How does a climber talk? - Learn the language of climbing here :)

Here are some of the words and phrases that abound in climbing. No more guessing what the cool climbers mean when they speak their special language :)

• Arete: Edge/corner of a climbing wall that goes outwards.
• Bathook: Toehook with both feet, like a bat.
• Beta: Tips and tricks to read and solve a specific problem or movement.
• Brush: We use brushes to scrub back friction in hard-to-hold grips.
• Campus: A campus movement is a move of the hands without feet on the wall. In other words, hanging freely.
• Campusboard: A training tool for fingers and campus movement.
• Bicycle/bicyclemove/bicyclemove: Most often used on overhangs to keep your feet on the wall. You press on a handle with one foot and pull on the same handle with the other foot (toe hook). Can also be used on different grips if they are positioned appropriately.
• Chip: A small climbing hold, usually attached with wood screws.
• Crash pad: A collapsible mattress. A crash pad is worn like a backpack and folds out during a problem to land softly. Most often used when climbing outdoors.
• Crimp: A small grip with an edge/ledge for the fingertips.
• Crux: Pronounced Kruks. The difficult move(s) on a problem that significantly stands out on a given problem.
• Dihedral: Edge/corner of climbing wall facing inwards.
• Dropknee: A way of using your legs to wedge yourself between grips. You stand on both legs and rotate your body to the side and knee down. Often used on overhangs.
• Dyno: A jump on the wall, or a very dynamic movement.
• Face/face wall: English pronunciation. A climbing wall that is completely vertical (0 degrees).
• Flash: When climbing a problem on the first try.
• Flag: English pronunciation. A way to stabilize yourself on the climbing wall. You stand on a hold with one leg while the other supports on the wall or in the air, without using a climbing hold.
• Driver/Guidebook: A book with maps and problem markings for a given climbing area.
• Gaston: French pronunciation. A grip to put/lean into, sideways.
• Griptape: Sandpaper with adhesive on the back. Used to give the wall or a volume friction instead of using a grip.
• Hangboard: A finger strength training tool with many different climbing holds that you can hang from.
• Heelhook: A technique of using the heel to pull or relieve pressure on a climbing hold. Why there is rubber on the heel of climbing shoes.
• Jug: A grip you can grasp firmly, like a handle.
• chalk: The white powder we use for hands (magnesium carbonate).
• Lime bag: A small bag for chalk, brushes etc. Available in all sizes and colors.
• Climbing holds: We call holds holds holds? Not rocks, not knobs, not climbing handles. Climbing holds are made of plastic.
• Climbing shoes: Special shoes with a tight fit and sticky rubber.
• Kneebar: Wedging between grips by pressing your foot on one grip and putting your knee in tension on another grip.
• Macro: A very large climbing hold.
• Mantle: English pronunciation. A particular movement pattern where you climb up the wall or a rock and end up standing up.
• Match: When you match, you put both feet or hands on the same grip. Most problems in Aarhus Boulders end with a match on the final hold/zone.
• Onsight: When you climb a problem on the first attempt, without having seen others climb it and without beta. It's more of a rope climbing thing :)
• Overhang: A climbing wall that slopes outwards so you climb on the underside.
• Pinch: A grip that needs to be pinched/squeezed.
• Problem: A "route" for bouldering.
• Prow: A type of overhanging climbing wall, shaped a bit like a ship's bow.
• Pocket: A grip with holes for 1, 2 or 3 fingers.
• Route: Something you climb with a rope and harness. Routes don't exist in bouldering, phew. Our routes are called problems.
• Sandbagged: When a problem is sandbagged, it is downgraded so much that it is harder than the difficulty (color) suggests.
• Slab: English pronunciation. A wall with a positive slope. In other words, sloping inwards.
• Sitting start: A way to start a problem. Sitting on your flat butt.
• Sidepull: A grip to be held from the side.
• Sloper: A grip with a slope/large curve. There is nothing to grab. Friction dependent.
• Spotting: A way of belaying in bouldering. Here, your friends on the ground help make sure you don't fall inappropriately, for example upside down or crooked.
• Standing start: A way to start a problem. Standing or squatting.
• Roof: A roof is a climbing wall that is horizontal where you climb on the lower side.
• Toe hook: A way to pull or relieve weight with the toes. Why there is rubber over the toes on climbing shoes.
• Undercling: A grip that faces downwards, so it must be held from below.
• Volume: A large climbing handle/box made of wood. Gives structure to the wall. Also called elements.