Footwork
Back Step-Placing the outside (the little toe side) edge of the foot on a hold
Drop Knee-A powerful foot movement that can tame the steepest overhangs. When 'drop kneeing' your knee is twisted towards the body and down, turning the same side hip into the wall. The other foot is pressing on another foot hold to create body tension between the two foot holds. Drop knees often are used to place as much weight as possible on your legs (opposed to your arms). Drop knee is different from Back Step in that a drop knee requires both feet to press against each other, while in a back step only one foot has to be pressing on a hold, the other can be flagging.
Edging-Stepping on a foot hold with the side of your foot.
Flagging-Pressing the side of a foot against the wall stopping your body from spinning. Commonly used to remove the Barn Door Effect. Flagging is also used to balance by repositioning weight. Also refered to as "Flagging Out."
Foot Camming-Placing your foot into a crack that is too small for the width of your foot by twisting your foot vertically. Then twist the foot horizontally, so that it creates a sold jam by camming against both sides of the rock.
Foot Stacking-Both feet are used to create a larger foot placement than one foot could create. Often used while climbing large cracks.
Heel Hook- A heel hook is typically used to offer a 'third hand' by providing a very high foot placement. This is done by placing the heel of your foot on a hold and creating body tension.
High Step-Placing your foot on a high foot hold (normally above your waist).
Knee Bar- Found on vertical and overhanging terrain. It is created by camming your upper thigh and foot in a Hueco, a large crack, or between two holds, often permits the climber to rest and release hand holds. Can be done with one knee or both knees.
Scissor Kick-The Scissor Kick can tame wide cracks (known as chimneys) where you can place your entire body inside of the crack.
Smear-Placing the entire front of the climbing shoe against the rock. Then drop your heel so that the maximum surface area (of the climbing shoe's rubber) is against the rock. Smearing is commonly used while Slab climbing.
Step-Through-Foot technique involving passing one foot over the other. Excellent alternative to matching feet. Commonly used on slabs
Toe Jam-Your foot is placed in a hole or hueco toe first. Contract your Tibialis Anterior (shin) to cam your toes on the top of the hole and your heel on the bottom creating a solid foot placement. Excellent alternative to a Heel Hook when there is not enough place for your toes to be placed vertically above the heel.
Toe Hook-Placing the rubber on the top of your toes around an arete or the side of a hold. This prohibits your body from spinning.
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Types of Handholds
Bucket-Slang for Jug.
Crimper-Small hold that requires the climber to press directly down upon to avoid slipping off. Often just wide enough for the tips of the fingers.
Finger Lock-A method of stacking and twisting your fingers inside a crack to create a solid hold.
Fist Jam-This hold is created by placing your entire fist inside the crack. Knuckles are aligned parallel to the ground. By squeezing the hand your fist will enlarge creating a solid jam.
Gaston-The opposite of a Side Pull. Type of hold that is held by placing the hand with the thumb down and pinky finger up. Typically a very challenging hold (especially on overhangs).
Hand Jam-The classic hand jam is created by finding a two inch crack. Place your hand, thumb up, into the crack. After the hand is inside the crack bring your thumb down towards your palm. This will widen your placement creating a solid jam. There are a lot of variations to this hold.
Hand Stacking-A Jam or hold created by stacking both hands together.
Incut-An edge or indent on a hold (generally making a hold easier to hold). Slopers are not incut.
Jug-A general name used to describe a good hold; A large hold that is easily held. Typically allows you to wrap all fingers inside or around hold. These holds often provide a good rest point.
Mono-One finger holds.
Pinch-Holds that are only positive when wrapping your entire hand around the object and 'pinching' the rock formation. Generally require a lot of fore arm strength.
Sloper-A hold that is held purely by contact strength. Hold does not have a lip or any incut feature
Side Pull-Hold that is only positive by leaning to one side of the hold and therefore 'side pulling' on the hold
Under Cling-Hold that is positive by holding the hold palm up around waist level.
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Rock Formations
Arete-A sharp edge. In Mountaineering this term is often used to describe a sharp mountain ridge. In Rock Climbing this term is used to describe a sharp vertical edge that is created when two walls intersect (in a V).
