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climbinggurl
Mar 27, 2005, 11:10 PM
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this may sound weird but now for the past 7 months i'm starting 2 get scared to go for a hold, or to lead! all my rock climbing friends suggested me to go and practice at a gym! so i do, and i can't help it, i just get scared to dyno now, i wont go for a hold, and i get scared to fall on lead! i don't wanna get scared but i can't oversome that!! can ne1 help me!?? what should i do!>?? :?:
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shiva523
Mar 27, 2005, 11:43 PM
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Sometimes regressions like this can occur. They can happen due to bad experiences, plateaus or little experience overall. Are you afraid to dyno because of self-confidence issues or do you feel insecure because you don't trust your belayer? Most of the people that I talk to that have phobias of lead falls, often have never taken a good lead fall. Have you ever fallen a good distance in a lead fall? Also, fear occurs when you people lead on grades past their limit. Are you leading a 5.12 when you can only climb a 5.10? Or could it be another issue with not trusting a belayer? For self confidence issues, I recommend getting into the gym or outside and get some practice. Get someone to spot you that you trust and don't think about going for holds you think you might miss. Just do it. You'll be surprised with what you can accomplish. And if you miss, you get up and try again. There's no satisfaction without the effort. PM me if you have further questions.
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climb512
Mar 28, 2005, 12:14 AM
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Good topic. I have been having the same problem the past few weeks. Ice climbing, leading safe and real strong. No real falls, I trust partners when belaying. Even climbing a grade below my limit I start to freeze, get the sweats. I doubt my self and ability. I manage to push through it with no problems, but dont want to get caught at my limit with this problem. Any suggestions would be a help here as well.
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nzland
Mar 28, 2005, 12:28 AM
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The only way to overcome your fear is to actualy take some falls and try moves you are very unlikely to stick. So do some indoor routes and dont clip the last draw and free fall from the top (things like this). and jump on routes that are out of your limit, a route where you are very likely to fall and keep at it till you can bust the moves without hesitation.
Also before a route you and your belayer can lean back just so you know that your safely on belay and your knotting is correct.
And the best thing is if you climb with a belayer you know and can trust.
hope this helps
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onbelay_osu
Mar 28, 2005, 12:46 AM
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as someone who proffesionally deals with peoples fear of heigts (i.e falling) my biggest piece of advice is that you ALWAYS must remember that fear is not real, it is only a mind game. now with that said i understand it is eaiser said than done to turn off the mind. some tips to help with that, breathe, breathe, and be confident with your climbing ability. i assume that you are relativly new to leading, (welcome to the fun side of climbing!) do not go into a leading situation thinking that since you got that sick 5.11 on TR that you can redpoint the climb on lead. work on easier climbs, i love to climb 5.6-5.8 esp. if you you are leading, but lower rated climbs tend to help build a confidence in your ability to either place gear, clip a bolt, and then more importanly clip your rope the first time you grab your rope. gym leading helps you can go and practice some falls gain some confidence with falling but in all realitly i never have seen a great connection with gym leading and outdoor leading, in the gym they can't affod to put a lot of run-out on thier routes.
always look forward on your routes, don't look down and freak out about the run out, that is when mistakes happen, and routes are bailed on (we all have done it) just keep focused on your movement and keep climbing. the next thing you know you will be at the top of a route with the best feeling in the world warming your inner cockels.
lastly have fun! that is probably the biggest piece of advise i can give enjoy your self on lead and focus on how much fun you are having and then all of a sudden all those inner voice conversations you are having about "what if i fall!!!" goes away. you are having the best time ever!
