The correct technique for belaying

In rock climbing, belaying is a technique used to control the rope so that a falling climber will not fall very far and will be caught by the rope. The belayer is the person in control of the ropes as the climber is climbing up the wall or rock. The belayer passes the rope through a belay device, which allows the rope to flow freely while the climber is climbing. In the event of a fall, the belay device will lock off the rope to stop the fall. If a climber were to fall, the belayer would be able to hold the entire weight of the climber and to help lower them to an area where they may continue climbing.

The belayer should keep the rope locked off in the belay device whenever the climber is not moving. As the climber moves on the climb, the belayer must make sure that the climber has the right amount of rope by paying out or pulling in excess rope. If the climber falls, then they will free-fall the distance of the slack or unprotected rope before friction applied by the belayer will start to slow their descent. Too much slack on the rope will increase the distance which may be fallen, but too little slack on the rope may prevent the climber from being able to continue to move up the rock. It is extremely important for the belayer to concentrate on the climber's situation, as their role is crucial for the climber's safety.