Climbing Dictionary
Climbing Glossary: Essential Terms Every Climber Needs to Know
Climbing jargon is confusing! Here’s a glossary of some terms you may hear around the gym:
- Auto-belay
- A device that takes up slack as you climb and safely lowers you down if you fall or finish the route—no belay partner needed.
- Barn Door
- When your body swings uncontrollably to one side because you’re not balanced.
- Belay
- The act of managing the rope for a climber to catch them if they fall.
- Beta
- Information or advice about how to do a climb or a specific move.
- Ex: “Anyone have beta for this problem?”
- Bouldering
- A style of climbing focused on short, challenging routes (typically 10-15 feet), done without ropes, where climbers rely on body strength and technique to solve problems, landing on padded mats if they fall.
- Boulder Problem
- A climb on a bouldering wall. Can also be used to describe a short and difficult sequence on a longer route.
- Chalk
- Magnesium carbonate used to keep hands dry and improve grip. (Often kept in a chalk bag.)
- Crimp
- A small, thin hold that climbers grip with bent fingers—can be tough on the fingers!
- Crux
- The hardest move or section of a climb.
- Dyno
- A dynamic move where the climber jumps or lunges to the next hold.
- Flash
- Successfully climbing a route on your first try, sometimes with prior knowledge or beta.
- Heel Hook / Toe Hook
- Techniques that involve using your heel or toe to hook around a hold.
- Jug
- A large, easy-to-grab hold—great for beginners and resting.
- Lead Climbing
- An advanced style of rope climbing which requires the climber to clip the rope into protection as they ascend.
- Mantle
- A move where you push down on a hold to press your body up, like getting out of a swimming pool.
- Onsight
- Climbing a route on your first attempt without any prior information or seeing anyone else do it.
- Pinch
- A type of hold that requires squeezing between your thumb and fingers.
- Project
- A climb that someone is working on but hasn’t completed yet.
- Pump
- The burning sensation one experiences in their muscles after continued exertion.
- Route
- A climb long enough that a rope is used for protection.
- Send
- Successfully finishing a climb without falling or resting on the rope.
- Ex: “Nice send!”
- Sloper
- A type of hold that’s round and smooth, requiring open-handed grip and body tension.
- Smear
- Using the rubber of your climbing shoe against the wall for friction when there’s no foothold.
- Top Out
- Finishing a climb by climbing over the top of the wall (mainly in outdoor bouldering or gym features that simulate it).
- Top Rope Climbing
- A style of climbing where the rope is anchored above the climber at the top of a route.