so i hope that helps! leading is a great way to climb, you can't beat the feeling on the top out! enjoy
Yours in Play
Grant
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climbinggurl
Mar 29, 2005, 4:03 AM
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well see, i do trust most people belaying me! when i lead i always get someone very trustworthy! but when i'm top roping i'l let all my friends belay me! see, i'm only a teenager, and i've only been climbing for 8months! and i climb 5.8s and not yet 5.10s or 5.9! for now i only climb 5.7s on lead! well here in garland we have lil rock climbing teams for teenagers so im in it! im pretty confident, and my coach will make me do it over and over, and he always says "you never be able to do it if you don't try it over and over!" i always remember that! but then i come to the part to dyno!! i haven't had a real fall, and he always says, if you fall you'll know how it feels, and whats the worst that can happen!? well i don't know! everyone is trying to help me on that! but i just can't seem to overcome that! well there's this guy named T.S. Elliot that said this very inpirering qoute, and i have become a little better after i heard it! its "only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go!
well if you have another advice PM me! PLZZ!!
tanx
allie 8^)
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curt
Mar 29, 2005, 4:14 AM
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You don't have to do anything; your fears are telling you something.
Curt
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jimdavis
Mar 29, 2005, 6:26 AM
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Try taking it one step at a time, get a good spot on the dyno, stack the pads, ect.
Leading is serious stuff though. Don't rush into, or back into, something your not feeling up to. The rock isn't going anywhere, take your time.
Cheers,
Jim
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azrockclimber
Mar 29, 2005, 12:27 PM
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well I have to admit that I regularly get scared...it is how you handle being scared that will elevate you to that next level. Dyno-ing is a very scary thing to do ...you are releasing yourself entirely from the rock..as a matter of fact I can't think of anything that feels less secure....
My suggestion here without going into too much detail is that you should not throw yourself into potentially scary situations right now..get on some trad routes that have gear available everywhere....get on some easier sport routes or routes that a fall would be very very safe...take a couple of practice falls form 1" abouve the bolt and work up to feet at bolt falls..etc..
as for right now don't get on a runout slab...or a poorly protected route with a bad fall...stick to stuff that you can feel good about...if it has to be very easy then it has to be very easy for awhile..These things do NOT come over night and as far as I am concerned are the most coveted values / skills that a rock climber can hope to attain. Give it some time and work at it with a positive attitude and say to yourself ...first off I have more balls than 90% of the peple on earth..so I am doing alright...start there and just work at it. You'll be fine and guess what even that best climbers will get skeebed out sometimes. It is part of. good luck and good question.
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b3a
Mar 29, 2005, 1:04 PM
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Registered: Apr 16, 2004
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Okay, this might sounds wierd. But, I find that the more I climb, the more afraid I am to lead. I could remember when I first started learning how to lead, I was not afraid to lead. Infact, I would hardly hesistate while on a route.
However, now, I always hesitate before any lead climb and halfway up, I tend to panic even though I am on an easy climb. I did have a fair amount of lead fall. Some were pretty big but most were minor, short falls. It's just that now I am more afraid to fall then when I first started.
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gochubug
Mar 30, 2005, 1:09 AM
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It sounds like your primary fear here is of dynos. I can't imagine any 5.7 and 5.8 routes that would involve any truly desperate dynos. So...
Try doing dyno-style moves to holds that you know you can reach static. Just crouch a little lower and move your hands and legs together in one smooth motion. Do that until it is comfortable, then up the ante a little and go for stretchier moves, but ones that you could still reach without a real dyno.
Try some dynamic moves bouldering a couple feet off the floor with a crash pad and spotter. Ease into going for holds that are just a little out of reach. All skills take practice and this one takes maybe a little more than most.
As for lead falls, the advice already given to take practice falls in the gym is the way to go. But before you fall on a bolt, even from just above it, practice a few falls on TR, adding more and more slack into the system each time until you are falling several feet. Then once you get used to what a fall feels like, start taking short falls onto the bolts. Just be sure you have a belayer who can hold a lead fall, even on the TR falls, because the jolt is a bit of a shock if they haven't held one before.
Fear is most often caused by the unknown, and when the things that scare you cease to be unknown, then hopefully you can grow past the fear.
