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Bouldering: What is it?

Bouldering is a type of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and limited to very short climbs so that a fall will not significantly injur the participant. The sport can be practiced indoors or outdoors on large boulders, the base of larger rock faces, climbing centers, or even man-made structures. Bouldering is different from
climbing in that it emphasizes power, strength, and dynamics over endurance. Bouldering routes are referred to as problems , because the nature of theclimb is short and curious, like problem solving.

Bouldering and Me

I am pretty decent at bouldering, if I had more time to practice I would be better. I participated in my first climbing competition about 6 months ago and placed 3rd out of 35 participants. My first experience with bouldering was a lock-in that my church held at a local climbing facility, 6 years ago. I first got into bouldering
competitively about a year ago, when the SRC first opened. I enjoy climbing because after you complete a problem, it is gratifying in a way I have never experienced
before.

Bouldering and You

The best thing to do if you want to start bouldering is go to the SRC or a local climbing facility and get acquainted with the sport. Watch other boulderers and
become familiar with the techniques they use as well as the equipment. The activity itself isn't very expensive at all. There are many outdoor spots that are popular for
boulderers. Outdoor locations are also ideal because they are entirely free. Equipment can be expensive, but it does last a long time. A special type of shoe is
designed to enhance the performance of participants. Shoes are usually made of leather or of synthetic leather. This makes them mold to your feet so you can grip the smallest portions of rock to allow you to escalate along the problem. Shoes generall cost between $40 and $200, depending on the quality you get. A crash pad is
also a necessity, because most of the outdoor climbing spots are located among other rocks and you definately need something to break your fall so you dont break
a bone! Crash pads are about $150. The final necessity for bouldering is chalk and a chalk bag. Putting chalk on you hands allows you to hold on the pieces of a rock
that you would otherwise have a hard time gripping. Chalk and a chalk bag will run you about $22.50.

Bouldering Terminology

Boulderer: Any person participating in bouldering.

Crimp: A type of hold where the climber can fit only their fingertips on the hold. A crimp may be 'closed,' in which the thumb is pressed over the index
finger to strengthen one's grip, or the crimp may be 'open,' where the thumb does not contact the fingers. Closed crimps, while stronger, put more stress on the hand
and are generally regarded to pose a higher injury risk.

Dyno: Shortened form of dynamic movement . Essentially any movement that requires you to jump or swing from one hold to another.Technically, a dyno is a move that, if not completed successfully (by catching the next hold), will result in a fall.

Hold: Any piece of rock that you can grab or place your foot onto, and pull/push yourself up.

Jug: A hold that is large enough that you can reach your entire hand around, making it a good hold to pull yourself up with.

Matching: Matching implies that the feet or hands are at the same point on a hold.

Sit Start: A start to a problem beginning with the boulderer sitting on either the ground or a crash pad, at the lowest point of a route. Typically, starting from a sit start increases the difficulty of a route.

Sloper: A hold that tends to slope, or is round. Sometimes very difficult to grasp.

Spotter:A person who tends to the safety of the climber. This may include duties such as moving the crashpad, removing dangerous objects in the fall
zone, and physically cushioning or modifying the trajectory of the climber in the event of a fall.