Summary
As indoor climbing has grown in popularity, so has the need for international industry standards in climbing wall instruction and management. The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) was created to meet this need in the United States and these standards are expanding internationally. CMRCA is excited to provide CWA’s Climbing Wall Instructor Certification Program in Thailand and throughout Asia.
The CWI certification program combines online training with a one-day in-person assessment at Progression Vertical Climbing Gym. It focuses on educating, reviewing, and evaluating candidates’ skills based on consensus performance standards developed by renowned climbing professionals. These standards have undergone public review and are aligned with prevailing industry practices and standards of care.
THE mission of the cwi program
- To increase the professionalism, knowledge, and experience of climbing wall instructors.
- To provide access to consistent and quality certification programs.
THE CWA CLIMBING WALL INSTRUCTOR course TOPICs
- Professionalism
- Equipment and facility inspection
- Client orientation and instruction
- Level 1 – Bouldering and spotting
- Level 2 – Teaching top rope & auto belay skills
- Level 3 – Teaching lead skills
- Risk management & emergency procedures
PREREQUISITES FOR THE CWI CERTIFICATION
- The candidate has personal climbing experience.
- The candidate meets the minimum age requirement.
- The candidate meets the minimum number of recommended outings for the highest level of certification sought.
- Foundations: No experience required
- Level 1: 16 years old; minimum bouldering experience; can climb V0
- Level 2: 18 years old; 20 top rope climbing outings; can top rope 5.8 (5b)
- Level 3: 18 years old; 40 lead climbing outings; can lead 5.9 (5c)
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR EACH CERTIFICATION Level
Level 1 Certification (Bouldering)
- Completed the online CWI Foundations and Level 1 content
- Minimum age of 16
- Can climb V0
- In-person CWI Level 1 Bouldering assessment
Level 2 Certification (Auto belay and Top rope)
- Completed online CWI Foundations, Level 1, and Level 2 content
- Minimum age of 18
- 20 recent roped climbing outings, including climbing and belaying with both passive and assisted braking belay devices
- Ability to confidently climb 5.8 (5b) top rope without falling
- In-person CWI Level 2 Auto Belay and Top Rope assessment
Level 3 Certification (Lead)
- Completed online CWI Foundations, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 content
- Minimum age of 18
- Completed at least 40 recent lead climbing outings, including lead climbing and lead belaying with passive and assisted braking devices
- Ability to confidently lead climb 5.9 (5c) without z-clips, back clips, or falling
- In-person CWI Level 3 Lead Climbing assessment
Enrollment and Certification Process Steps
STEP 1: Make sure that you meet all of the prerequisites listed below before enrolling.
STEP 2: Register for the appropriate endorsement (Level 1, 2 or 3 or a combination of either Level 1 and 2 or Level 1, 2 and 3).
STEP 3: Check your registration confirmation email or log into your CWA account.
Material for the course will be made available to you 3 weeks before the in-person assessment.
STEP 4: Once you log in, watch the tutorial video to learn about navigating to your course page. Once you find your course, just continue to click through the content, download the materials, complete the assignments, and the knowledge checks. As you earn awards, you get closer and closer to earning your certification.
STEP 5: Complete all available online modules.
STEP 6: Complete all the available quizzes with a score of at least 80%.
STEP 7: Attend your in-person assessment
After enrolling in this course, you will be given access to
- CWI student manual and additional course tools
- CWI Policy documents and assessment tool
- Online course webpage
The Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI) is currently being offered to private groups throughout Asia and open-enrollment courses in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Contact us at info@thailandclimbing.com to book a private group course or to learn about open enrollment courses in your region.
- equipment and facility inspection
- client orientation and instruction
- teaching top rope skills
- teaching lead skills (optional)
- bouldering and spotting
- emergency procedures
- Harness
- Belay Device (i.e. ATC)
- Assisted breaking device (i.e GriGri)
- Climbing shoes
- Chalk bag
- Printed or electronic copy of the manual
-
Pen and Note Pad
**All equipment may be purchased at a discount from the CMRCA Adventure Store. Shop here: shopprogression.com
If you have some climbing experience and want to be certified to facilitate in an instructional program at an indoor wall, then this is the course for you!
Instruction, insurance, coupon for 20% off anything at the ShopProgression.com (except clearance items), one-day bouldering gym pass, and one time 20% discount on additional courses.
