Climbing grades. Love them, hate them, argue about them in the parking lot—they're a root part of climbing culture. There are a ton of grading systems across the world of climbing, but the goal is to come to a shared understanding of what you can expect when venturing into the vertical unknown. Here at Movement, we like to use the Yosemite Decimal System (more on this later).
As of March 3, Movement Gyms are making a switch: we’re retiring +/- grading and bringing back the A-D system for roped climbs. Why? Because after experimenting with multiple grading styles across our gyms, we’ve found that A-D offers the most optimal in-gym experience when paired with consensus grading.
Why We’re Bringing Back A-D
The dynamic duo of letter grades paired with consensus grading are a match made in heaven. Here’s why:
Grading is subjective—so let’s embrace that.
Every climber experiences a route differently. Our setters put a ton of thought into every grade, but ultimately, the climbing community shapes them through feedback and consensus. By using the YDS A-D system alongside consensus tags, we’re working to keep grades fair, consistent, and true to local norms.
More granularity = better tracking.
Whether you’re chasing your first 5.10a or dialing in your endurance on 5.12c, having finer grade distinctions helps you curate your session and track your progress with more accuracy.
It’s authentic to the sport.
YDS A-D is the most widely used grading system for sport climbing in the United States. Grades will always vary based on the area, the first ascensionist, and ethics, but aligning with the standard makes for a more relatable and authentic experience.
But where did this grading system come from, and what does it all mean anyway?
A Brief (and Mildly Entertaining) History of the YDS
Once upon a time, before gym climbing was a thing and before climbers had the luxury of debating grades online, the Sierra Club needed a way to describe hikes and scrambles in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. So they came up with a simple class system:
- Class 1: Walking on flat ground. (Congrats, you’re walking.)
- Class 2: Welcome to hiking, maybe it's a little steep
- Class 3: Scrambling with a risk of a tumble.
- Class 4: Full-on scrambling with potential for a "bad time" if you slip.
- Class 5: Rock climbing—where a rope is probably a good idea.
For a while, that worked. But then climbers started pushing harder and realized that not all Class 5 routes were created equal. Some were easy, some were downright sketchy, and lumping them all together just didn’t make sense. Enter the Yosemite decimal system.
Instead of just “Class 5,” climbs started getting broken down into 5.0 through 5.9 with the higher decimal point signifying a harder climb.
But climbers never stop pushing their limits—what was once considered impossible soon became achievable. As a result, 5.10 and beyond were introduced. Even then, the need for more precision led to the addition of letter grades (a, b, c, d) to provide more granularity.
And voilà, the modern Yosemite Decimal System was born.
Climbing Grades: Imperfect, But Useful
Let’s be real—grading will never be perfect. One person’s casual 5.10b might feel like another’s personal El Capitan. Grades fluctuate based on location, style, and the ever-mysterious factor of "Why does this feel harder than it should?" (answer: Gym Staff turned up the gravity dial.)
But while grades aren’t an exact science, they do give us a shared language to set goals, track progress, and provide great conversation with your buddies around a campfire (or in the comment section.)