Mate and I have started climbing on a weekly basis at our local wall - nothing amazing but plenty of stuff to get us working ourselves - we are pretty new to it all and don't really have much of an idea on teh gradings - harness/belaying and tying on are fine - technique/ability and understanding the grades aren't that great.
So, if we are climbing something that is graded 6a - what does that actually mean? Does it mean that the only way to make it a 6a (French grading I think - if that makes any difference) is to use only the coloured holds for feet and hands OR only your hands have to use the coloured tags, your feet can use the colours or features i.e. not any other coloured holds OR your hands can use the features (not other coloured holds) AND the coloured holds and your feet can go anywhere other than other coloured holds?
We seem to be doing not too badly at it but we seem to be getting mixed messages about the grading - we aren't entirely consistent with our ability but we are making progress...
Means an evening out the house so I'm happy to stick at it, the technique will improve over time but it would be helpful if I had a better understanding of the grading system(s) and what you have to do to qualify for completion of the grade (this isn't to say if I complete 1 6a climb I can do them all, just means that if that particular climb is a 6a and I do it then I've completed that 6a climb).