Good luck :D
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microbarn
Mar 30, 2005, 2:00 AM
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In reply to: i climb 5.8s and not yet 5.10s or 5.9! for now i only climb 5.7s on lead! In reply to: It sounds like your primary fear here is of dynos. I can't imagine any 5.7 and 5.8 routes that would involve any truly desperate dynos.
When you are climbing 5.8's dynos at the 5.7 level can feel as desparate as any dyno you think is hard. I would come back at you and say, "If you climbed 5.15, no dyno at 5.12 would feel desparate."
Despite your lack of sympathy to her efforts on climbing, I think you do have good advice. Dyno's become much easier the more practice you have doing them. So, do them close to the ground while bouldering and with a spotter. The lead advice has been good so far too. Maybe forget about this climb and come back to it in a year after you have practiced.
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gochubug
Mar 30, 2005, 5:42 AM
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In reply to: Despite your lack of sympathy to her efforts on climbing, I think you do have good advice.
Anyway, I forgot to mention something important in the earlier post. If you do practice the slack line falls on TR, don't use the static ropes that they usually have in the gym. Set the TR with your lead rope from a QD clipped up high. And be sure to do it on an overhanging wall so you don't swing into the wall or hit a protruding hold as you drop.
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akicebum
Mar 30, 2005, 5:58 AM
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Registered: Sep 2, 2003
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Take a break.
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runnit
Apr 1, 2005, 3:13 AM
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Registered: Feb 15, 2005
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How often are you getting out on lead? I reckon frequency is a massive thing for confidence. Over the Chrissy break I was climbing heaps and starting to red point/flash 20s (I'm not sure about the conversion to YDS), lately I've slackened off a little and I'm feeling my comfort level being down around 17/18 now.
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guangzhou
Apr 1, 2005, 3:55 AM
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In reply to: as someone who proffesionally deals with peoples fear of heigts (i.e falling) my biggest piece of advice is that you ALWAYS must remember that fear is not real, it is only a mind game. now with that said i understand it is eaiser said than done to turn off the mind. some tips to help with that, breathe, breathe, and be confident with your climbing ability.
To say that fear is not real is a farce. If you professionally deal with this everyday, then you would know this. Just the fact that people have to learn to put up with it, makes it real.
A better way to phrase what you claim is: They are two types of Fears. Real and perceived.
Real Fear normally involves life/death situation and serious risk of Injury. In situations where real fear is present, our body reacts with the Fight or Flight Reflex. Another words, it defends itself from the cause.
Perceived fears are the fears that people can learn to eliminate and or learn to “control.” Normally, when these perceived fear occur, the body’s reaction is to freeze. “The Deer In the Headlights Look.”
One way to overcome you fear is to simply move, even if it is down a couple of moves. Once you have done that, you can reevaluate the situation and decide whether or not the risk involved is worth the end product. In many cases, moving down (or up/sideways) two or three moves will promptely free you of your fear. Action is the key. Do something.
Real fear keeps us alive. Perceived fear is normally what put us in more danger.
To say that all fear is false and not real is completely delusional.
If you doudt me, ask a soldier who has actually been in a real combat zone. I cop who has been under fire.
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wayfare
Apr 1, 2005, 4:19 AM
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Registered: Mar 18, 2005
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Just take practice falls. Fall alot and you'll get use to falling. Its really that simple.
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obe
Apr 1, 2005, 4:22 AM
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I just got back from the gym, and at the the gym I took a 15 footer on a 5.9+ while attempting to clip. :oops: I still have butter flies in my stomach, and it was a pretty clean fall. If you make sure you have these things you should be alright.
1. A belayer that you have total faith in.
2. The gear and rope or a 100% safe.
3. Your feet are not behind the rope.
4. Your knot is good.
5. The dyno is smooth.
6. You believe in yourself.
If you have all of these things there should not be anything to worry about.
If anybody else can add anything to the list please do.
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