Climbing Tips for All Levels: V0 to V17 Training Advice

What's your No.1 piece of advice for improving as a climber? We thought it would be a cool experiment to ask a climber of every grade to see what, if, and how, this advice changes. From V0 all the way to the cutting edge of V17, these climbers give us a big range of tips and advice to help you get better at climbing.

Climbers in order of appearance;
V0 - Raf
V1 - James
V2 - Oli
V4 - Erin
V5 - @hiya_elle
V6 - @harleywiddowson
V7 - @ezclimbs
V8 - @tcpc5525
V9 - @hannah._smith_
V10 - @annahazelnutt
V11 - @erinmcbeast
V12 - @oligrounsell
V13 - @wood_francesco
V14 - @leo_skinner
V15 - @emil_abrahamsson_
V15/16 - @swizzybouldering
V16 - @drewruana
V17 - @will_bosi

00:11 Use Chalk
00:17 Take your time
00:22 Jump!
00:32 Learn how to land
0:40 Try the harder grades
0:52 Teach others
1:10 Explore all the tools
1:30 Heel position
1:58 Try all styles of climbing
2:10 Partner up
2:40 Comfort Zone
2:55 Social Sessions
3:18 Search out the right climbs
3:36 Mindset
3:48 - Isolate weak links
4:10 Try Hard
4:50 Less is more
5:18 Antistyle
5:36 Project partner

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[MythAvatar]

Advice per grade simplified:

V0 - Use Chalk
V1 - Warm up and rest adequately
V2 - Improve your mental game in relation to falling (Just Jump)
V3 - Learn how to land safely (Same mental aspect from V2)
V4 - Try harder grades than you're used to
V5 - Be more analytical with your climbing (Teach others)
V6 - Don't underestimate the myriad of factors (Skin/Conditions/rest etc.)
V7 - Be more aware of your own body (Extension of V5)
V8 - Work your weaknesses
V9 - Climb with a motivated training partner
V10 - Try new things & do stuff you're bad at (Extension of V8)
V11 - Climb with someone who climbs in a different style (Extension of V9)
V12 - Find something that plays to your strengths when breaking into a new grade (Lake district soft?!!)
V13 - Have a strong mental game in relation to positivity when training
V14 - Train specifically to your projects/areas that feel particularly hard (low hanging fruit)
V15 - Actually discover what 100% is like & access is in training regularly. (People thinking 50-80% is their 100%)
V16 - Prioritise the quality of sessions & Rest (Don't overtrain through volume)
V16 - Work your weaknesses (Extension of V8 & V10)
V17 - Climb with people for psych, beta ideas & power spotting

Personally I think that something not mentioned specifically is consistency in training. These points are all highly valuable but if you're inconsistent with your training then you won't progress. This can be limited by injuries, which is when points referencing rest and not overtraining come in.

As well, having a partner for psych keeps you going to the gym regularly; but ultimately if you rely on someone else for psych you'll eventually quit because it's about you and your own ability to keep going week in week out and not someone else's.

Having a strong positive mental game is hugely important, but again it's not something you can learn in reference to whether or not you really want it. You aren't going to reach your full potential without giving a huge amount of time and effort to the sport. This being said, not everyone wants to climb at their "genetic limit".

I also feel the title "Climbing tips for all levels V0-17" is misleading as it implies these people are giving you advice for the specific level as if that's the key to progressing when there. However, it definitely seems like this is just general advice, all of which is common knowledge, if not at least, often forgotten.

[malinjohansson]

This was such a cool concept for a video. Really neat to get to watch how the knowledge increases in climbers moving up in grades and what you find important through the different stages of that journey

[MWiit]

I know its played out advice but for v0-v2 it's all about:

1. Actually using your feet. Using the edge of toes, weighing them proper and generating power from them.
2. Hanging on ur skeleton. No reason to bunch up and use power if not demanded. Connects to 1. Push through feet not pull through arms.
3. Simple body position/flaging. If a hold points right, lean left. If reaching right hand, flag left. Etc

[motherlove]

The best general advice I’ve heard that I would like to share were:
1. From Aiden Robert (V17): Detach yourself from the result
2. From Emil (V15): The goals you set are arbitrary, so you can arbitrarily add or remove the value you place on them

[ScratchRick]

This is great advice, I need to go from V3 to V7

[tronco]

This is so wholesome! Despite the struggles associated with each level everyone has good tips❤❤❤

[MP-bxuj]

Would love a video on how to try super hard without injuring yourself. I’d try way harder if I knew I wasn’t going to pull a muscle/tendon in the process. -V8 climber

[Mylada]

My best advice is consistency. If you want stronger fingers, commit to some program for a year. Better at pull ups? Do pull ups in every session for a year. Better at climbing? Climb 3 days a week for ywars.

[George_Climbs]

Fascinating... I'm at the lower end of V2-3 and I'm still afraid to fall... the advice for V2 and V3 were all about getting comfortable with falling and landing... thanks! That's what to work on next!

[TristanCleveland]

It was nice seeing Bosi on top of this pyramid. He's such a nice, humble guy, sometimes you can forget all the amazing climbers who wish they could be as strong as him!

[notapplicable]

My top tip as a V4-5 climber is to avoid overanalyzing performance. I reduced my climbing days to attempt to increase consistency but actually significantly hurt consistency and strength gains.

[alexbarcovsky]

Power spotting is a game changer, I dont understand why some people always decline them. I always like a good powerspot.

[davyvanderschoot]

Getting a finger injury prevention protocol is what I'd tell anyone who wants to push their limits. Robust fingers are good for confidence and will unlock moves on a larger variety of holds. Moreover, an injured climber is an unhappy climber and won't be improving anytime soon!

[addmesser]

Imma save this for later, going back to the video as I progress. Right now I’m a solid V6 climber on the cusp of V7. As such, I’ll be focusing next on my heel work and other factors concerning body positioning in the coming sessions. Imma keep y’all posted when I move up and when I can hear what Teresa has to say;)

[pottingsoil]

I got to V6 in a few months, but I never took any rest days, and it's really catching up. My elbows hurt so bad when I put ANY amount of pressure / strain on them, so I had to schedule an appointment with a PT in three weeks. Take time off and don't go every day!

[chazott]

guess that's why the v16/17 climbers like to rally together - so hard to find other climbers at that level unless you get on the same schedule!

[palomacarrion]

And this is why I signed up for my flexibility training plan!! 🙌
Great tips, thank you!!

[TheXeeman]

0:55 share advice? i heard from captain cut loose to not beta spray people.. i guess only share when it's asked

[homemsapo]

More abstract advices from lower and higher grades. More technical from intermediate grades. Seems like becoming a Zen master practicing "action without intent" ("wu-wei") is part of the evolution process

[emiliansaccount]

Learn how to project. Dont expect a new pb after 2 sessions, spend like 10 sessions working and optimising the moves and than see how the climb feels :) that worked for me.