whats right. Look for the best in things and people and if you do something well, then compliment yourself on it.

2. Self talk. The voice in your head, the one that wakes up with you in the morning, stays with you all day and goes to sleep with you.. that one! The way you talk to yourself is probably the most crucial element in how you feel about life and in gaining confidence.

Read full article here.

"Massive rock climbing facility opens in Monmouth County"

The Gravity Vault opens a massive new location in Monmouth county. You can learn more about this location thanks to our friends at nj.com. Preview article below or read full article here.

"Massive rock climbing facility opens in Monmouth County"

By: Rob Spahr

Not every new business can promise prospective patrons an opportunity to challenge themselves physically and mentally, and when they’re done, to soar above their peers.

But The Gravity Vault, a new state-of-the-art indoor rock climbing facility on Kanes Lane, is not your typical business.

With 15,000 square feet of climbing wall filling a 12,000-square-foot venue, the facility offers an enjoyable experience for climbers of a wide range of ages and skill levels.

The facility, which officially opened on Saturday, is the third location for North Jersey’s popular Gravity Vault rock climbing gyms and the growing company’s first of many planned franchise locations.

Read full article here.

Meet Sam Wright

The Gravity Vault Middletown finally opened its doors Saturday, January 13th. Learn more about our own franchisee, Sam Wright and why he decided to join the team!

Although Sam Wright, 45, always wanted to own his own business, it wasn’t until his daughter, now entering her freshman year of high school, introduced him to Gravity Vault that he even dreamed he would be a franchisee. “She’s not really into traditional sports but more X-games type of stuff,” Wright says. “About five years ago, she had her birthday party at a Gravity Vault that’s about an hour away from us. We’ve been going there ever since because now she’s on a competitive team, and there’s just not anything like it in our area.”

Long before children, Wright graduated with an accounting degree from Bucknell University in 1990. After spending time as an auditor, he went back to school and received his MBA from New York University in 1998. From there, he joined Arthur Andersen performing due diligence on companies to be acquired by clients, working for the firm in New York and in London before doing the same for Ernst and Young when the former imploded. After examining companies for a living and watching his family become more and more involved in rock climbing, Wright realized Gravity Vault could be the way to satisfy his long-term desire to have his own business. “It’s going to give me the opportunity to get more into a growing sport and also run a company,” he says. “I’m excited for the rock-climbing aspect of it but also excited to be a business owner. And of course, my daughter is excited to be able to climb closer to home.” Wright thinks the gap in the market and the fact that the sport fits right in with New Jersey’s surfing culture both will lead to success in his first franchising adventure.

Grand Opening in Middletown, NJ

The Gravity Vault announces their grand opening in Middletown, NJ. This addition makes a total of 3 locations in their rock climbing franchise thus far.

Saturday, Feb 8th is the opening of the new location. They will be offering specials all day along with prizes, food and more! With over 14,000 square feet of climbing they have plenty of room for friends and family.