🧗 Stuff Every Climber Should Know: Training Guide

Belay Commands

A belayer is the person who holds the rope to protect the climber. Before leaving the ground, the climber asks 'On belay?' as a question. This means 'Is your belay system ready and are you watching my rope?' The belayer must check the climber's knot, harness, and the belay setup before answering.

When the belayer has finished those checks, the belayer says 'Belay on.' This tells the climber that the belay is live. Many teams add a partner's name, like 'Belay on, Sam,' so the right person hears the call.

Then the climber says 'Climbing!' and the belayer says back 'Climb on!' The climber starts only after hearing that reply. Each command has a matching answer, so no one has to guess.

At the end of a climb, the climber calls 'Off belay' when safely on the ground or tied to an anchor. The belayer replies 'Belay off.' This gives the climber one last chance to catch a misheard call before the rope is no longer protecting them.

Some commands sound too much alike. 'Take' and 'Slack' are both one syllable, and wind or a noisy gym can make them hard to tell apart. Many climbers agree to say 'Tension' or 'Up rope' instead of 'Take,' and they agree on exact commands with a new partner before climbing.

In busy areas, adding names to commands prevents a belayer from obeying another team's call. For example, 'Take, Jane!' makes clear which belayer should act. The same is true for commands like 'Off belay, Fred.'

Warnings and Rope Handling

If anything falls, such as a loose rock or dropped gear, anyone who sees it should shout 'Rock!' People below hear the warning and protect their heads. There is also a 'Rope!' warning before tossing a rope down a cliff.

When a climber calls 'Slack!', the belayer gives about one arm length of loose rope at first. The climber can call again for more. The opposite call, 'Up rope,' asks the belayer to take the slack out, and the climber pauses until it is gone.

To be lowered from the top, the climber must lean back and give all their body weight to the rope. Feet stay on the wall. If the climber does not lean back fully, the belayer cannot give a smooth lower.

The US voice signals trace back to climber Paul Petzoldt. He wrote that he invented the first voice-signal system used in America, and he made the calls short so they could be understood in wind.

Partner Checks Before Climbing

The locking carabiner joins the belay device to the belayer's harness. The belayer squeezes the gate to show it cannot open. An unlocked carabiner can fail when the rope is loaded.

Climber and belayer check each other's harness buckles and helmet buckles. Some harness buckles must be doubled back, so follow the maker's instructions. A loose buckle can undo the whole system.

The harness waist belt sits above the hip bones and is snug. A climber could slip out of a loose harness, especially upside down, so partners check each other's fit.

In a gym with many ropes side by side, partners confirm they are on the same rope. The check also looks for twists and makes sure both rope ends are managed.

Tie In With the Figure 8

A harness is the strong belt and leg loops a climber wears. When the harness has two tie-in points, the rope passes through both the upper and lower points, the same path the belay loop links. Gear loops are only for carrying gear and never take the rope.

The figure 8 follow through is the standard knot for tying the rope to a harness. It is common because it is easy to teach, easy to learn, easy to check by eye, and strong.

To finish the knot, first tie a single figure 8 in the rope. Pass the tail through the harness, then retrace the original figure 8 with the tail so every strand is doubled and parallel.

A finished figure 8 follow through should have a tail about 6 inches long. The strands should be parallel, and the gap between knot and harness should be about the size of the belay loop. A standard look makes mistakes easy to see.

Belaying with PBUS and Devices

The first rule of belaying is to keep a brake hand on the rope at all times. The brake hand holds the rope on the braking side of the device. If it lets go and the climber falls, the rope is almost impossible to stop.

When the belayer slides the brake hand along the rope, the rope must be in the brake position. Sliding is the weakest moment, so holding the brake position lets the belayer catch a fall immediately.

PBUS is a top rope belay sequence. Its letters stand for Pull, Brake, Under, Slide. First the belayer pulls rope through the device. Then the brake hand moves down to the braking position. The guide hand goes under the brake hand to hold the rope while the brake hand slides back up. Through all four steps, the brake hand always stays on the rope.

An assisted-braking device, or ABD, has a cam or shape that helps grab the rope. But it can fail in some setups. The same rule applies: always keep a brake hand on the rope.

Used correctly, an ABD acts as a backup if the belayer is hit by rockfall, stung, or distracted. A tube-style device alone cannot do this.

An ATC is a tube-style manual braking device. It creates friction as the rope bends through it, and the belayer's brake hand does all the stopping. A GriGri is an ABD that helps grab the rope. Switching between them takes care because they handle differently.

Rope and Carabiner Safety

Dynamic ropes stretch to soak up the force of a fall. Static ropes stretch very little and are for rappelling and hauling, not for catching falls.

Store climbing rope in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, chemicals, acids, and sharp edges. Inspect it regularly.

A climbing carabiner is stamped with its strength. A closed carabiner must hold at least 20 kilonewtons. With the gate open, it drops to about 7 kilonewtons, roughly one third as strong.

When rappelling, tie bulky stopper knots in the ends of the rope. These knots can catch in the device and help prevent rappelling off the rope's end. Dress and manage the rope ends carefully.

If a rope might be too short to lower a climber to the ground, the belayer should tie into the free end. This closes the system so the free end cannot pass through the belay device.

Lead Belaying Basics

In top rope climbing, the rope runs through an anchor above, so the belayer takes in slack as the climber rises. In lead climbing, the leader clips the rope to protection on the way up and needs just enough slack to move and clip.

