8.8 V6 (Font 7A)

What problems look like

Expect walls of 40–50°, roofs, or very technical vertical faces. Holds are small crimps, poor rounded holds and wide pinches. Some problems make you squeeze between two holds or volumes. Expect one or two big dynamic moves, or long runs of medium-hard moves.

Techniques that start to matter

This book’s catalogue has nothing new for this band, so the work is on the techniques you already know. Hooks become main holds, not just aids. Compression uses both arms and both feet. Cutting loose becomes routine: you stop the swing and put your feet back on without losing your hands. Comp-style problems keep using the competition set pieces from V5.

None listed.

Focus

• Work on your weak styles, usually overhangs and small holds. Climb in other gyms to find them [259].
• Pick projects (problems you work over several sessions) and stay with them.
• Be precise about where each finger and toe goes [266].

Reading problems at this grade

• Find the places where the feet are low and far from the hands. Those need the most tension.
• Find the hooking features and the target hold of each dynamic move.
• Read the texture of each rounded hold and which way it grips best.

Physical side

Finger strength becomes a more common limiter (judgement). Forum climbers recommend finger training to break into V6 [259].

Why people stall here

• Climbing V6 like V5. Solutions that worked at V5 are too loose here.
• Holds too small to use. Your fingers can’t yet hold the small crimps.
• A comfortable home gym. It hides your weakest style. Fix: the focus points above.