Last week we touched on circuits and how they can be used as a tool help you improve your climbing game. We were then surprised to see how many climbers at Hub had more questions about Circuits! In order to answer all your questions, we sat down with our Head Setter, Dustin, to pick his brain.
What exactly is a circuit?
A circuit is a group of boulders that test skill sets and climbing styles rather than using difficulty as a determining factor for the ‘grade.’
Why don’t you use grades like other gyms?
We use circuits instead of the v-grade because we want to help bouldering climbers best to grow and develop. The circuits provide an excellent way to help climbers not only evaluate their strengths and weaknesses but also provide a sort of ‘roadmap.’ (We are evaluating doing circuits on autobelay and top rope climbs as well.)
How can I know my V-grade level if I also climb at other facilities?
There’s a loose grade range attached to each colour but our suggestion is always try different boulders, explore, you may surprise yourself. Most of the time grades are subjective anyways, and they vary from location to location, this is true not only for indoor facilities but outdoor locations as well.
I get enjoyment knowing I’m slowly improving my climbing ability. That’s what V-grades gave me. How do I track progress if I can’t see the grades?
The same way really. If you usually climb within the green circuit and do your first orange circuit boulder, there’s progress! Just like if you usually climb V3 and you do your first V4. The difference is that there’s progress within the circuit as well. Say you’ve always had trouble on overhangs. Doing a green circuit boulder out an overhang, that’s progress too!
Are harder circuits just those with smaller crimps and smaller toe holds?
They can be but they’re more based on skill sets, techniques and styles. A harder circuit may have more intense moves or it could just be a combination of multiple skills. An example would be the test in a blue circuit boulder of walking across a volume with positive holds. The same test could appear in the red circuit with “harder” holds or the holds could be just as positive but involve a coordination test as well instead of just walking across volumes.
I noticed there are less boulders in the higher levels of circuits, and more boulders in the mid-range level of circuits, can you tell us more about the ratio of circuits set at the gym?
Black is our highest level of circuit and thus less of our clientele climb this circuit but we do try and add one at least every set!
Got any more questions? Let us know!
