A whipper is climbing slang for a big, dramatic lead fall — a long, often swinging plunge taken when leading above your protection. Whippers are a normal part of pushing your limit on safe, well-protected sport routes, where the dynamic rope and an attentive belayer turn them into a relatively harmless, if thrilling, experience.
Barn-dooring is when a climber's body swings uncontrollably away from the wall like a door on a hinge, because their weight isn't balanced over their points of contact. It typically happens when the useful holds are all on one side of the body, and is corrected with techniques like flagging to counterbalance.
Being 'pumped' is the burning, swollen feeling in the forearms when they fatigue from gripping, as metabolic by-products and blood build up faster than they clear. A pumped climber loses grip strength and may be unable to hold on, so managing the pump — through rests, efficient movement, and shaking out — is central to endurance climbing.
A lock-off is a technique where you pull a hold in toward your body and hold your bent arm in a static, locked position, freeing the other hand to reach the next hold. Locking off requires pulling strength and good body position, and lets climbers make controlled, static moves instead of dynamic ones.
A deadpoint is a controlled dynamic move where you reach a far hold at the brief, weightless apex of an upward motion — the point where you are momentarily neither rising nor falling. Unlike a full dyno, you keep at least one hand and your feet on the wall, making it a precise, efficient way to gain distance.
Stemming, also called bridging, is a technique where you press outward with opposing limbs against two surfaces — typically the two walls of a corner or chimney — using counter-pressure to stay in place without positive holds. It can be strenuous or restful, and lets climbers ascend dihedrals and wide features with little to grip.
A finger lock is a crack-climbing technique where you slot your fingers into a thin crack and twist or torque them so they lock against the walls. Used in cracks too narrow for a hand jam, finger locks can feel surprisingly secure once trusted, but are strenuous on the fingers and take practice to use well.
A hand jam is the fundamental crack-climbing technique where you insert your hand into a hand-width crack and expand it — cupping the palm and flexing the thumb — so it locks against the crack walls. A solid hand jam is secure enough to hang and even rest on, and is the building block of crack climbing.
A lieback, or layback, is a technique for climbing edges and cracks where you pull sideways on the hold with your hands while pushing your feet against the rock in opposition, leaning your body to one side. It is a powerful way to climb flakes, arete edges, and corner cracks, but can be strenuous and awkward to protect.
A drop knee, also called an Egyptian, is a technique where you turn one knee inward and downward while your foot is on a hold, twisting your hips toward the wall to bring your reach closer and take weight off your arms. It is especially useful on steep, overhanging terrain with opposing footholds.