Have you ever wanted to teach indoor climbing?
climbing wall award students
This new award was launched by Mountain Leader Training in January 2008.
It is the outcome of considerable consultation with voluntary youth organizations, the education sector and the climbing community. The award will cover the skills and leadership qualities needed to introduce and supervise novice climbers on typical top roping and bouldering climbing walls.
Candidates will learn how to manage groups in a busy indoor climbing environment. They will learn how to carry out appropriate warm-ups and cool downs, to prepare their clients for the activities ahead and to prevent injury. They will learn how to coach climbing techniques and how to spot the potential Leo Holding. They will also learn how to prevent and overcome problems in a simple and safe way.
There is an additional module in supervising abseiling from artificial structures.
Before candidates can attend a training course they must fulfill the following requirements
- be at least 17 years of age
- be registered for the CWA with the Mountain Leader Training Board
- be members of the British Mountaineering Council
- have climbed on at least 3 different walls on 15 occasions, one of which must be a major venue
- have led climbs
- have at least 6 months personal climbing experience
This award will appeal to teachers, youth leaders, scout and Duke of Edinburgh Award supervisors who have access to a climbing wall or artificial climbing/abseiling structure. It is also useful but not essential if candidates have an understanding that climbing indoors is just a small part of climbing and that ultimately climbing is about the big outdoors and the crag environment.
Climbing Wall Award Training – Bristol Undercover Rock 18/19 February 2012
Monsterclimbs ran the two day CWA training course at BUCR with 5 very different candidates – Jenny(17) an experienced youth squad climber, Beth(19), very new to climbing having recently begun working at UWE wall, but what she lacked in experience she made up for in enthusiasm, Jim(26) with limited personal climbing experience but lots of coaching experience, Gillian(52), a relatively new climber, but enthusiastic and already working at a climbing centre in Devon and Matt(35) an Australian with lots of experience with Scout groups. Both the guys were over 6′ 2″ and all 3 women were under 5′ 2″!!!!
The first day was based at BUCR where they looked at the climbing wall environment, PPE, their own personal climbing and belaying including leading, warming-up and managing groups.
Flexibility and balance
The second day looked at coaching principles, centre of gravity, balance, footwork, using momentum, twisting and straight arm techniques. Candidates were able to practice techniques and then look at different climbing games to implement them. Twentyfive percent of the course is devoted to movement skills and it is recommended that CWA candidates complete the BMC Fundamentals coaching workshop to enhance their skills to become more rounded and inspirational instructors.
Centre of gravity, momentum and balance
The afternoon was spent at UWE Wall where the candidates had the opportunity to work on simple problem solving techniques, for example a stuck climber or a pulled rope.
The day ended with a group debrief and lots of questions. The candidates left inspired and motivated to put all they had learnt into practice and to visit as many centres as possible and work with different groups and different styles of instruction.
Monsterclimbs next CWA Training will be at The Warehouse, Gloucester 18th and 19th April 2012. See Events page for further details.