Chicken Head- Normally found in Granite. Chicken Heads are pieces of rock that are narrow at the base and wide at the top (that stick out from the main body of rock).
Chimney-A wide crack that requires the climber to place their entire body inside the crack. Using their legs and arms the climber shifts up the crack. Scissor Kicks are commonly using when climbing chimneys.
Dihedral-A 'V shaped' rock formation. Dihedrals includes two intersecting walls which face each other (internal angle smaller than 180 degrees). Stemming is commonly used in dihedrals.
Edge-A thin horizontal ledge.
Flake-Where the rock is formed in thin waffers along the wall. Flakes offer excellent lie backing and side pulls.
Horn-A raised section of rock that sticks out from the main rock face. Often used for Natural Protection
Hueco-A large 'hole' in the rock. Hueco are common in Sandstone and Limestone.
Lip-The point where a roof returns to vertical.
Natural Protection-Holes or Horns on a rock face that can be slung with a Sling.
Overhang-Terrain that is beyond 90 degrees. Some moves you might encounter on a overhang are gaston, knee-bar, drop knee and dyno.
Off Width-Off width is a measure of size, usually of a crack. If the crack is to wide for a hand stack or fist jam but to narrow to chimney climb, then it is an off-width crack. Off-width cracks tend to be very difficult.
Slab- There are very few features, typically small crystals are the largest holds. Found in granite, and sandstone
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Types of Movement
Arm-Bar-This is a type of stemming, that is usually employed in a chimney or off width crack. While you are inside a crack, you put your palm with your fingers pointed down on one side of the crack, and by pressing your elbow against the other side, you support your weight
Barn Door Effect-The 'Barn Door' effect occurs on all overhanging terrain (walls beyond 90 degrees). When incorrect technique is used on overhanging terrain the 'Barn Door' effect will cause half of your body to twist away (like a door in a barn) from the wall likely resulting in a fall (lots of details later). If you are strong enough to 'pull through' the barn door effect you will loose a lot of strength, likely dooming your chance of a clean ascent (especially on long routes).
Bridging-Slang for Stemming.
Bump-Using an intermediate handhold temporarily to gain the momentum or reach required to grab a higher hand hold (with the same hand).
Campus-Climb a series of holds, only using your hands (feet are always hanging and never placed on the wall). Term comes from Campus Board.
Chicken Wing-Use on cracks approx. 1 foot wide. Bend arm at elbow. Place arm into crack, elbow first. Then apply pressure against your hand and shoulder (against opposing walls of the crack).
Cross-Over- reaching one arm over the other to reach a hold
Deadpoint-Making a dynamic move where you throw one of your hands to a higher hand hold. A precise amount of force is used so that your momentum 'stops' when you reach the next hold making the next hold easy to 'catch'. Both feet and your other hand remain at their original holds.
Downclimb-Climbing toward the ground (as opposed to jumping). Climbing from the top of a Route or Problem to the bottom without weighting a Rope.
Dyno-A complete Dyno is a move that requires you to jump and completely release all feet holds and hand holds so you can 'fly' to the next hold. Dynos are rarely required in (outside) rock climbing but are fun to practice.
Elvis Leg-When your leg is uncontrollably shaking. This often occurs when your leg is pumped
Hand Foot Match-When the same hold is used for both a hand and a foot (at the same time).
Inverting-Finding yourself upside down after falling.
Jumaring-Jummaring is a single rope technique where one ascends a rope using mechanical ascenders. Jumaring got it's name because Jumar (a company that makes vertical rope gear) made one of the first ascenders which quickly became popular with cavers and have changed very little to date.
Leg-Bar-A leg-bar is a kind of stemming move that puts opposing forces on two oposite faces of rock and wedges you in either a rather large off width crack or dihedral. It is acomplished by placing your back against one side of the rock, and pushing your foot on the oposing face. This is also a good resting move, because if its done properly, it takes little to no strength to keep you in place.
Lie Back-A lie back is when you have a series of positive hands allowing you to keep your arms straight and walk your hands and feet up progressively. This move is often necessary on cracks and flakes.
Lock-Off-Holding a stationary body position while moving one part of the body (normally changing hand holds).
Mantel-A mantel is done by pushing straight down on the palm of your hand.
