Superheroes in training

Watching our junior climbers often puts me in mind of Spiderman. As they scale the walls with an apparently effortless springiness and flexibility it’s easy to believe that they really can defy gravity.

But superheroes aren’t just about the superpowers. After a bit of a scout around online, there are a bunch of personal qualities that combine to make superheroes the people they are – caring, strong, brave and generally exciting to be around. And who doesn’t fancy a bit of that?

So here’s our breakdown of how the National Indoor Bouldering Award Scheme makes superheroes:

They're courageous:

Superheroes aren’t fearless. They just know how to overcome their fears and do it anyway. Sound familiar? NIBAS helps kids push themselves and see their progression so they gain confidence. Plus, it teaches them to support each other. It’s amazing what you can achieve when there’s a group of people encouraging you.

They have a sense of responsibility

Superheroes don’t just rush in. They have a plan. They scare off the bad guys, while minimising the damage. They’re awesome. But they take responsibility. NIBAS teaches kids to be responsible for their safety and the safety of others from the very first session. And as their skills improve, the programme encourages them to take responsibility for their own progression and motivation, but always with the caveat that they should be having fun.

They're resilient

No superhero movie is complete without the moment of failure followed by ultimate triumph. Well, that’s climbing. Knowing when to rest, be patient, try again, try something different – those are essential skills in life and bouldering.

They're knowledgeable

Superheroes know their stuff. You can’t outwit your enemies without first understanding them and then hatching a clever and cunning plan. And a back up. NIBAS teaches kids to become climbing experts so that they can approach their training intelligently, get the most out of their time on the wall, appreciate the culture of the sport and share their passion with others.

And they have that all important extraordinary ability

Let’s face it – who doesn’t want to scale tall buildings in a single bound? We can’t quite promise single leaps from bottom to top (although Dynoclub would disagree) but training with NIBAS will certainly provide skills which look pretty impressive. And off the wall? Greater strength, flexibility, balance, confidence, faster reaction times, improved endurance, the ability to open tight-lidded jars with a flick of the wrist; your little ones will be vanquishing the enemy in no time and grown adults will most certainly proclaim that they can hardly believe what they're seeing.

If you’re interested in finding out more about how we can help your kids be NIBAS superheroes, we’d love to help. You can catch any of our hero coaches at kids’ clubs, or drop us a line with your questions.