Every sport has what it calls its jargon, which is the terminology that is used among the participants. Rock climbers have theirs, and it is a good idea to learn it early, or one can become very confused.
Common Terms
- Abseil: This means making a descent which is controlled with the use of a fixed rope.
- Active Protection: There are many different types of protective gear for rock climbing. Equipment which has a moving part in it is called active protection.
- Barn door: A term used when a climber is swinging sideways because they are not balanced.
- Beta: This is the information which is given before a climb. A running beta is the instructions that are being offered while the climb is taking place.
- Big Wall: The type of wall which is going to take a few days to climb usually. Most often it is comprised of multi-pitched rock that is extended.
- Crux: There are many different moves and a series of steps which take place during the climb. The one that is the most difficult is called the crux.
This is just a short list of the terminology used in rock climbing. These are only a few of the ones which most likely a new climber will be exposed to.
