Honestly... I can't think of anything worse than taking practice falls on slab. If you truly slip on hard slab you usually don't have time to turn around. Just make sure the rope stays away from your ankles.

I'm not familiar with the slabs in NC.

If the slab is smooth enough, a short practice fall wouldn't be a big deal. Say on toprope (or equivalent) climb a few feet up to get some slack and slide back down.

The turn and run can work for a while, but when it fails, it get ugly. I don't advise.

If I am worried about a slab fall, I wear kneepads and long pants (and I have thought about trying to wear leather wrist cuffs, but haven't actually).

As always, when leading, try to keep the rope position so it won't flip you. If you slide on a slab, I would try and stay facing the rock.

My longest slab fall was ~30+ feet. Outside of some abrasion to the palms of my hands (the reason I've thought about leather cuffs), no damage (well, my shoes did indeed need a resole), but it was a slick, smooth slab (Yosemite apron).

Did you fall on marginal? I like that route, but it has some good sized slides if you get it wrong.

I'm a NC climber with my sights set high on a big slab climb at a remote climbing destination in western NC called Laurel Knob. I've climbed slab before in NC at the rather infamous Stone mountain but am yet to take a lead fall on slab. Due to the high runout nature of the route (Groover) I am looking to do, I'd like to have a few practice falls under my belt and was considering doing these at Stone mountain this fall on a training trip there (stone being much closer a drive for me). I recently read Arno's "The Rock Warrior's Way" where he describes building up to taking lead falls (top rope, short lead fall, moderate lead fall, large-ish lead fall) - but is there a trick to falling on slab? I've heard 'jump out' and I've heard 'lay down' and the joking (I think) 'turn and run down' - what do you more experienced folk think?

What everyone has told you is: falling on run-out slab is something to be avoided; the pro will keep you from getting killed (maybe) but is no guarantee that you won't get hurt; practicing is just as bad as an actual fall; do harder but better protected stuff first until you know you won't fall on the run-out grade you're contemplating.

I'm a NC climber with my sights set high on a big slab climb at a remote climbing destination in western NC called Laurel Knob. I've climbed slab before in NC at the rather infamous Stone mountain but am yet to take a lead fall on slab...

OP, this the answer you should be listening to.

Jay

I'm gonna + 2 this and add another reason to opt for the harder stuff.

If you really want to "practice slab falls", you could do it without going to the crag. Just have a friend tie you to his bumper and drive down the street, dragging you along, then stop and have him hit your ankle with a hammer.

Well, first of all, there is no such thing as a "practice fall." You either fall or you don't. I see what you mean though. Falling at Stone is a bit less of a situation than what a fall at LK could turn into.

That said, a slab fall is scary and dangerous and you should never do it on purpose. Best thing to do, and I think Arno would agree, is to get up on Groover with the idea that the climb is well within your limits. You should be focusing all of your attention on doing the movements correctly and getting good contact with the rock.

I got a little cocky on my first trip to Stone and fell/slid about 40 feet down one of the 10s above the tree ledge. It sucked, but I ended up being OK because I was relaxed about it and didn't freeze up and panic. I've since taken a few more similar bouldering falls that turned out no worse.

The key is that you have to stay relaxed and balanced. If you tense up, you'll stand up, and fall backwards into a tumble that could turn you inside out.

When you come off, try not to move your body too much. Don't stand up, don't lay down, and certainly don't try to turn around and run... that is just not gonna happen.

Stay in your basic slab climbing position but lean forward an inch or two. This takes just a bit of weight off your feet, letting them slide. If you stand up too much, you'll transfer weight onto your feet, they'll stop sliding, and you'll flip. While you're sliding, try to pat the rock with your hands to keep them, and your face, from grinding on the rock. This is pretty hard and I failed to do it correctly so I took some skin off my palms but I was climbing again after about 10 days. Better to scrape the skin off your hands than it is to flip over backwards so even sliding on your hands isn't such a bad thing (but it does suck). You don't use your hands at Stone so it doesn't really matter. I got back up and finished the pitch after I fell, leaving bloody hand prints on the granite.

If you do it right, you'll need a resole, a new set of boxers, and of course another slab to wear them on.