Match-'Match your hands' - place both hands on the same hold. 'Match your feet' - place both feet on the same hold.
Pendulum-Swinging on the rope. Generally because the climber fell and the last piece of protection (or the anchor if on Top Rope) is on the side of the climber.
Rock On-To shift your body weight from one foot to another when the later foot hold is higher than the initial foot hold. This often requires balance and precession especially on slabs.
Stemming-The act of using your body (usually your legs or arms) to create oposing forces against two opposite walls is called stemming. Stemming is most frequently used on the inside of a dihedral or a chimney. For example, on a huge chimney or dihedral, you might spread your legs and create oposing forces to help support your weight. In a tighter situation, you might use an arm-bar or leg-bar to create the same effect.
Twist Lock- Reaching for a hand hold by keeping the opposite arm more or less straight, then twisting (turning) the whole body into it so the straight arm is pulling across the chest. Often used in combination with a drop knee or a back step on vertical to overhanging climbs.
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General Terminology
Abseil-Synonym for Rappel. Commonly used in Europe.
Approach-The trip / hike to the base of the route.
Bail-Retreating from a climb prior to completing the climb. Generally parties bail due to bad Weather.
Beta-Information regarding any atribute of a climb, including location. It usually pertains to route info, body positions necessary to get past a certain move or crux, or how to grab a hold. Beta can be obtained by watching a climber climb a route or obtaining instructions in verbal or written form from another climber regarding how to complete a climb. From the word "betamax", which is a now obsolete video format that was popular in the 70s and 80s. Climbers in those days watched "betamovies" to gain knowledge of a route, thus the word "beta" was born.
Belay-Most forms of 'Free Climbing' use a 'belayer'. A 'belayer' refers to the person who is 'belaying' the climber. 'Belaying' is the process of controlling the amount of rope available (slang: 'paid out') to the climber therefore restricting how far the climber could fall.
Big Wall-Big Wall climbing generally refers to Multipitch climbing that takes a full day or multiple days.
Bight (Of Rope)-A bight of rope is just a fold or loop of rope.
Chop-When a climber chops a Bolt, they damage or permanently remove a bolt, normally without the consent of the party that placed the Bolt.
Contact Strength-Specialized strength that allows you to hold on to slopers. The strength that permits you to hold your hand in a specified shape for an extended period.
Crux-The most challenging move or sequence on a route.
Deck-To hit the ground (generally used to refer to a climber who had enough slack to hit the ground and then fell).
Desperate-An adjective for a move or hold that is extremely difficult. Typically used to describe hold that can only be held for a second or used as transitional holds.
Doubled Back-The correct position that the top buckle of your Harness should be in. "Are you doubled back?" is a question asked by the belayer to the climber, making sure that they are safe
Epic-When everything goes wrong resulting in a dangerous situation.
Exposure-A route has alot of 'exposure' when you can feel how high you are. Steep routes tend to have a lot of exposure.
Fall Factor-Fall factors are important because they permit an estimate of force. The equation for fall factor is (length of the fall) / (length of rope). Length of the fall = How far you fall. Keep in mind that this is the distance over the past piece of protection times two. Length of rope = How much rope is between you and your partner's Belay Device.
Flaring-A flaring crack is a crack that has a gradual increase in width. Flaring cracks are generally narrow deep in the crack and widen on the surface of the crack.
Follow-The second climbing follows the leader up a climb. The follower is essentially on top rope.
Hanging Belay-A belay anchor without a ledge for the belayer to stand on. The belayer hangs, predominantly weighting the anchor.
Leader-A climber who leads a climb.
Lowering-When the Belayer lowers the Leader to the ground (generally at the end of a single pitch climb).
Positive-An adjective for holds that are easy to hold (or at least easy enough).
Problem-A 'Boulder problem' is one path up a boulder. A Bouldering definition.
Project-A Problem or Route that you are working on but have not yet completed. An 'Open Project' refers to problems or routes that have not been successfully climbed by anyone yet.
Pumped-When muscles become exhausted and can't function properly. Usually a climber's forearms are prime candidates for this.
Rappel-Descending steep terrain (or cliffs) using a rope and belay device.
