Movement Rockville — Local services in Rockville

I have so much love for what this gym used to be prior to the merger and subsequent private equity funding that has drastically changed everything.

The pros: •Staff are mostly great, some newer staff are maybe a bit too eager to show off how much more they know than you (even if that's not the case, actually doesn't feel great when they talk down to you without gauging your skill level or understanding what you're asking.....), but for the most part, the staff has been solid. •The various terrain for climbs •The volume of climbs available •The new murals are nice

The cons: •Prices keep going up. •Community building is essentially gone. There are some half hearted attempts at bringing back events that really built up the community, but it feel soulless now. The Tommy Bell memorial photo contest hasn't run in years, which is a shame, given how big of a part of the community he was. •The setting team has rotated so much since the pandemic, that it often just feels wildly inconsistent; which is a shame, because I absolutely loved the setting in the before times. I would have defended them all the way. Lately, in the past two years or so though, the clip lines for sport climbs have gotten mega sketchy, bouldering grades are inconsistent, it's a huge bummer. The flow isn't there sometimes, and it honestly just isn't as fun anymore. •Not a great use of the terrain. There is SO much terrain here, and a bunch of neat features, but half the time, the climbs on them are fairly lackluster now, and don't highlight the joy of having these features even there. This is especially true for roped climbs. •The complete dissolution of the outdoor school. There was a strong, mega robust outdoor school that was dissolved around 2019. It's a huge shame, because around the same time, the quality of classes for members also went down. There are less advanced skill classes, so if you want to grow your skillset, you're better off looking elsewhere or finding a mentor now. If you're an indoor climber, you'll be fine, but if you ever want to venture outdoors, good luck. •No more top out area for bouldering. I know the death star was a huge annoyance for setting on, but damn was it a cool feature. Also a bummer if you ever want to get outside and boulder now as most of the boulders are top outs. Yes, I know there's a shiny new training area in its place, but it's still a bummer. •Nothing ever gets fixed in time, machines will be out of order for weeks. •The bathrooms are all run down, some toilet seats are crusted in what I assume is crusted liquid.... •Weight room equipment is in a general and constant state of disrepair. The squat racks are not lined up evenly, the benches are a mess and just duct taped over....

Honestly for the amount of money we were paying, it just didn't make sense to stay as members anymore. They also just recently raised prices yet again...for the longest time, members would ask for longer hours, ask for changes, etc. and these have only recently been addressed because a newer climbing gym has opened up nearby. It was too little, too late from Movement, which makes me so sad. I've had a lot of lovely memories here, and I'm honestly heart broken that it's gone from the flagship gym of Earth Treks, to the abandoned gym...

I decided to try a Book a Climb where an instructor shows you the basics of rockclimbing and you get to go up a few times. Kira was the instructor and was very personable, friendly, and encouraging. I then went on to take an Intro to Rockclimbing class where I learned to belay and climbed a couple times. Tim was the instructor and I thought the class was thorough and informative. I actually was able to stay and belay with someone else and felt confident following that class! They offer a trial two week membership following the class which I think is an awesome opportunity and will give me the chance to see if I'd like to sign up! I really enjoy the environment there, everyone is very nice and conscientious and I found the facility to be clean and inviting. Rockclimbing is challenging and different but they definitely make it easy to learn and get involved! Highly recommend to anyone looking for an activity that will get you moving and wants to challenge themselves both mentally...

I recently moved to the area and was itching to get back to climbing. I drove in during rush hour and started the hunt for a spot, which was brutal but to honest is par for the course for most climbing gyms on weekday evenings. I went in, bought my first monthly membership, and got to climbing. People were generally very nice and I was so excited I found my new home... until I met one of the employees at the gym. We casually met while waiting in the bouldering area and then he went back to his discussion with another group nearby. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but I overheard this man loudly talking to another guy about his service in the Israeli army and bragging about the things he had done. The things he was saying were disgusting and repulsive, especially in the context of what has been on the news over the past month. Shame on Movement for employing former IDF soldiers in their gyms, and shame on me for buying a monthly membership before getting a sense of that...