Speaking the Language of Rock Climbers

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Climbing is one of those sports that has a devoted following. You are not sort of interested in it. You quickly become a fanatic. With this fanaticism comes a certain language of terms developed by climbers, a language you need to know.

Aid climbing is one of the easier forms of rock climbing. You are hooked to a line and merely step and pull yourself up. It is a good way to start climbing and get comfortable with the verticality and being up in the air.

One of the pillars of rock climbing is the bolt. A bolt is pretty much what it sounds like. It is a piece of steel bolted into a rock and used as an anchor. Due to its strong hold on the rock, it is a very safe think to hook on to prevent long falls.

Lead climbing is a step up in the climbing world. When you lead, you are displaying the skill to work the route, the pitch and place anchors. You also risk the potential of falling farther than those below you. All and all, an advanced level of climbing.

The next step down from a bolt is a camming device. The device is placed in cracks on the climbing surface. The modern version is spring loaded, so it snaps open in the space creating friction and a hold that can support a lot of weight.

Strap on crampons are used more in mountaineering than in rock climbing. Sooner or later, however, you will do some mountaineering to at least reach a climb, so you need to know what it is. The crampons strap over the bottom of the boot at the heal and toe.

What do rock climbers do during the winter? They either fly somewhere warm to climb or go ice climbing. If you ice climb, you need to know what crampons are. They are spikes that strap onto the bottom of your boots and can be used to anchor yourself.

Frog in the headlights is a slang term used for a climber that freezes when they look down from a high climb and get intimidated. Their eyes get big like a frog and they freeze like a deer in the headlights of a car.

The finger lock is a common, but advanced climbing technique. It is essentially the cramming of multiple fingers in a crack on the climbing surface to create a hold. One has to be careful not to get the fingers stuck in the crack, which can happen given your weight.

These terms and explanations represent the basics of rock climbing. Every area and group of climbers has their own expressions for various moves, routes and what have you. Just jump on in and you will pick it up quickly.

Keep track of your climbs with rock climbing journals at NomadJournals.com.

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Article Citation
MLA Style Citation:
Talbots, Spence "Speaking the Language of Rock Climbers." Speaking the Language of Rock Climbers. 29 Jan. 2010. uberarticles.com. 8 Apr 2012 <http://uberarticles.com/recreation-and-sports/speaking-the-language-of-rock-climbers/>.

APA Style Citation:
Talbots, S (2010, January 29). Speaking the Language of Rock Climbers. Retrieved April 8, 2012, from http://uberarticles.com/recreation-and-sports/speaking-the-language-of-rock-climbers/

Chicago Style Citation:
Talbots, Spence "Speaking the Language of Rock Climbers" uberarticles.com. http://uberarticles.com/recreation-and-sports/speaking-the-language-of-rock-climbers/

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