Average grade for a first time climber on Top Rope?

Had a blast today teaching family how to climb. I was able to coach my sister, nephew, and his girlfriend up a 5.8. None of them have ever climbed on any rock before. It was a single pitch of 60ft. What is your experience with getting a newb up a climb? I was impressed. FYI, they are all grown humans and I'm just 155lbs. So it wasn't like I pulled them up. They climbed it.

Totally depends. I've had my kids climb 5.4 that they couldn't get up and the some 5.6 that they had no problem with.

With new climbers I think it is totally mental and how you set up the climb. Of courses there has to be a bit of physical ability. Do or die I think most humans could clear a 5.7.

As stated above, "Totally depends."

I believe in not pushing too hard. As long as they are enjoying it, they will come back. Possibly crushing any expectations you thought of from the last experience.

My daughter's first top rope climb was an easy slab of low 5.1-5.2 range that my boy just walked up - 12 and 15 year olds.

Now that they really trust the gear and abilities they have, they climb better than I do.

Chris Sharma's first climb was a 5.10b

5.5 or 5.6 I would say, but lower if technical slab. Sometimes it is the exposure, not difficulty, that stops newbies cold.

The first route I climbed cleanly was a 5.4 in Joshua Tree.
It was hard. Everywhere is different and grades don't mean very much.
After not long I was sending 5.7's but it took me almost a year to climb any 5.10's.

If your sister, nephew and nephew's girlfriend got up a 5.8 on their first time out with a minimum of drama then they are fairly capable athletes and you are probably fairly good at coaching them. When I've taken first timers out I've usually set an upper limit of 5.6. My own opinion is that anyone who has any aptitude for the game should make it up a "real" 5.6 without too much drama. There are climbs that are rated 5.6 that I would not take a first time climber up (a few climbs in Eldorado Canyon come to mind here), but for the most part 5.6 is about the upper limit of what most first timers should be asked to do.

Yea it was a pretty well bolted cobble climb. I think they all felt safe and that did make a huge difference. I have friends that can climb harder than them but would shake because of their lack of knowledge with gear. Great boulderers though. Thanks for the input. Cured my curiosities.

Don't worry about the grades. Just have fun and keep climbing.

After taking probably 100+ new climbers out, I've seen the bulk definitely climb in the 5.4-5.6 on the first day out. Often, it's the mental side that challenges more. More athletic or those with good finger strength and strength to weight ratios can battle up 5.7 or 5.8. Once you get to 5.9 or 5.10, it's probably <5% who do that on their first day.

Depending on the climb style I would say generally 5.8 would be the hardest most first timers will get up. I would say 5.7 should be doable by most unless they are in bad shape, if they don't make it up at least a 5.7 most likely it is more from fear than not physically able to do it (given the type of climbing plays a huge part in this 5.7 slab isn't the same as a 5.7 dihedral crack with jugs). 5.9 isn't unreasonable but once you hit 5.10 I would say that would be rare for someone without climbing experience.

Also don't forget a 5.4 climb with a single 5.7 move is going to be doable by alot more than a 80ft climb with two small 5.6 sections and everything else a 5.7.

I have seen some first time climbers first time ever in a gym climb something I would consider a V3 outdoor. I was pretty impressed with what they did considering they purely muscled through without any technique. I think they could have been a really strong climber if they learned some of the basics.