This phrase is said by a spotter to a climber who is making a hard unprotected move (by gear or pads). “I’ve got your spot” is how the spotter signals to the climber that the climber is free to try–and try hard. This phrase means, “If for some reason you don’t make that move, I’m right here to protect you and your head from a harmful fall.” Well, for those of you new to climbing: I’ve got your spot.
My goal with this blog is to help those new to climbing navigate the wonderful world and community of climbing. I am by no means an expert at climbing; however, my three years of experience does qualify me as an expert new climber. I still vividly remember the nerves from walking into a climbing gym or up to an outside climb for the first time. On this site, I will share knowledge and advice about climbing that I (and people much wiser and smarter than me) have accumulated over time.
My first tidbit of advice is that for the average person climbing isn’t easy–if it is, you should probably be climbing something harder. The challenges presented by the sport are what make climbing fun. With that in mind, you should never feel bad or embarrassed about struggling with a route or move that someone else can do with twice the grace and half the grunting. The person climbing four grades harder than you more than likely feels the exact same frustration and struggle with a route or move (s)he is working on.
So go climb something. Climbing something fun; climbing something hard. Just remember: I’ve got your spot. (Maybe get an actual person to physically spot you, though.)
The Crux of Exposure 