Different Types of Climbing Holds
What to expect when you start climbing in the gym for the first time
No doubt it can be overwhelming when you go to a climbing gym for the first time. There is so much to take in and process that makes the experience scary at first. We’re going to break down every climbing hold you’ll encounter in the gym and the lingo associated with them so you know exactly what to expect on your first vist.
What to expect on the wall
A variety of different holds, arranged in a puzzle like way with the single challenge, getting to get to the top of the wall. Every climbing gym is designed this way and Flux training center is no exception. The only difference in between climbing gyms is the style of the climb and how the setter arranges the holds. When you first look at a problem you’ll notice that every hold has a color associated with it and this is how you can tell each route apart. You’ll start on the bottom and follow the same color all the way up (There are some exceptions to this but that comes into play with more experience).
Below is a list of all the different kinds of climbing holds you’ll climb on when you start bouldering for the first time. As a beginner, it’s important to know what to expect so you’ll be as prepared as possible!
Jugs
By far the most common hold you’ll come across is called a Jug. These holds are deep and positive, usually forming to your whole hand so you can get the most momentum reaching for the next hold. They are seen on routes throughout the grading system but are typically found on routes graded V0-V5. Once you start getting on climbs graded V6 and higher the Jug becomes a sign of relief to rest and shake out your arms on before continuing the rest of the climb you’re attempting.
These holds form the start and end of most routes so they are good indicators to look for before jumping on a problem.
Crimps
A hold that only fits your fingers is called a Crimp. There are a wide range of crimps that are easier to grab than others but this hold can be challenging on any route at the right angle. It’s advised to not put to much effort on a crimp when first starting out because these put a lot of strain on your tendons compared to a jug. Once you’ve built up tendon strength through multiple months of practice, crimps will feel much more comfortable to hang on. You can get some great practice with these on the slab wall (A completely flat wall with no incline) since it won’t be as demanding on your joints or tendons.
These are the second most common hold you’ll come across, mostly found in the start or middle of the route, but sometimes there are entire routes made solely out of crimps.
Sloper
An enemy to climbers everywhere, a hold that is round and smooth is called a Sloper. These holds are notoriously hard to hold onto and can make or break a climb depending on how much chalk is on them or how hot it is in the gym. They are slick holds that you palm with your full hand and use your tendons to try to stick to the hold itself. These are usually found on Slab walls because once you start adding any kind of incline to the hold it gets substantially harder to hold. When attempting to grab these you can picture trying to palm a basketball. It’s the same type of movement and should help keep you on the wall more.
These holds take a lot of practice to climb but there is always a positive spot on the hold to grab and it’ll be easier to find that spot with practice.
Pinch
A Pinch is a unique hold because it’s not one that you find outdoors much at all, especially not of the size that you find in climbing gyms. These holds are a bit like Slopers because they don’t have much grip on them and are built more narrow. Instead you use your whole hand to “pinch” the hold and keep yourself attached to the wall. These, like most holds, get more difficult to hang on the more incline the wall is but they offer some really fun movement on any kind of climbing wall they are set to. Pinches are also like Slopers due to the particular muscles you use in order to climb on them. They can be very straining on your hand at first but getting stronger on Pinches can really help out climbing on Slopers or even Crimps.
Edge/Ledges
Like the name implies, an Edge is a hold that is longer and totally flat on top. These feel great to climb on when you hang low but the second you start to try and move above shoulder height they get very hard to use effectively. These are also great holds for a technique called a Side pull since you can’t really dig into the hold so you mainly want to hang with full extension on these until you are fully committed to going to the next hold.
Last but not least we have a Pocket. It’s highly recommended that pockets should be used once you’ve been climbing for at least a month. While crimps apply pressure to all your fingers evenly, pockets force you to hang on just two, maybe three fingers total. This applies massive strain to the tendons in your arms and can cause injury if they aren’t respected in the gym. All that said they are incredibly fun to climb and are quite an ego boost when you start climbing with just two fingers.
Techniques
Here are a few different techniques you may encounter in the gym and the holds typically used in order to make them work.
Sidepull
Undercling
Gaston
Mentioned above a sidepull is done when the hold is placed directly to the left or right of the climber. You use the full extension of your arm to lay back and pull against the hold to keep you against the wall.
An undercling is a technique a climber uses by grabbing the hold with the hand facing down. They can be found in the cave or more inclined walls typically. A Jug is used in this way as to provide the best grip and can be used later for an interesting foot hold.
This move, pronouced (gas-tone) is similar to the sidepull but instead of the pulling motion you will be pushing against a hold instead. Slopers or edges are used in this scenario since they provide the most surface area for the climber.