Editing Chris Sharma (section)

==Legacy==
Sharma is widely considered one of the greatest and most important rock climbers in the history of the sport.<ref name=CL10/><ref name=CL5/><ref name=CL20/><ref name=RI5/><ref name=UKC1/> Sharma took on the title of "world's strongest sport climber" in 2001 from [[Wolfgang Gullich]] (who dominated in the decade from the early 1980s to the early 1990s), and passed it on to Adam Ondra (who dominated after 2012).<ref name=NG/> In 2003, the ''[[LA Times]]'' called him the "greatest natural rock climber in the world".<ref name=LAT/>    In 2007, [[Melissa Block]] on NPR's ''[[All Things Considered]]'', introduced him saying "Chris Sharma is hailed as the world's best rock climber, a pioneer who has mastered some of the most spectacular and difficult routes in the history of the sport".<ref name=NPR>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2007/11/01/15825820/rock-climber-chris-sharma-chases-next-king-line|title=Rock Climber Chris Sharma Chases Next 'King Line'|website=[[NPR]]|language=en|access-date=15 June 2022 | author-link=Melissa Block | first=Melissa | last=Block}}</ref>   In 2016, ''[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]]'' said "Sharma shaped modern rock climbing. Whatever he thought was cool, we followed. Bouldering. Projecting hard sport routes. Deep water soloing.<ref name=CL5/>  In 2022, ''[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]'' said: "The pioneering American sport climber is among the best to ever tie in, and was arguably the world's strongest rock climber for almost 20 years".<ref name=CL10/>

Sharma is noted for a "humble softly-spoken meditative disposition" (who often leaves it to others to grade his routes)<ref name=GJK/><ref>{{cite web | website=Adventure Sports Journal | url=https://adventuresportsjournal.com/king-of-the-line/ | first=Matt | last=Niswonger | title=King of the Line | date=22 October 2009 | accessdate=18 June 2022 | quote=Refusing to grade his projects, Sharma became a force for de-emphasizing numerical grades in order to focus on the intrinsic and personal challenges that climbing presents. Although this more closely allied with his Zen beliefs, it made things difficult for the climbing magazines looking to quantify his projects for an international audience.}}</ref><ref name=ESPN/> coupled with a "highly aggressive and dynamic" climbing style.<ref name=CL30>{{cite book | publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield|Falcon Guides Publishing]] | date=November 2018 | accessdate=18 June 2022 | first=Jeff | last=Achey | page=202 | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/half-life/ | title=Vantage Point: 50 Years of the Best Climbing Stories Ever Told | isbn=978-1493034772 | chapter=Half Life: Chris Sharma Interview (February 2011, Issue 292)}}</ref><ref name=CH/><ref name=CL20>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/people/sharma-king-of-kings/ | title=Chris Sharma: King Of Kings | first=Fritz | last=Cahall | date=15 June 2012 | accessdate=15 June 2022 | quote=Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, or Kelley Slater. They're all people who changed their sports, who redefined what was possible. You’ve been that same kind of incredible force inside your sport.}}</ref> In 2016, ''Climbing'' said: "Over the past three decades, Sharma has cultivated a mellow Southern California persona, but in reality, he's one of the most competitive, focused, and driven athletes out there".<ref name=CL5/> His demeanor has been ascribed to his [[Zen|Buddhist]] raising;<ref name=ESPN/> the ''LA Times'' called him "the Karma Climber".<ref name=LAT/>  He has credited Zen meditation techniques with helping him on routes,<ref name=CH/><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]] | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/getting-inside-heads-chris-sharma-steph-davis-and-dean-potter/ | title=Getting Inside the Heads of Chris Sharma, Steph Davis, and Dean Potter | date=20 April 2012 | accessdate=16 June 2022 | first=Joe | last=Spring}}</ref> or when seeking direction and motivation.<ref name=CL5/><ref name=CL50>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/people/why-chris-sharma-never-gets-mad-well-maybe-a-little-sometimes/ | title=Why Chris Sharma Never Gets Mad (Well, maybe a little sometimes) | date=21 July 2021 | accessdate=19 June 2022 }}</ref>  Sharma was also known for eschewing any gym-based training (including [[Campus board|fingerboards]] or [[cross-training]]) or dieting,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/training-secrets-worlds-best-rock-climber/ | first=Ian | last=Landu | date=29 July 2013 | title=Training Secrets from the World's Best Rock Climber | accessdate=15 June 2022 | newspaper=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]]}}</ref> preferring to climb as his sole method of training.<ref name=CH/><ref name=CL5/><ref>{{cite web | magazine=Outside | first=Gregory | last=Thomas | date=10 October 2016 | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/pro-climber-chris-sharmas-first-ever-training-plan/ | title=Pro Climber Chris Sharma's First-Ever Training Plan | accessdate=16 June 2022}}</ref>

Sharma is credited with developing the commercial potential of extreme sport climbing, with ''Climbing'' saying "Not only did Sharma have the guns to become the first human to climb 5.15, he had the genius to see the potential, coupled with the commitment to spend months and years of his life proving it",<ref name=CL5/> and calling Sharma "arguably the highest-paid pro climber in the world".<ref name=CL5/> ''Outside'' added, "Before Sharma figured out how to balance elite performance with making a living, "professional climber" was an oxymoron.<ref name=OUT>{{cite web | magazine=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]] | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/climbing-gear/chris-sharma-climbs-corporate-ladder/ | title=Chris Sharma Sends the Corporate Ladder | first=Seth | last=Heller | date=22 January 2018 | accessdate=15 June 2022}}</ref>  Sharma's commercial appeal, and becoming one of the most filmed climbers,<ref name=CL20/> was attributed to his focus on "King Lines",{{efn|name=KL|The term "King Lines" was originally coined by climber Klem Loskot, but after the 2007 climbing film ''King Lines'', it became associated with Sharma's drive to find and climb iconic routes.<ref name=CL5/>}} which Sharma described as: "It's not enough to do something hard; it needs to be in an amazing position, a route that asks you to pour your heart and soul into climbing it".<ref name=CL5/><ref name=CL20/>