A Quick Intro to Climbing Terms

All sports have their jargon and climbing is no exception. In fact, climbing is more saturated with jargon than any other sport we know. What follows is a very brief list of key climbing terms that we use in this guide, and in the gyms, plus a few more just for fun.

General Climbing Terms

A Climb: A generic term for a route or a boulder problem.

 

Boulder Problem: A short climb (typically between 6 and 15 feet above the ground) where falling is typically protected by pads on the ground.

 

Route: A longer climb (typically 20 feet or more above the ground) where falling is typically protected by a rope.

 

Send: To complete a climb from start to finish without a fall. (past tense: sent)

Types of Sends:

Onsight: To send a climb you have never been on, seen before, or had any information about on your first attempt.

Flash: To send a climb on your first try having seen someone else on it or having prior information about the climb. Note: Some climbers will use Onsight and Flash interchangeably.

Red-Point:    To send a climb without a fall, regardless of the number of attempts or prior information about the climb.

 

Crux: The most difficult section of a route or boulder problem. Typically used to determine the grade.

 

Move: The basis for calculating Volume in a workout. One move is defined as the act of taking one hand off its current hold and putting it on another. 

 

Sequence: A series of moves within a route or boulder problem. For example, the crux sequence on a problem would be the hardest set of moves. 

 

Project: A route or boulder problem that you are working on, but have not yet sent. Typically used to set goals. 

 

Grade: The difficulty of a climb. In the U.S., expressed as either a V-grade for bouldering (e.g. V2) or a YDS grade for routes (e.g. 5.8). 

General Workout Terms

Repetition: Also called a rep, these are the foundation of a set. One set contains a specific number of reps.

 

Run: Within a given set, a run is completing a climb that is part of that set. This is most frequently used when a given repetition is made up of more than one problem, such as in a 4×4. 

 

Set: The foundation of a workout. A set is made up of a number of reps, and is targeted at a particular training goal.

Other Terms

Wingspan: The distance from the tip of one middle finger measured to the other when your arms are outstretched. Typically referred to as a ratio of wingspan to height in inches. For example, a climber with a height of 5’8″ and a 5’10” reach from fingertip to fingertip, would be said to have a “+2” wingspan. Replaces the outdated, and somewhat offensive term ape-index.

 

Reachy: A reference to a move being more difficult because of the distance between hand holds. Typically, a truly reachy climb would be significantly harder (i.e. be considered a harder grade) for people with “0” or negative wingspans.

All material is reprinted with the permission of the author. Copyright 2022 David H. Rowland. All rights reserved.

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