Spider Monkeys Guide to The Rock Climbers Language for Beginners
When someone starts rock climbing for the first time, they can be so overwhelmed by the equipment, route colors, and funny looking holds, that you might be climbing and people suddenly start calling you ‘Alle’, you’re so shocked that it throws you off your game and you jump off just to correct them. Only to have someone explain to you that it is people showing support while you climbing, do you realize that rock climbers have their very own language and names for certain moves and holds. We have compiled a list of climbing phrases or words to help you learn the language just a bit faster.
Holds and How to Use Them
Crimp: This is a rather small hold, usually only wide enough for your fingertips. (Don’t be scared, you will get strong enough eventually.)
Side Pull: The hold runs vertically, and you need to hold it by putting side on pressure.
Jug: A Jug is a big hold that is easy to hold and you can put just one or both hands on.
Undercling: This is when you hold a hold with your palms facing up, this action causes you to pull up instead of pulling down.
Volume: This is a big feature on the wall. (More for indoor climbing)
Sloper: A wide type of hold you use with an open hand.
Jam: Jamming is when you insert your hands, feet, or limbs into a crack and then you will build tension by pushing sideways and securing yourself.
Climbing Movements
Drop Knee: This is when you drop your knee and turn your hips into the wall while your other leg is on a different hold, this is to build tension in your body.
Bump: When you move both your hands from one hold to the next at the same time.
Match: This technique is when you bring both of your hands or feet together on the same hold.
Flag: To Flag is when you stretch out your free leg to to counterbalance your body and to assist with balance.
Dyno: This is short for Dynamic, it is a bust of energy where a person is jumping for a hold which is generally too high to stretch for.
Smear: Smearing is when your feet do not have a foothold, so you push your foot into the wall and rely completely on the rubber under your shoes to create friction and push you up the wall.
Heel Hook: This is when you put your heel on the hold which gives you balance and enables your leg to pull you instead of pushing.
General Phrases
Session: A climbing season is the time from when you start climbing until you finish climbing.
Flapper: A flapper is a piece of skin which was torn off your hand by the rock.
Alle: Something rock climbers will shout as a form of support.
Belay: Belaying is done by a second person underneath the climber, the belayer secures the climbing rope and they catch the climber if they had to fall.
Beta: A description of how to climb a certain route, body movement or a sequence of movements.
Crux: The hardest part of a climb.
Basic Equipment
Harness: This is a piece of safety equipment made from nylon which is secured around your waist and upper legs to keep you safe.
Shoes: a special type of shoe designed for rock climbing with a slip fit and rubber sole.
Alle: Something rock climbers will shout as a form of support
Belay: Belaying is done by second person underneath the climber, the belayer secures the climbing rope and they catch the climber if they had to fall.
Chalk Bag: A chalk Bag holds a rock climber’s chalk
Crash Pad/Bouldering Pad: A pad of foam for which rock climbers can fall on so they won’t get hurt when outdoor climbing.
Let us Know What you Think
Let us know if you have found these helpful and if you have heard someone use a certain word which you have no idea what it means or if you would like to hit us up with a new word to start using when we’re climbing.