Rope Drag-Occurs when the leader does not place the protection in a straight line. The zigzagging rope increases friction. The increase in friction is known as Rope Drag. Rope Drag makes it more difficult (or impossible) for the leader to obtain slack. Runners are used to straighten the line of your protection, decreasing rope drag.
Route-A complete climb, from the ground to the top. Each route contains one or more pitches. A multipitch route contains more than one pitch.
Runout-Climbing an extended distance above the last piece of protection. If a climber were to fall on a run-out the climber would have an extended fall which may result in an injury. Run-outs are common in areas where little or no protection is available.
Second-The climber that follows the leader up a climb. The second is not lead climbing. The second removes the protection that was placed by the leader
Send-To complete a route or problem, short for "ascend".
Simul Climbing-A dangerous but efficient climbing technique where both climbers, climb at the same time. Neither climber is using a Belay Device. Both climbers are tied into the rope. Protection is placed by the leader. Multiple pieces of protection is always left between the leader and the second. If the leader falls the second's body weight catches the leader's fall (the second will be pulled up). Your second should not fall (therefore place your best climber as the second). If the second weights the rope, the leader will be pulled off the rock often resulting in a bad fall. A second fall, results in the leader being pulled (by the falling second) straight into the last piece of protection. This often leads to high impact falls.
Slack-Verb: Requesting 'slack', tells your Belayer that you need more rope. Noun: The amount of rope between the climber and the belayer.
Slack Lining-When a person walks on a piece of webbing tied between two points, much like tightrope walking.
Sloppy-An adjective for a hold that matches the description of a Sloper.
SRT- Single Rope Technique is primarily employed by cavers and people needing access to buildings for maintenance purposes. Its scope includes ascending and descending methods, methods for switching between ascending and descending rigs on rope, passing rebelays, setting up anchors and rope rigging techniques.
Take-A command given by the climber to the Belayer. Tells the belayer to reduce the amount of Slack (by withdrawing some rope).
Topo-Map of a Route, normally used for Multipitch climbing.
Walkoff-An easy descent where no technical downclimbing or rappelling is required. A class 1,2 or 3 descent.
Whipper-To fall while lead climbing.
Zipper-An extremely bad situation. During a fall, a series of protection may pull out of the crack one at a time creating a zipper effect.
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Types of Rock
Granite-Characteristics: Most granite crags include long steep slab climbs and magnificent sustained, water worn cracks; High friction rock offer desperate slopers; solid jams and great smears; Generally solid enough to take Trad Gear; Offers balance and jamming oriented climbing. Example: - Yosemite, CA
Limestone- Typically characterized by steep to overhanging jug / crimper fests; Most sport crags of today are found on limestone cliffs;- Offers dramatic powerful climbing; Large flakes, and desperate crimpers are common on limestone. Example: - El Potrero Chico, Mexico
Sandstone- High friction (sand paper texture) rock; Sandstone cliffs can range from solid high friction rocks to the consistency of brown sugar; Unique features including huecos, high friction slopers and chimneys are common in sandstone. Example: - Garden of the Gods, CO
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Styles
Onsight-Climbing a climb without falling or weighting the rope at any time. No Beta is known prior to starting the climb (you have not watched another climber climb the route etc.).
First Ascent-The First Ascent is the first party to complete a climb. First Ascent is often labeled 'FA' in a guidebook. Many guidebooks also label first free ascent ('FFA'). First Free Ascents is the first party to complete a climb only using free climbing tactics (as opposed to aid climbing tactics).
Flash-An Onsight Flash is described here. Flash is when you successfully climb a route without weighting the rope (no falls) at any time. Flash is different than Onsight because you are allowed to obtain Beta prior to climbing the route.
Free Point-Red Point on a Top Rope.
Green Point-Flash a Route on Top Rope.
Hang Dog-Aka hang dogging. Slang for hanging on (weighting) the rope while on belay for extended periods of time. Not considered the best style. Also can be an epithet sometimes hurled at the cliffs; supposedly (?) comes from British hardman Ron Fawcett and using preview/rappel tactics on some first ascents
Pink Point-Similar to a Red Point but Gear is pre-placed
Red Point- When a climber completes a route without any falls (never weighting the rope). The climber is allowed to try the route ahead of time and obtain Beta
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Last Updated 01/22/2007 |
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