Movement Belmont - Belmont, California

Kenton A.

I'm reviewing this gym as a training facility for rock climbing. I have not been to any of their yoga or fitness classes, so I can't comment on that.

The good:
1. As far as an all around training facility, this place is above average. I've been to climbing gyms across the country, and this one has just about everything. Bouldering, TR, lead cave, a variety of cracks, and they just installed new exercise equipment (Feb 2025). They have a good variety of free weights and machines. They always have a good mix of climbing routes/bouldering problems from intro level to advanced.
2. They're constantly re-setting routes/problems somewhere in the gym. They have a schedule posted for when they will re-set routes in specific parts of the gym, so if you have a project you're working on, you won't be surprised when it changes.
3. Friendly staff. They've always been super helpful whenever it is needed.
4. Texture on the walls. It seems like most new gyms use Walltopia, but this old school texture is slightly more realistic, especially when climbing the cracks.
5. They just installed new AC and there is new lighting in the bouldering pits. The ventilation is pretty decent. I have been in gyms where I can see chalk in the air. That's not a problem here.
6. Classes. Movement has some good skills classes at all their facilities. I've taken a couple, and I think they're pretty good.

The not so good:
1. It's the only climbing gym on the mid-peninsula (unless you have access to the tiny Stanford gym). That's not a Belmont problem though, and at least there is a gym for this area. But it's the only option in one of the most densely populated areas of the country. Like most climbing gyms, it gets busy between about 4-8pm. I try to climb in the mornings when it is not crowded for this reason. Otherwise, you can expect to wait your turn, and you have to really be cognizant of the people climbing around you. Both Belmont and Touchstone have announced new bouldering gyms which should open in the near future - hopefully that will help disperse the crowds a little. Belmont will still be the only ropes gym in the area though.
2. Size. I've heard people complain about the gym's size. It's really more about the growing crowds in the afternoons. Belmont is middle of the pack as far as size when compared to the other Bay Area gyms. Pac Pipe is the largest, and there are several much smaller gyms in the Bay Area. Movement could use another gym in the mid-peninsula for it's growing clientele.
3. There are no cracks on lead. They should really install some draws next to one (or more) of the cracks on the foam wall to somewhat simulate climbing cracks on gear.
4. Lead checks have to be scheduled well in advance. I've done lead checks at other gyms with little or no advance notice. I've had friends try to do drop-in lead checks several times at Belmont with no luck. It seems that most of the employees should be qualified to do this, but I don't think that's the case.

Emily Z.

This gym is definitely on the older and smaller side, but definitely still fun to go to. They actively try to improve the experience for their climbers; in the last year they've:
- improved the lighting in the bouldering areas
- added air conditioning
- added a spray wall
- got new fitness area equipment

Also the fitness area is my favorite in any gym for the number and variety of machines, and pullup bar setup.

It's so good to see a gym that is actually willing to make change 🙂 keep doing what you're doing, belmont

(-1 star because they never ever set in my style)

Edit: gave 5 stars because the -1 star was a joke >.< But I want more vertical non-burly crimp lines,, all the crimps are on overhangs and all the non-overhung climbs are slopey or burly

Luke Z.

Refreshed workout equipments are very welcomed. Also I’m satisfied with the frequency the climbing route changes. I appreciate that the continuous effort of management and staff to make it a better gym.

Anna D.

I love climbing here and really appreciate the awesome space you’ve created! I was wondering if you’d consider stocking bottled coffee for purchase. It’d be super convenient for a quick caffeine boost before or after a session and I bet a lot of climbers would love the option.

James

Get a handle on your staff.

Front desk lady was nice. Was my third climbing experience but first time here and took a class this time.

Took my girl along to learn but two of the instructor’s shadows/helpers (who did nothing but stand and judge) standing next to me were staring and joking about my girl’s ass while she was climbing thinking I couldn’t hear nor did they know I was with her. Totally unprofessional and she noticed. It did not make it easy to learn and in fact I think could be dangerous if you can’t focus while learning.

I do judo so we’re trained to fall by rolling back and slapping the ground to disperse the force, which is the opposite of what you want to do here, but practicing falling and ridding of the habit was of course annoying. Worse, having the helpers laugh at me fail is not encouraging; not so much for me, but for others.

Mind these things if you want to try this place out because besides the fees, ultimately this experience made me and my girl drop climbing.

kim Y.

We visited today and enjoyed the routes so much we plan to come back at the end of the week. Like another reviewer we were skeptical based on some of the negative reviews but found them to be completely baseless. I have a gym membership on the east coast as well as just south of the bay here on the west coast. Both of those gyms also cater to the school age crowd between 3-6pm. Best thing to do is just not go during those hours if you are not ok with this. As far the complaint about the staff/gym being very rigid- Good for them! I very much appreciated the questions the front desk posed to us about our climbing experience. I also like that they are one of the few gyms still requiring the wearing of your belay card. Safety was drilled into me in my early years of climbing and it is still as important now as it was then! And lastly, our regular gym here on the west coast also doesn't have heat or AC so this Movment location isn't the only climbing gym with out those amenities.
The women's bathroom was very clean and overall large with showers, a sauna and changing area. It was not at all crowded today, perhaps many people are travelling for the holiday but it was nice to have our pick of most anything we wanted to clmb. I really enjoyed the routes here. Many of the harder climbs were challenging without being all crimpers which also made them fun to climb!

vista W.

This place has really went down hill in the 2 years I've been coming here. The place becomes a daycare from around 3 to 6 in the afternoon. Usually, you will see one employee with around 10 kids and multiple groups like this. It makes a small bouldering area hard to use, especially when they are blocking whole sections of the bouldering area. The whole place needs a deep cleaning or renovation. The shower rooms are disgusting and don't seem to get cleaned regularly. Most of the towels are nasty and feel like a scrubbing pad.
The routes and boulders in this gym change very rarely. It's not uncommon to see routes stay the same for over 2 months. Due to how small the bouldering area is, this really makes for a subpar experience.
For a premium gym membership price, this place needs to do better.
I can't wait for the new Touchstone gym to open in Redwood City. Maybe then Movement will be forced to do better here. Of their 4 gyms in the Bay Area, this is by far the worst.

Charlie E.

I want to shout out Ben who is always in positive spirit, very helpful with customer service, & shows his respect for the gym by always addressing needs; such as cleaning, fresh towels, clean showers, etc. His positivity and presence makes me happy to call the Belmont location my home gym.