Flowchart: Why Aren't You Climbing 5.14?
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5.14 represents the pinnacle of our sport. Sure, there’s 5.15 and someday there will probably be 5.16, but 5.14 separates the good from the great. It’s the grade that puts you in the top 1% of climbers. You can’t just be-tall your way past cruxes at this level. You need to have flawless technique, and you need to be really, really f***ing strong, physically and mentally. Few ever achieve it. In fact, according to our reader survey (Climbing No. 331), the majority of climbers believe 5.12 will be the hardest they’ll climb in their lifetime. But loftier grades are certainly possible with enough time and dedication. So why aren’t you climbing 5.14?Note to boulderers: Replace all instances of “5.” with the letter V.
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