A lead belayer also takes a bigger pull when the leader falls and is often lifted off the ground. The belayer should stand near the base, under the first bolt, and one step out of the fall line, about 10 degrees.

Standing far back from the wall can pull the belayer off balance when the leader falls. The one step to the side keeps a falling leader from landing on the belayer.

On lead, clipping a quickdraw at waist or chest level uses less slack than clipping overhead. If you slip before finishing the clip, extra slack makes the fall longer.

Some climbers use a stiff draw taped to a stick to reach a far bolt without pulling extra rope.

Quickdraws and Clipping

A quickdraw is two carabiners connected by a sewn sling. One carabiner clips to the bolt or protection piece, and the other clips to the rope.

Backclipping is a dangerous way to clip a quickdraw. The rope should enter the carabiner on the side toward the rock and exit on the climber's side. If the rope enters the wrong way, it can cross the gate and force it open, so the rope may come out and leave the bolt without protection.

Look at each draw after you climb past it to make sure your moves did not twist it into a bad spot.

When clipping quickdraws to bolts, face the gates away from the climber's path. If the bolts are on a left wall, the gates face left. This keeps the rope from rubbing or pressing on the gates.

Protection Types

Bolts are permanent anchors drilled into the rock, often used to protect sport climbs. Check a bolt for rust, a loose stud, and a spinning hanger before trusting it.

A cam is a piece of gear with three or four spring-loaded cams on an axle. Pull the trigger to narrow them, slide the cam into a crack, then let go so they expand and press against the crack walls.

A nut, also called a chock or stopper, is a metal wedge on a wire. It wedges into a narrowing crack and works as passive protection.

Nuts and cams are removable, so traditional climbers can protect a route without damaging the rock.

Climbing Grades

The Yosemite Decimal System, or YDS, is not a real decimal. In US rock climbing, the grade after 5.9 is 5.10, then 5.11 and up. Today's hardest routes are 5.15.

From 5.10 up, grades add a letter from a to d, like 5.10a, to split each level finer. So 5.10a is easier than 5.10d.

Hiking is usually 1st and 2nd class terrain, and scrambling covers 2nd to 4th class. Rock climbing often needs a rope on 5th class terrain, and 1st class terrain is flat and easy.

The V-scale rates boulder problem difficulty. V0 is a common entry grade and larger numbers mean harder problems. Charts list boulder grades up to V17.

Auto Belay Safety

An auto belay is a device that pulls in its lanyard as you climb. When you let go or slip, it lowers you at a controlled speed. It does not stop you from coming off the wall.

Forgetting to connect to the auto belay is the leading cause of indoor climbing fatalities. Always double check that the auto belay lanyard is clipped to your harness belay loop.

A belay gate or barrier in front of an auto belay route reminds climbers to clip in. You must clip the lanyard to your belay loop to get past it. Gyms may set routes so the gate hides the starting holds.

The ClimbSmart warning has four points: climbing is dangerous, qualified instruction is required, use equipment by the maker's instructions, and your safety is your responsibility. Get lessons from a certified instructor.

Bouldering Gear and Safety

Crash pads are thick foam mats placed under a boulder problem so falls land on something softer. Some parks do not allow leaving them behind, so climbers must carry them out when they leave.

A bouldering spotter protects the climber's head and neck from hitting the ground. A spotter is not there to catch. Learn spotting from a certified instructor.

Before bouldering outside, check the landing area for rocks, roots, and uneven ground. Always boulder with a partner who can spot you.

Chalk pulls moisture away from the skin, which helps keep hands dry and improves friction on holds. At Arches National Park, climbers cannot use white chalk; they must use chalk that matches the rock color.

Climbers wear special climbing shoes with sticky rubber soles that help feet grip the rock, even on tiny edges. Shoes, chalk, and crash pads are standard gear for bouldering.

Preventing Finger Injuries

The crimp grip is linked to most finger pulley injuries in climbers. In a crimp, the middle finger joint bends sharply while the fingertip joint bends back.

A common climbing injury affects the small pulleys that hold finger tendons close to the bone. Crimping hard can strain or tear these pulleys, and the A2 and A4 pulleys are injured most often.

Warm up and stretch before climbing to help prevent sports injuries. Climbers also need the right shoes, gear, and equipment, and lots of water.

Finger pain that lasts is a sign to see a doctor.

Outdoor Responsibility

The Access Fund is a national group that advocates for climbing access and helps conserve climbing areas. Its slogan is 'Protect America's Climbing.'

The Climber's Pact asks climbers to pack out all trash, crash pads and gear, clean up chalk and tick marks, and stay on trails whenever possible.

Climbers should put gear and pads on durable surfaces, not on plants.

Some cliffs close seasonally when falcons, eagles, or other raptors are nesting. Climbers should obey posted closures.

Even shouting near a nest can make a parent bird abandon it.

When climbing outside, falling objects such as rocks, ice, or dropped equipment can hit people without warning. A helmet can absorb that impact and also protect a climber who swings into the rock. Belayers at the base should wear one as well.

Competition Formats and History

In an on-sight round, competitors may not watch other competitors' attempts or the routesetters at work. They climb without extra route information.

Coaches and spectators may not pass route information to a climber until that climber has completed the on-sight round.

In a flash round, climbers get information first. The rules require a demonstration, and coaches may give tips between attempts, but not during one.

Sport climbing made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, which was held in 2021. Men and women each competed in one Combined event.