Ticking 7a can be a significant achievement for a keen sport or indoor climber. Compared to routes in the 6th grade, 7a typically requires greater finger strength, endurance, route-reading and technique. This combination of skills and physical attributes can take time to develop, but it's not outwith your reach with consistency and focus.

Here are some tips for breaking into the 7s...

Learn to redpoint

Technique and tactics are arguably more important than training when it comes to climbing 7a. It's possible that up until the hallowed 7th grade, you've not necessarily spent much time working on a project. Routes of 7a and above generally have more complex sequences with multiple options for overcoming cruxes. Redpointing - working the moves on a sport route before climbing it - takes patience (from you and your belayer). If preferable, work it on a top-rope first to get a feel for the route. If you're working it on lead, a clipstick can be useful to assist working the route and enable you to focus on the moves rather than worrying about clips and falls early on.

Focus on the hardest moves and try multiple methods before settling on the best option for you. If you get stuck, seek suggestions from friends and fellow crag-goers or ask-the-audience: search for videos of people climbing the route online. Take photos and/or draw a route map to help you memorise the moves, rests and clipping points.

Next, break the route into sections and try to make links between them before focusing on the bigger picture of the route in its entirety. Set mini-goals to keep you motivated: 'link from ground to first crux, then overlap from below first crux up to next crux.' Working a route builds specific recruitment of strength and muscle memory for that route - if you can do all of the moves, you can't really train in a more relevant or targeted way.

Once you're making strong overlapping links in two or three sections, it's time to go for redpoint attempts. First, warm up properly! After each go, note where things went wrong and what you could address for next time. Did you make a technical error such as a route-reading mistake or hesitation, or were you too pumped or failing on a bouldery move? Separating the technical and tactical from the physical can help you to understand the areas that you can work on for the next attempt or session. Remember to rest fully between attempts!

Address fear of falling through fall practice

Fear of falling is natural and very common, even among the most experienced climbers. Up until 7a, you may not have fallen off very much - perhaps you've shouted 'Take!' and slumped onto the rope more often than you've taken a whipper.

There is a lot to be said for 'learning' a particular fall on a redpoint project – what at first seems daunting can become manageable or even fun! By desensitising yourself to the fall, it becomes less of an issue. Falls are also very specific to the terrain and route that you choose.

Do some fall practice indoors and out. Read our UKC article by Hazel Findlay on managing the fear of falling.

Climb a lot: build mileage up to 6c+

Building your pyramid of routes with a big base at around 6b, 6b+, 6c and 6c+ will aid your transition to the 7s. If you're struggling on the mid 6s, jumping straight onto a 7a is unlikely to yield results. Gaining mileage builds endurance, finger strength and a movement repertoire that will serve you well on your first 7a.

If you have limited access to local crags, climbing at your local wall is fine (and arguably better for building consistency in your training and getting more moves in the bag).

Train according to the style of the route

If your chosen project is short and bouldery, focus on building more strength and power through bouldering rather than forearm endurance. If the route is more sustained, improving your endurance by doing plenty of easier mileage and laps or circuits is key.

Compared to routes in the 6s, those at 7a and above generally require more finger strength and power. If you don't already do much bouldering, doing one session a week of bouldering at or near your limit will transition well onto a lead route.

Of course, you can always pick a route that suits your favourite style and strengths to make things a bit easier...

Improve your endurance

Having a good base of forearm endurance will put you in good stead for being able to hang around that little bit longer on a more demanding route (and retreat from a mistake). Building endurance requires time: you can either do laps of routes or laps on a circuit board or bouldering wall if you're short on partners and time.

There are also different types of endurance and the one(s) you focus on will depend on the style of route you choose, whether short and powerful or long and sustained.

Check out these UKC videos focusing on improving your endurance.

Learn to pace yourself and use rests

Pacing yourself by moving quickly and efficiently in crux sections and resting in easier parts helps to conserve energy. The ability to find and use rests and recover on holds en route is a big advantage. You can get something back in your arms and even recover from mistakes. Use techniques such as keeping your arms as straight as possible, footplants, heel hooks, kneebars — and the elusive no-hands rest. Whilst resting, you can remind yourself of the next moves and control your breathing, bringing down your heart rate. Relax!

Check out our UKC article on climbing efficiently and finding rests.

Learn to try hard!

An unfortunate truth is that most of us could probably get a few moves - or more - further if we just kept trying and adhered to the old cliché of 'not letting go'. How much do you want it? Or more crucially: how much do you not want to let go and have to get back up to this point ever again on a redpoint? 'Power screaming' - releasing some sort of noise vocally, or even just a big breath - can also help you to channel aggression into your movement and unleash a newfound tenacity à la Adam Ondra. You'll be amazed at how much more you can do while pumped if you stubbornly push through it.

Remember: it's all subjective nonsense at the end of the day. The coveted 7a-ceiling equivalent is 5.12a (7a+) in the US. Other arbitrary benchmarks exist in other grading systems. It's just a letter and a number - don't let it get to your head. Their difficulty varies from route to route and crag to crag. You've probably climbed 6cs or 6c+s that are harder than some 7as. Just get on the route and don't let go!