| Barndoor |
A barn door occurs when a climber's center of gravity shifts too far to one side while only two diagonal points of contact remain on the wall |
Holding a sidepull with the right hand while standing on a high right foothold, with the left hand and left foot both not on the a hold. In that position, the climber's body acts like a door swinging on a hinge, rotating outward and away from the wall. To prevent this, the climber must immediately counterbalance by flagging the free leg across the body or drop-kneeing to keep their hips close to the rock, otherwise the swing becomes unstoppable and they peel off. |
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| Flag |
Sticking one leg out to the side of your body (not on a foothold) to act as a counterbalance. |
You’d flag while climbing whenever you’re reaching with one hand on a steep overhang and feel your body starting to swing or "barndoor" away from the wall. For example, if your left hand is holding a good grip while your right hand reaches high, and both feet are directly under you, your body will naturally twist to the right. By taking your right foot off its hold and straightening that leg out to the side against the wall, you shift your center of gravity leftward, underneath your stable hand. This kills the swing, keeps your hips close to the wall, and gives you the balance needed to grab the next hold smoothly. In short: flag whenever a long reach makes you feel off-balance. |
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