How to Reach 8a in Sport Climbing!

Josh and Rhos are talking about a stand out grade/benchmark in climbing performance, the grade of 8a or 5.13b. At least here in the UK, it seems to stand out as quite an ambitious and obvious grade breaking into the echelons of the 8th grade. It is often a lifetime goal. Rhos is a world class sport climber so who better to chat to about climbing a grade with such gravitas. Here we talk about the most important tactics and the approach any climber should consider if they want to climb the grade of 8a.

We talk about how you should go about goal setting and making sure you get specific, not just in the route(s) you have your eye on but how you train for them. We also talk about what you can expect from climbing at the level of 8a and how you can break down the process into smaller parts and even the route down into more manageable chunks.

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[JimmyBlackhall]

Woah did you read my mind? Focused on my first proper 8A project right now - let’s go

[IndianEli]

It would be interesting to see what the benchmarks in strength & flexibility are for climbing per grade by gender.

While it’s obvious that these are only a small section of what’s required to climb well. It would be informative for training & defining strengths & weaknesses.

Are your fingers strong enough, are you explosive enough, etc.

[frankheiser]

Nice compact video! Josh mentioned it quite casually te impact of where we are based and the amount of outdoor climbing days. For me this haas been a profound realisation. Living in the Netherlands is defiantly holding my climbing back 😅 so time to move!

Create input from Rhos about conditions and picking the right route! And holy smoked 100th 8a! Thats super impressive! Planning to tik my first one this fall.

[AlexTighe]

I like how you address strategies and tactics versus 'training' in this video!! I 100% believe that sport climbing and bouldering at least one 8A is an acheivable lifetime goal for the majority of climbers if they are consistent and have the right mindset. However, being able to send 8A quicky (i.e. several goes, single day, one or two sessions) is a different story!

[RobertoVolatore]

As my passion for climbing grow. I found myself researching more and more and more and you guys do an amazing job at providing content for all levels of climbing!

I often hear the importance of the conditions and intuitively I can understand why. But, this might be a good opportunity to, again, have you guys explaining this in more detailed over a dedicated video? and if you have done it already please send it my way!

Cheers! And thank you guys for everything you do.

[alexbarcovsky]

Its funny though, how most people seek the easiest 8a, move wise. I feel like Im in a minority of people looking for an 8a which has a 7A or 7A+ (V6 or V7) crux or maybe two, and the rest is fairly easy. To me, getting pumped out on a 30 meter consistent V3 climbing sounds like a nightmare.

[climberboi]

It’s interesting how we base our expectations of how hard a grade is based off of the scale we use to rate our climbs.

[seanmaguire]

My top tip for climbing 8a: Be a skinny beanpole, it's a huge help :)

[Harris.L]

You would not cook an omelet without eggs, basically 😜

[GMDXyilopan]

I did my first 8a's a week ago after 4, 5 years of climbing (i'm 15 now). How hard will it be to reach the 9a level as a non-professional climber?

[Foxtrottangoabc]

You wouldn't eat 3 shredded wheat without eating the first two first would you

[whelmking]

To say that an 8a (13b) is comprised of many v3/v4 moves is hugely specific to the area of climbing. Many of the 8a climbs in my area are short and powerful, with cruxes that are v7 or v8, and then maybe the rest of the route is v4 or under. Seems like Rhos is talking only about power endurance routes in the comment at 2:05. Great video though and very appreciated.

[spencerharrison]

I would love to see a version of this for bouldering. 7C or 8A?

[Vchump]

Can anyone help me understand why after I climb, the next morning my hands are weak for the first 10 minutes I wake up… I assume this is just my body recovering and I am a relatively new climber. Started climbing a few times a week back in April so I’m curious, is this going to eventually stop happening when my fingers get acclimated to hard climbs? (V6/7 range now) or is there anything I can do so my hands don’t feel so weak? I feel like it’s effecting my climbs

[imadsultan]

A little off topic, but how do you like the fit of the Newtros? My heel doesn't always get to the bottom of downturned shoes, but I really like the slight downturn on those shoes. It's the one thing I wish my Anasazi Pinks had. Thanks.

[alexbarcovsky]

You absolutely have to train for 8a. I am nearing that grade as well at the moment and whereas I am HORRIBLE at consistent structured training plans and sticking to stuff, all of my gym sessions consist of hard projecting either on rope, on the mats or on a moonboard. I dont have any logic to these but Id say only 1 in 15 sessions is a "chill one" for me. So yea, you need to train for 8a, you call it that or you just call it climbing.

[JollesLab]

729x f7as is a bit too shallow pyramid in my opinion 😅

[justindoss]

Where are these v3/4 8a’s. In USA, our 8a’s have multiple v6/7 boulder problems on top of 7a+ sport moves

[TheChismFamily]

Been climbing 5 years, stuck at 6c Sport/V4 boulder. Started at age 46, so clearly I am limited in the volume I can train specifically for climbing. Id really love to get to 7a+ as a lifetime goal. The problem is, most training programs are for younger people ( like my daughter ) that progressed much quicker to a higher level and want to get to double digit boulders and 8a sport climbing level.

[Amatsuichi]

to me 8a seems so far away from achievable... I am climbing 7a/7a+ with an occasional 7b but cant achieve anything better... as soon as I try to push for more, it tends to get so bad with finger joint pain, or other issues with shoulders, knees, I simply have to stop until it gets better and therefore constantly balancing at the same level already for years