What are the widely accepted "rules" for starting and sending a sport climb?

Recently, I attempted a sport route where there was a pretty good hold just out of standing reach. Right beside me, almost directly under the hold, was a small boulder (about 2 ft tall) which existed naturally. I wasn't sure if it was either intended or "fair game" to step up on this boulder to begin my climb or if I had to start from the dirt beside it. Being unsure and not wanting to spoil my first try, I jumped up the 4 inches or so, caught the hold, and climbed from there.

This got me thinking... "Is jumping to start accepted?" If so, if I jump for the hold and miss, is that considered an attempt (I would assume so since I would have had "intent to climb") or does the attempt begin when I hold my body weight off the ground? Also, thoughts on whether the boulder would've been fine as well?

I know there is also some flexibility with different beta for what is considered on/off route. While there's likely no exact answer for every scenario, what's a good way for me to know about how far left/right I am allowed to wander? The rule of thumb I've had for myself so far has been as long as I can clip every bolt then I am on-route and can tick the send. Is that a fair standard?

While I know at my level, nobody really cares if I "sent" the route or not, I still want to be sure my ticks are honest for my own personal sense of accomplishment, as well as to respect the bolter and others who have climbed it properly. I am a pretty new climber and am wanting to make sure I get off on a good foot with these things. Thank you all for your help and advice!

The only rules are those playing with your head. That is in the big scheme of things it does not matter. The only thing that matters what you tell others. And then it only matters if you tell others. In other words go have fun. Because as Alex Lowe said "the best climber is the one having the most fun."

1) Sit start

2) Victory whip

These are universal requirements, even for trad, snow, and ice climbs. I don't make the rules, I merely enforce them. 

Whatever allows you to sleep at night and still feel like you sent that 5.12a.

As a corollary, here's another oft-quoted maxim: "There's no cheating in climbing, only lying." So the only rule is to be transparent and accurate when communicating with others regarding how you climbed the route, especially if you are qualifying your ascent with terms like redpoint, flash or onsight.

Jump starts: totally under your human power, jumping is sometimes a part of climbing, all gouda.

Start cairns / "cheater blocks:" This is a bit of a grey area because some walls are more subject to erosion (such as the "Kentucky starts" at the Red) and the start becomes reachier over the years. Some people claim that starting blocks just help keep the route at its original grade. I've seen some real Tower of Babel starts in many different states. It all kind of depends on the route.

Re: what is laterally "off-route," you're right -- the general idea is that you stay within arm's length of the bolt line, unless the route is traversing.

Mostly, Sawyer, I just replied to commend you on asking this question in a well-written and well-thought-out way. It's a pleasure to engage with developing climbers who have obviously spent some time working through their question. Now if you could just get my middle school students to do the same ... ;-)

Come back soon, and climb on, friend!

You’re a speck on a blue marble hurtling through the endless void of space. Climb it however you want. 

You are referencing what some would call a “cheater stone.” That term denotes a certain judgment. If some really difficult reach was cutting me off from a good route though, I’d jump or step off a stone without feeling bad.

As far as on/off holds, if that is a really common problem where you climb, it may be more of an issue of routes being contrived. Or maybe there are variations.

Whatever rules comport with your sense of challenge, fairness, and safety is what really counts.

Despite the medium, none of this is set in stone.

It’s good that you understand the insignificance of such concerns, while also wanting clarity!

These things are fluid, and somewhat area-dependent.

For example, at a local quarry (where there are only a handful of routes, and people want to maximize their ability to make climbs easier/harder on a limited terrain), you will hear statements like “that side pull is off for a 10d”, or “you have to stay to the left of the drill scar, to do the 11b variation”.

In a tightly-grid-bolted places where routes split and cross-cross, you might read a route description stating that you need to move left after the 3rd bolt, and go around the arete, or something like that.

In places where the routes follow natural features, and are spread out, any path that you can reasonably piece together, while clipping the line of bolts, and keeping the falls reasonably non-pendulum-ed is fair game.

Sometimes the FA has a vision, but people find an easier path, and the route grade changes to an easier number to reflect that.

And sometimes people will argue forever about a certain rest being on/off, it would be a well-known contentious issue on this specific route, and some people would make it a point of pride to say that they had climbed the route without using the said rest, while other people would happily take the rest, and still tick it as the same grade. 

Thank you everyone for your responses! This was my first time posting on this forum and I am overwhelmed by all the friendly, funny, and genuinely helpful responses I have received.

Also, a special shout out to Fritz and Lena chita. Your explanations were well thought out and very thorough. I understand it takes time to do that and, on behalf of myself and other aspiring climbers, you are greatly appreciated!

Also, I live in eastern Kansas so yes, our routes can be very contrived haha

This is sport ascending so does it really make a difference how you started it.

Kevinmurray wrote:

This is sport ascending so does it really make a difference how you started it.

Sure it does. 

Sitting on the ground, for me? Climbing then becomes a team sport to haul my ass back to standing upright. Especially tricky for ice climbing.

Whenever I cheat, it's still totally fair, cuz it merely closes the height gap between my and Lynn Hill.

OP, for real, bouldering is where it gets even more specific and exact just what is on or off, for any particular problem and the endless variations thereof. Does that matter? Only if you want it to. My usual climbing style is to climb whatever next little bit seems the most interesting to me, on route or not, so long as it's safe ish. Sometimes, that even means trying a harder (for me) type of move, even if no one else would be doing so at the point on the rock. 

This is supposed to be fun, so the manufactured challenges of "rules" are pretty arbitrary. Just be straightforward with others about your abilities, like Fritz and others have said.

Watch the Olympic climbing, especially the women's bouldering, to see how the "rules" get creatively bent. Top-notch setters, figuring out problems to challenge world class athletes, about as forced and contrived as climbing can get....and those athletes nonetheless figure out ways to solve those problems that aren't the same as what was expected, or how the other athletes worked the problem!

Old lady H wrote:

Watch the Olympic climbing, especially the women's bouldering, to see how the "rules" get creatively bent. 

"Rules" are never bent. Comp climbers routinely break intended beta, though. Sometimes they do not break it intentionally - based on what commenter's say intended sequences may be not that intuitive.

Have fun

Don't die

Don't lie

Really it's very simple - first you start then you send. 

Fishermen

Gamblers

Climbers

Liars

Cheater stones are prevalent these days. Unless you’re yarding on rope or draws, it’s fine and most people will count it. It’s sport climbing anyways. Some people don’t even consider that real climbing. How’s that for the fragile ego?

As long as you don't chip the rock, glue a hold or climb with a ladder, climb as you like. You just did a dyno; nothing wrong with that.

"Is jumping to start accepted?"

Only if you dyno all the way up :)

Jaren W wrote:

Darn. Say goodbye to several thousand routes in the intermountain west.

No idea where that is, but even in certain areas of the world using cams and the like isn't allowed let alone the use of chalk which is banned; eg:

https://www.climbing.com/places/soft-stone-rigid-ethics-elbe-river-valley/

https://www.saechsische-schweiz.de/en/vacation/climbing

there are no  holds off limits in outdoor climbing. the bolter can not dictate where the natural line is. they may try but the line of chalk will tell you where the climb actually goes. 

Rules are the only thing that matter in climbing. There’s a special place in the world where they hold the rules sacred, and it’s the only place with real climbers.