A deadpoint is a controlled dynamic climbing move in which the climber catches a hold at the 'dead point' — the brief, weightless apex of the motion where the body is momentarily neither rising nor falling. By timing the catch to that instant, the climber latches a distant hold with minimal force on the fingers, while keeping their feet (and often a hand) on the wall. It's a precise, efficient alternative to a full dyno.
Stemming (also called bridging) is a climbing technique in which the climber pushes outward against two opposing surfaces — typically the two walls of a corner (dihedral) or chimney, or two widely spaced holds — using counter-pressure from the feet (and sometimes hands) to stay in place and move up. Because stemming lets you stand on your legs in opposition, it can take weight off the arms and provide a valuable rest.
A finger lock is a crack-climbing technique in which the climber slots their fingers into a thin crack and torques or cams them — often by twisting the hand so the fingers wedge against the crack walls — to create a secure hold. Used in finger-width cracks that are too narrow for a hand jam, finger locks can feel surprisingly bomber when set well, and are a key technique for thin crack climbing, though they can be hard on the finger joints and skin.
A hand jam is a crack-climbing technique in which the climber wedges a hand into a crack and expands it — by cupping the palm and engaging the muscles, or stacking the thumb — to create a secure, weight-bearing hold where there's nothing to grip on the face. The classic and most secure crack technique, the hand jam works in cracks roughly the width of a hand, and is fundamental to traditional crack climbing.
A lieback (or layback) is a climbing technique in which the climber pulls on an edge — such as the side of a crack, flake, or corner — with both hands while pushing with the feet against the opposing surface, creating counter-pressure that holds the body in place as they move up. Effective on cracks, flakes, and corners (dihedrals), the lieback is powerful but strenuous on the arms, since you're leaning back and pulling continuously.
A drop-knee (also called an Egyptian) is a climbing technique in which the climber rotates one knee downward and inward while pushing with the outside edge of that foot, turning the hip into the wall. This creates opposition between the feet, brings the body closer to the rock, lengthens reach, and can take weight off the arms — making it especially valuable on steep and overhanging terrain.
A toe hook is a climbing technique in which the climber hooks the top of the foot (the toes and upper foot) around or under a hold or feature, pulling with the foot to create tension. Most useful on steep and overhanging terrain, a toe hook generates opposition that stops the body from swinging out (barn-dooring) and helps keep the climber's hips and body close to the wall, often working in tandem with a heel hook.
An undercling is a climbing technique in which the climber grips a hold from underneath, palm facing up, and pulls outward and up while pushing down with the feet to create opposing tension that keeps the body on the wall. Used on flakes, the undersides of holds, and overlaps, the undercling relies on the opposition between hands and feet, and is often most powerful as you move up past the hold, where the angle becomes favorable.
A pinch is a climbing hold that you grip by squeezing it between your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other, rather than pulling down on an edge. Pinches come in many widths — from narrow to wide, two-finger to full-hand — and rely heavily on thumb and grip strength. Good body positioning that keeps the pinch loaded in a favorable direction makes them more secure, and pinch strength is a distinct, trainable aspect of climbing.
A sidepull is a climbing hold oriented vertically (facing sideways) that the climber pulls on horizontally, toward their body, leaning away from it to create the tension that holds them on. Using a sidepull effectively relies on opposition — pulling sideways on the hold while pushing the opposite way with the feet — and good body positioning. It's the opposite of a gaston (where you push outward on a similar hold) and a common, versatile way to use vertically oriented holds.
