Every Climbing Term Explained

All of your climbing terms explained! Dive deep into the world of climbing with our comprehensive breakdown of 71 essential climbing terms! From understanding your ape index to climbing competition formats, we've got you covered!
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[@autumn_k]

I feel like the meaning of gumby has really shifted over time. Gumby was the term for someone who broadcast their ineptitude, lack of knowledge, or lack of basic sense through their behaviour. Often they were new to the sport, but not always (and not every new person was a gumby).
Most of the time it was how we mocked someone who tended to buy gear they didn't need and didn't know how to use, or wore it at the the most pointless times. It was kind of mean-spirited and judgmental. If it's taken on a softer meaning these days, that's not such a bad thing.

[@loiduongjr]

Hope you guys are crushing it at the HP comp 💪💪

[@mireilledalpeprazeres8614]

As an older-starting climber, this is very helpful when listening to comments (Matt Groom & side kicks) while watching comps. The last few years were sometimes confusing. Thanks

[@richardsonsclimbing]

Happy to help!

[@Widlomaa]

So useful!! Loving all of these videos!

[@harryfischer302]

Very informative!

[@homayoonf]

One day this will be cited as “According to Richardson & Richardson (2024),…”
My two cents:
Chunking: splitting a boulder/route to several parts to work on
Linking: opp. of Chunking, climbing the boulder/route parts altogether
Judge: a person in the competition that oversees the competitors’ sends and score them accordingly
Rapid firing: hopping on the boulder/route with a very short rest since prior try and often impatiently
Paddle: a dynamic sequence that one grabs and go two or more holds in one move
…
🙌🏽✋🏼

[@richardsonsclimbing]

Oh yeah those are good ones! I tried to stay away from climbing moves because they are endless!!

[@Slime_on_a_rock]

Would love to know what do we call it when we are at crossing over vertical huge pinch hold/volume at chest level ? like one we initially side pull, but eventually needs to cross over to the other side. Crossing over ? Transition over ?

[@richardsonsclimbing]

Hmmm that’s a good question, I don’t think I know 😅 I think crossing over would be a good description!

[@Slime_on_a_rock]

@@richardsonsclimbing cool, thanks for letting me know. Cheers.☺️

[@andreaspokorny3089]

I did not realize that ape index is formed through a subtraction - kind of always assumed division. But thats actually good! That means my ape index is higher than I thought - so will climb better today! What a relief.. But now if that is a subtraction - what is your unit of measurement, cm or inch?

[@richardsonsclimbing]

Inches!

[@andreaspokorny3089]

@@richardsonsclimbing just watching the first few seconds made me a better climber!

[@richardsonsclimbing]

Haha 😂

[@stevecool4381]

Just sweeping font grading under the rug huh. Nice video though

[@richardsonsclimbing]

Haha we are Canadians 😭

[@jona5003]

damn my ape index is -16 cm

[@justapenoindex]

shouldnt you be extinct?!

[@jona5003]

@@justapenoindex My Mom calls me a trex, so yea probably