Rock Climbing Development Instructor Training

Overview

The Rock Climbing Development Instructor qualification is for experienced instructors wishing to develop a participant’s rock climbing proficiency. This development may extend to the teaching of lead climbing. The scope of this new award allows qualified instructors to develop climbers wishing to climb both sport and traditional routes.

This Mountain Training accredited course will be delivered over four days and covers all the essential aspects of the syllabus. You will hone your skills in teaching the technical aspects of rock climbing on both sport and traditional routes. Based in the heart of northern Eryri (Snowdonia) we are ideally placed with a host of crags with both sport and traditional routes available. Given the varied locations it is always possible to find somewhere dry to climb. We also have a state of the art climbing facility which will be used for evening sessions and to enhance the outdoor delivery.

The Objectives  

The following key areas, all of which will be covered, to a greater or lesser extent, during your training course.

1. Technical Competence (including equipment, anchors, belaying, personal skills and background knowledge)
2. Management and Decision Making (including planning, organising, managing participants, decision making, knowledge and demonstration of techniques, personal safety)
3. Teaching Skills
4. The Climbing Environment (including access, conservation, etiquette and ethics)

Detailed information on each of the above topics can be found in the Rock Climbing Development Instructor handbook (downloaded from link below).

https://www.mountain-training.org/qualifications/climbing/rock-climbing-development-instructor

What To Expect

We deliver the full Mountain Training syllabus, over the 4-day course, focusing on the areas most difficult to develop on your own. We will adopt a flexible approach to maximise on learning opportunities based on weather, conditions, and appropriate venues to cover the various aspects. The days will generally split as follows: Teaching and developing trad skills, judgement and decision making, equipment selection, crag selection, lead climbing at VS 4c and upwards, teaching and developing sport climbing skills, supervision of novice leaders and belayers, lead climbing at F6a upwards, introducing trad leading to novices, mock leading and feedback, supervision of new trad leaders and belayers, developing climbers’ performance on Sport and Trad climbs, more advanced ropework, coaching leader falls and belaying, developing on-sight, flash and redpoint tactics.

Experience Required

Important. You must register for this award with Mountain Training and have the minimum requirements in your DLOG as shown below.

Candidate Registration Requirements

Be a qualified Rock Climbing Instructor

• Must have delivered a minimum of 20 days as a Rock Climbing Instructor at a variety of venues and with a variety of groups, recorded in DLOG
• Have led a minimum of 60 named single pitch routes using leader places protection in three different climbing areas at VS 4c or above and logged them in DLOG.
• Must have led a minimum of 60 sport climbs in three different climbing areas at 6a or above and logged them in DLOG. Up to 50% of this experience can be outside the UK and Ireland.

https://www.mountain-training.org/qualifications/climbing/rock-climbing-development-instructor

How Should I Prepare?

You must be registered on the Rock Climbing Development Instructor Award scheme with Mountain Training prior to attending this course and have the required experience. We want you to get the most from your training course and would therefore recommend that you are climbing proficiently at the required standard with recent relevant experience. Your DLOG should be up-to-date.

Download course handbook here

Note: Our instructors will assess any safety equipment you bring with you. If they consider it to be below the required standard, you will be asked to use equipment provided free of charge by Plas y Brenin.