Chimera Climbing | Achievements

Chimera Climbing badges and grading

The BAdges

Circuit badges

Circuit badges are awarded once a climber completes 3x problems of that colour in a single session (Comp blocs and ‘off-piste’ colours excluded). Each colour represents a grade from greys (easiest) to blacks (hardest).

Why your child may not bring home a Circuit Badge at each Badge Week:‍

‍As your child progresses in their climbing journey, they may reach a point where their improvement slows down, known as a plateau. At this stage, simply continuing with the same approach may not be enough to advance to the next level. To keep improving, they may need to develop new strategies, such as building more strength, spending additional time climbing, or refining their technique.
Their coach is there to guide them through this process, offering personalised strategies to help them overcome the plateau. However, it’s important to understand that earning a Circuit Badge may take more time and effort during these phases of their development. Success will depend on your child’s commitment to applying these new strategies and working through challenges.
Please note that there is a short time between each session during which you can catch up with your child’s coach if you would like further insight into their progress.

Each month, climbers will receive a newsletter with updates on what's happening at each centre. The newsletter will also include the 10-week plans for the kids' clubs at your centre.

If you have any concerns about your child’s progress or would like to discuss anything with the Head Coach or Coaching Manager at your centre, please do not hesitate to reach out via email:

Coaching Manager, coachingmanager@chimeraclimbing.com
Head Coach Canterbury, headcoachcy@chimeraclimbing.com
Head Coach Chatham, headcoachch@chimeraclimbing.com
Head Coach Tunbridge Wells, headcoachtw@chimeraclimbing.com

Development badges

Bronze

Student is able to perform the below tasks -

Explain 5x safety points of the centre/bouldering and demonstrate these by their behaviour.
Minimum of 3 months attendance at a kids club.
Able to identify correct parts of shoe to use while climbing.
Understands the importance of placing feet accurately while climbing.
Able to shift weight effectively while climbing on a slab or vertical wall.
Able to understand the concept of a basic footswap and execute these effectively while climbing.

Silver

‍Student has already achieved the Bronze Badge and is able to perform the below tasks -

Minimum of 6 month's attendance at a kids club.
Able to select appropriate exercises for a warm-up and conduct a warm-up by oneself in a safe and appropriate manner.
Is able to select appropriate exercises for a cooldown and execute these in a safe and appropriate manner.
Shows a basic understanding of route reading, including hold positioning and the crux.
Understands the importance of body tension and is able to maintain body tension effectively using techniques such as heel hooks, twisting and flagging on a variety of terrain.

Gold

‍Student has already achieved the Bronze and Silver Badges and is able to perform the below tasks –

Visits Chimera outside of kids clubs to further personal climbing.
Shows a more advanced understanding of route reading, including visualisation and breaking down a boulder problem.
Is able to combine techniques such as heel hooking and bumping within climbs.
Is able to use advanced techniques such as bicycles, drop knees and toe hooks within climbs.

Chimera’s grading system

Grades

At Chimera the difficulty of a climb can be nearly always be identified by the colour of the holds on every wall except for the Competition Wall section. The colour of the climb gives a rough grade-range that the climb should fall into.

Yellow: 3 - 4
Orange: 4 - 5
Purple: 4+ - 5
Blue: 5 - 5+
Blue and White: 5 - 6a+
Red: 6a - 6b+
Red and White: 6b - 6c
White: 6b - 7a+
Black: 6c - 7c

The teals, pinks and greens are ‘off-piste’ and can be easy or hard.

There are two main grading systems used for bouldering in the UK, the French Fontainebleau grading system and the American V grading system. At Chimera our climbs are graded using the Fontainebleau (Font) system. In the Font system a climb is given a number from 1-9 with 1 being the easiest and 9 being the most difficult. The grades are then broken down further with a + after the number. E.g. 1, 1+, 2, 2+, 3 etc. Once grade 6 is reached, the grades are broken down even further with the letters A, B & C, A being the easiest and C being the hardest. E.g. …4+, 5, 5+, 6a, 6a+, 6b, 6b+, 6c, 6c+, 7a all the way up to 9a, the hardest current Fontainebleau grade.

For more information on the Fontainebleau grading system, please visit our blog at Why-do-we-use-font-grading?

And for more information on climbing terminology and techniques visit our blog at a-guide-to-climbing