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ferret
Jun 7, 2004, 6:32 PM
Post #26 of 32
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Registered: Mar 10, 2004
Posts: 63
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my best advise other than what i have given already is dont stop and think about it too much when u are up there. from the bottom lay out ure moves and create a bit of a stratagy. once up there just trust to ureself and ure belayer and just GO for it. the longer u think about it the more pumped ure arms get and the more psyched ure mind gets. and most importantly have fun
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climb_plastic
Jun 7, 2004, 6:33 PM
Post #27 of 32
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Registered: Sep 24, 2003
Posts: 706
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I can't figure out why people are afraid to fall on top-rope. Unless the rope, your harness or the belay device or belayer fail then you're not going to fall when you let go. Just make sure the belayer is taking up slack reasonably well then all you're doing is letting go so you can sit in your harness. You really should be more worried when lowering because the locking mechanism is released and then controlling the speed of descent is all up to the belayer and it won't lock up again unless they let go of the release lever.
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guitar3287
Jun 7, 2004, 6:39 PM
Post #28 of 32
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Registered: May 21, 2004
Posts: 13
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I finally began leading sport routes a few weeks ago and had the same fear initially. So the guy who was teaching me decided we should head to the gym and take some lead falls there. We got on routes that were barely above our ability and took some big falls. This got me over that fear and have helped me calmly lead some more exposed routes as well.
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stickit
Jun 7, 2004, 7:05 PM
Post #29 of 32
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Registered: Jan 26, 2002
Posts: 59
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Yep, falling is some scary stuff! I first started leading sport routes in my first year of climbing (a little early for my ability). I took a good 30ft whipper because I had clipped between 2 routes and built up a bunch of slack. I almost decked on that one...didn't lead for 3 years after that. Valuable lessons learned! Now I climb Trad a lot more than sport (local crags and such). I don't particularly like to fall on gear but I DO trust my placements. As we gain more experience in the sport and become more comfortable with the equipment and systems we better understand the risks involved and how to mediate them. I am by no means suggesting that you don't know these things, nor am I trying to insult your ability/intelligence.
The hardest part of "getting your head in the game" is being able to move above your last piece. If you have the ability to climb the route and you have the ability to produce a sound placement then the fear you feel can actually enhance the experience of the climb. Don't fear your fear, use it and crank some bold stuff.
Good luck with it all Man, don't sweat the small stuff and above everything else enjoy yourself!
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mackavus
Jun 7, 2004, 7:13 PM
Post #30 of 32
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Registered: Aug 14, 2002
Posts: 322
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Take a 30 foot whipper... kinda worked for me...
after that it is still scary... but not as scary....
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nirvana
Jun 7, 2004, 7:23 PM
Post #31 of 32
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Registered: Jun 3, 2004
Posts: 138
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Leading seems to be helping me get over the fear. When I first started, I was afraid of falling on TR. After a while, that fear abated. When I started leading, the fear came back (and then some!), and even made me feel nervous on TR again.
Current solution: leading tougher routes seems to get rid of the fear, or, more accurately, being absorbed in the process of leading challenging routes is crowding out my fear of falling.
And a good thing to check, when you are feeling sketched, is your breathing. Take a yoga class and learn "ujayi" breathing (belly breathing). It really helps.
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bigga
Jun 7, 2004, 7:32 PM
Post #32 of 32
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Registered: May 25, 2002
Posts: 365
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try this at a bolted crag...
after you've led a climb and are cleaning on the way down, you find that when the angle gets negative and you need to unclip a runner, you'll have to grab a hold and ask your partner to give you slack so that you can weight yourself and loosen the tension in the rope. After you've freed the draw, what you probably normally do is ask your partner to take and then slowly sit on the rope again. Don't. Tell you're partner not to take in, and just jump backwards and up as high as you can. I know its the same as just asking for slack on a climb and then popping on purpose, but for some reason jumping on the clean-up seems to be alot funner, and therefore gets you over that fear much quicker. Also you probably clean after almost every lead so its more regular than making a point to fall.
Once you get over it though, don't keep doing it for fun, your rope will last longer. I'm generaly not scared of the fall, but sometimes on the first climb
I catch myself s***ing bricks and not doing moves because I'm calculating the distance of the fall if I screw up, I do one of these on the way back down with a Yeeehaaa and I'm good for the res of the day
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