Bouldering Terms
Bouldering brings a new world of movement and mental challenges, but I bet you didn’t realise you’d be learning a new language too! Don’t stress, the basic bouldering terms are pretty easy to learn. We’ll have you speaking boulderer in no time.
For a more extensive list of climbing terms and their definitions, you can refer to the Glossary of Climbing Terms on Wikipedia.
The Basics:
Beta: Advice or knowledge on how to complete a problem – usually in the easiest way to complete the sequence
Problem: A boulder route with a start and a finish
Send: To climb a problem without falling off
Body Position: The way you place your body in relation the holds on the wall
Campus: To climb a route without using your feet
Crux: The hardest part of the problem
Dyno: A jump from one hold to another hold as part of the same problem
Flapper: A callus that has been ripped off the hand, leaving a nice bit of hanging skin
Flash: To climb the boulder problem on the first try, after seeing someone else do it, or being shown the beta
Onsight: To climb the problem on the first try with no beta or having never seen anyone attempt it
Project: A problem that a boulderer is trying to complete, but has yet to do so. Usually, a personal goal you are working on
Brushing: Using bouldering brushes to clean off the excess chalk/sweat/tears from climbing holds. Great for helping you get better purchase on the hold.
Holds or grip types:
Jug: A hold that is so big you can wrap your full hand and fingers around
Crimp: A very small edge held onto with your fingertips. A full-crimp uses a bent second finger joint and a thumb pressed onto the index finger
Pocket: Holds with holes in the middle. Can range from huge to mono (one finger width)
Sloper: A hold with rounded edges like it’s sloping down
Volume: At Bould Move, these are the grey wooden odd shaped boxes which can be used on any boulder problem
Gaston: This involves pushing a hold instead of pulling. Fingers face in towards your body, usually your elbow is high and you pull in an outwards direction. Imagine opening a sliding door.
Pinch: Pinching the hold between your thumb and fingers. Climbers tend to have really strong pinches.
Undercling: If the hold looks upside down, it’s usually an undercling. Cling the hold from underneath, step up into the hold and keep your hips close for the best grip.
Types of moves:
Deadpoint: Equilibrium. Hitting the hold at the dead point in time when you are “weight-less” after you’ve jumped up but have not yet started to fall down.
Flag: Sticking your leg out to improve your balance
Heel Hook: Use your heel to pull yourself or keep yourself on the wall
Kneebar: Using your foot pressed on a hold (or wall) whilst your knee is jammed into another hold creating tension between the two.
Layback: Pulling with the hands and push with the feet, usually on a sideways hold
Lock Off: A static reach. Whilst one arm stays motionless (and bent) the other reaches for the hold
Match: Placing both hands on the same hold at the same time
Mantel: Using hands (and usually feet) to push down on a hold and get your body on top. Imagine getting out of the side of a pool
Traversing: Moving laterally along the wall
For more tips on efficient climbing moves, see our 10 Fundamentals to Improve Your Bouldering blog.
Wall Types:
Vertical: The wall is at a 90 degree angle to the mats
Slab: The wall is tilting back slightly. Anything larger than a 90 degree angle to the mats
Overhung: The wall is leaning towards you
Roof: Usually a sharp angled roof-like feature. At Bould Move, this can be found in the cave and prowl areas
Arete: The corner where the two wall angles meet
Chimney: As it sounds, where two walls make a shape where you would shimmy up as if you were in a chimney
Other Terms:
Dab: When on a specific problem, if you brush the ground, a hold off another problem or anything not associated with that route, that is called a dab
Beta Spraying: To offer beta or tell another boulderer what to do on the route without being asked beforehand. Always ask if someone would like your beta. Often boulderers enjoy figuring it out so don’t spoil the fun.
That’s it! Well, not really. There are a few more but that is certainly a great start. Practise using your bouldering terms and help your fellow boulderers learn the lingo too so this ancient language never gets lost.
See you on the wall soon.
