Climbing Jargon!

Bouldering

Bouldering is a form of rock climbing which involves climbing up relatively short rocks or artificial surfaces up to around 4-5 metres in height. Often outdoor 'boulder problems’ are shorter than this, but boulders which exceed 5 metres are referred to as ‘highballs’.

Bouldering allows climbers to perform at their physical limits on the hardest climbing moves they can.

Bouldering is a difficulty orientated sport and is graded with 2 different scales, the V grading system& the Font grading system. The higher the V grade the harder they are. Similarly the font grading system follows a numerical scale, but has sub-grades within each number (6A, 6B, 6C etc.). Then +’s are added for slightly harder climbs at that grade.

Crimp

A crimp is a small edge that is just big enough to hold with the tips of your fingers. This is one of the hardest holds in climbing, however there are some ways you can master them. Bringing your body weight in towards the wall will weight your feet and give you more control.

Jug

A Jug is a large hold and usually offers good grip. Jugs often represent a good rest on longer climbs.

Sloper

A sloper is a relatively poor hold which which ‘slope’ away from the wall and provide little in the way of purchase. This means they are one of the hardest holds to feel confident on. To maximise their use try to keep your centre of gravity below the hold to get the best out of it.

Side pull

A side pull is exactly what it says on the tin (a hold with a sideways facing grip profile)! The hold itself can be a jug or a crimp but usually needs something in the way of opposition to be of much use. The use of 'flagging', whereby a climber has one leg off to the side which anchors their centre of gravity and negates the 'barn door' effect, is an effective means of doing this. Alternatively you can hook either your toe or heel around an opposing facing hold.

Undercut

An undercut or ‘underling’ is a hold which faces downwards. These holds can be a challenge to grab from below them. However, once you get some height, they become more helpful.

Volumes

Volumes tend to be made of fiberglass or plywood and can be viewed as, either an extension of the climbing surface with multiple holds attached, or as a standalone hold (these tend to be made of fiberglass). If you’re standing on a volume, be sure to stand on the edge of it and lean your body into the wall to weight your feet as much as possible.