What is the belayer command to advise climber rope is behind them?

I just took a fall with the rope wrapping around my ankle, with my ankle partly catching my fall and flipping upside down. (Not as bad as this thankfully, but the same idea: youtu.be/3676PpvKhiQ). A little painful and I’d like to avoid doing that again lol, and I’m also going to try and more carefully look out for this when belaying too. 

If I am belaying someone climbing with rope behind their leg, is there a standard command I can call out to succinctly communicate this to them?

Should I just say “watch the rope”, “get the rope in front of you”, “get the rope between you and the wall”? None of these seem especially succinct. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.

"watch your leg/foot" is what I tend to say 

I’m not sure of the official language for rope behind the legs. I’m in the camp of keeping chatter to a minimum unless an accident is imminent.

I’ve had partners tell me before, but 99% of the time I’m aware of it, sometimes a move will just put your leg in that position and you make a point to correct it asap.

It’s sort of like when you take a minor stumble walking down a trail and someone asks “are you ok?!”, and you find yourself annoyed because you’re obviously ok and wish that they didn’t say anything at all, even though they are clearly trying to be helpful. Make sense?

Cronwrote:

I’m not sure of the official language for rope behind the legs. I’m in the camp of keeping chatter to a minimum unless an accident is imminent.

I’ve had partners tell me before, but 99% of the time I’m aware of it, sometimes a move will just put your leg in that position and you make a point to correct it asap.

It’s sort of like when you take a minor stumble walking down a trail and someone asks “are you ok?!”, and you find yourself annoyed because you’re obviously ok and wish that they didn’t say anything at all, even though they are clearly trying to be helpful. Make sense?

I think that the question is more applicable to beginner climbers who either don’t know better or don’t have the awareness to catch and correct it. Even still, more experienced climbers can get tunnel vision focused on getting through some tough terrain and make a mistake.

Really, the question is based off some assumption that all climbers communicate like radio operators which is just not true.
If you see your partner making a mistake that could have consequences give them a call out that will be concise and easy to understand, like, “hey, watch your leg”. There is no “command”.

If it looks to be unnoticed by the climber or imminent danger,  I like “watch your rope”

how about "ROPE, RIGHT FOOT!!!" 

succinct, details the two items they need to look at, allows them to decide if they have the stance/positioning/strength to hop the foot over/under the rope.

Say anything except "back stepping".  Otherwise, everybody will know you are a gym gumby employee that doesn't know the phrase "back stepping" is already taken. 

“YGD!”

"Left leg" or "right leg"

just call up “watch your foot”…. Often the climber is aware and climbing out of it

Greg Dwrote:

Say anything except "back stepping".  Otherwise, everybody will know you are a gym gumby employee that doesn't know the phrase "back stepping" is already taken. 

The gym gumby employees have already altered the original meaning of back clipping.  Might as well concede back stepping too.

Eric Engbergwrote:

The gym gumby employees have already altered the original meaning of back clipping.  Might as well concede back stepping too.

Wait, what else does back clipping mean besides what it should mean?

And to answer the original question, I typically say "watch your [right/left] foot."

Elliot Kwrote:

Wait, what else does back clipping mean besides what it should mean?

And to answer the original question, I typically say "watch your [right/left] foot."

Out doors when one is leading and about to clip a draw to a bolt (assuming no perma-draw) attention should be made so that the gate of the rope end biner is facing away from the expected direction of travel (of the climber continuing above the bolt).  If the climber expects the next sequence to go up and right then face the gate to the left - and visa versa.  (it's a bit more nuanced but that is the basic idea).  If you had the gate and the direction of travel the same direction then that used to be called "back clipped".  In the gym context the bolts are permanent and for the most part the draws are too.  Its rare for a route setter to flip the draw 180 degrees after they set a new route - so the result is that the climber will be back clipped in the old way even if then are not back clipped according to the gym "rules". 

Eric Engbergwrote:

If you had the gate and the direction of travel the same direction then that used to be called "back clipped".

Isn't rope entering carabiner towards the rock when clipping considered backclipping?

From - http://blog.alpineinstitute.com/2013/11/backclipping.html 

amariuswrote:

Isn't rope entering carabiner towards the rock when clipping considered backclipping?

From - http://blog.alpineinstitute.com/2013/11/backclipping.html 

Yes, this is the definition of back-clipping - nothing to do with which way the gate is facing (although that is a separate concern).

Eric Engbergwrote:

If you had the gate and the direction of travel the same direction then that used to be called "back clipped".

Since when? I’ve never heard this in 25 years.

Marc Hwrote:

Since when? I’ve never heard this in 25 years.

26 years ago.  Do you ever worry about which way you orient the bottom biner on the draw?  Or do you base it just on the way the top biner aligns with the hanger or bolt?  

Eric Engbergwrote:

Do you ever worry about which way you orient the bottom biner on the draw? 

Worry? No. I attempt to orient the bottom biner when possible. But there are times when you will be on both sides of a bolt before reaching the next bolt, so it’s not possible to have it perfectly oriented at all times. Backclipping as pictured above is an actual concern.

Or do you base it just on the way the top biner aligns with the hanger or bolt?

What is “it?”

Aaron K wrote:

I can't really imagine the mechanism by which the gate facing the wrong way could cause unclipping, that is, assuming its not backclipped. Even if the rope is coming tight against the gate during a fall, the rope would be applying outward force against the gate.

i have seen a draw get unclipped once, and the biner in the bolt break once during falls. one of the times (broken biner) a guy flew out on a helicopter and i don't know if he made it or not.  there are videos out there that show how movement of the rope can unclip a quickdraw.  i am pretty particular about how i clip them, and in some situations will use a locker.

agree with others above though about "backclippinb" and not calling it "backstepping". just tell them to get their leg out of the rope.

Aaron K wrote:

I can't really imagine the mechanism by which the gate facing the wrong way could cause unclipping, that is, assuming its not backclipped. Even if the rope is coming tight against the gate during a fall, the rope would be applying outward force against the gate.

Some have shown the real concern with biner orientation is the bolt side biner of the draw. It should be placed with the spine towards the direction of travel on a wandering route. This prevents the rope from pulling the nose of the biner onto the the hanger where it can “hook” and then cross load the biner in a fall.