Climbing a 7A boulder is a big milestone, and one that - for most people - is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work.

No matter how near or far the prospect of climbing 7A feels, there are some sure-fire things that you can do to make sure you're giving yourself the best chance possible of reaching that lofty goal. Given time, commitment, and a fair bit of self-belief, climbing 7A is something that should feel possible for everyone.

Find a project that works for you 

All too often we get sucked in by a project that someone says is really cool, or one that you saw someone make look easy on a video, a boulder that has easy access at a nearby crag, or one that has a bit of clout attached.

If this inspires you, then that's great, it will get you out and get you trying hard, and that's part of the battle, but don't get sucked into trying something that's your anti-style just because you've decided it's going to be your first 7A. If you're trying to push your boundaries, then - at least for the first 7A - it makes sense to stick to your strengths. A boulder that inspires you is a great start, a boulder that inspires you, that is in your style, and that works for your body is even better.

Tombstone 7A+, a boulder that I was inspired by and which suited me perfectly, despite ostensibly being slightly higher in grade

 

Climb with people who are better than you 

By virtue of working at UKC, I get to go climbing with people who have been climbing much longer than I have, who are much better than I am, and who tend to have already done the boulders that I'm interested in.

It might be frustrating at times to be the only person who doesn't flash a boulder - or the only person who can't get off the ground - but by climbing with people who are stronger, more technically adept, and more experienced than you, you will get a shortcut to the best beta, find it easier to trust certain holds and positions, and develop a better understanding of the intricacies of the boulder in question - all without wearing down your skin or exhausting your muscles!

Climbing with people better than you takes so much of the uncertainty out of bouldering at your limit, which is exactly what you need when you're going for a new grade.

Don't focus too much on the grade (focus on time on rock)

It might seem counterintuitive, but focusing too much on the arbitrary grade of 7A could well make your journey to 7A that little bit longer.

Whilst it's a good idea to keep searching for 7A's that interest you, you should also dedicate sessions to climbing boulders in the region of 6A to 6C+. As you get more mileage in at these slightly easier grades, you'll develop a better understanding of the rock and the moves it has to offer, and you'll be able to carry these lessons into your harder projecting sessions.

No matter how good the setting is at your local wall, nothing will help you become a better climber outdoors than time on rock. If you prioritise getting out and getting mileage in, then soon enough you'll start to see boulders in the low 7's which look doable.

Give yourself time, and fail more

Someone once told me that if you can do all the individual moves on a boulder in your first session, then it's not really at your limit. If you're looking to push your grade, then it's entirely normal to turn to the crag, try to pull on, be unable to, try the next move, not be able to do it, etc.

If you're coming from an indoors climbing background, then think about the hardest boulder you've done indoors. The chances are that you spent multiple sessions across a number of weeks working on it, eventually getting it once you knew all the nuances of the holds and the foot placements, the sequence was fully ingrained within your head, and the movement felt like second nature.

Projecting a boulder outside should be no different, except it has the potential complications of poor landings, more arduous access, and no jugs to help you climb into the crux moves to practice them. Readjust your perception of what a successful session is - i.e. feeling more trust in a foot, feeling better in a certain position, finding a better placement for your thumb on a pinch, linking two or three moves together - you'll not only make better progress on your climb, but you'll enjoy the whole process much more.

Breakfast 7A, a boulder that I hoped I would do quickly, but which turned into a multi-session project

This is something you should practice indoors as well. Climbing indoors, it's all too easy to move on from a boulder that feels a bit beyond your limit - not least because you're surrounded by alternatives! Whilst it's important to have sessions where you're just having fun, it's equally important to have sessions where you commit the majority of your session to just trying a hard boulder that you're pretty sure you can't do in a single session.

As with everything, climbing at your limit, getting comfortable with 'failing', and redefining what you see as 'success', are all skills that you can learn.

Work your weaknesses

It's something that is said often, but that's probably because it's true. Deep down, most of us have a relatively decent understanding of exactly where our weaknesses lie. If you don't, there are some easy ways to work it out - ask a friend who you climb with frequently (ideally one who you trust to be both kind and brutally honest!), think closely about which areas of your local wall you try to avoid and what that tells you about your climbing, or even look into getting some testing done with a coach or through a coaching platform.

7A finger strength with 6A footwork will make the holds on a 7A feel harder than 7A, just as 6A finger strength with 7A footwork will leave you unable to hold yourself on the wall for long enough to be able to move your feet!

There's a whole lot of body and brain in between the feet and the fingers too, make sure you address any areas which could be weak links in the chain!

Make sure you have the right shoes

There are two sides to this:

a) Make sure you have shoes that work for you - make sure they fit you well, that there's no dead-space near the toes or in the heel. Make sure you feel like you have a good understanding of where your big toe is, how best to place the shoe on a foothold and how to apply pressure through it. Make sure that you trust the rubber, make sure the shoe doesn't pinch and distract you in certain positions, and make sure that it gives you support where you need it.

b) Make sure that those shoes work for your project too - if your first 7A is a smeary gritstone slab, don't turn up with a pair of stiff downturned shoes which make smearing almost impossible. Equally, if you're taking on a steep overhanging boulder, having a pair of stiffer and more downturned shoes may well help you to keep your feet and lower body pulled into the rock.

Stiff or soft rubber, flat or downturned, there's no right or wrong combination in isolation, but for each specific boulder there will be a combo that helps give you that little bit of extra support where you need it. Shoe manufacturers are pretty good at telling you what their shoes are intended for, but going to the wall and trying out shoes on boulders that are similar to your project will be the best way to find out what works best for you.

Go to Fontainebleau

Not necessarily to climb your first 7A, but to brush up on the technique needed to climb your first 7A! Fontainebleau is notoriously strict - poor footwork, positioning, and commitment are punished readily, whilst precision, trust, and attention to detail are rewarded.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Fontainebleau is a place where the importance of grades completely falls away. You'll find 4's and 5's that become long-term projects - there's a 4B at Roche aux Sabots that took me three trips to work out! - along with 6's that somehow feel relatively steady.

If you do go, then make sure you respect the rock, and never climb if it's wet, but if you're lucky enough to have some dry days, and you can bring the lessons that Fontainebleau teaches to your 7A project, you're bound to see it in a whole new light.

and finally... REST

When you've worked out the beta, linked the moves, and you're ready to go for your first 7A boulder - don't forget to rest!

Take your shoes off, put your jacket on, brush the boulder, and start a 10-15 minute timer. Run through the beta in your head so you know exactly what you're doing, and when the timer goes off, give it everything you have!