|
maculated
Jul 17, 2004, 6:14 PM
Post #1 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 23, 2001
Posts: 6179
|
Hi all,
After a dismal showing on a 5.7 (albeit steep, off-width, and grovelly), I was one frustrated little climber. That night I sat down with a friend's copy of RWW and read it cover to cover. It said nothing I didn't already know, but it was the kick in the pants I needed to get over my irrational fear of falling.
And then I took some lead falls for a warm up and broke my knee.
Uhh, but still, I'm charging to get out there and push myself with the idea of warming up with falling. I did go back and lead a testpiece 5.9 a few days later on the broken knee with no incidents and ultra fun. I haven't been leading 5.9 trad in about a year, so it was nice to get back on the horse.
Thanks Arno.
|
|
|
|
|
dirtineye
Jul 18, 2004, 5:01 AM
Post #2 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 29, 2003
Posts: 5590
|
I think you should contact Arno for the details of falling practice before you get hurt again.
based on my experience in classes as well as a day of falling practice with Arno, you really want to back up your falling piece from above, and you should definately be hitting the rock with your feet and cushioning the impact with your legs.
You might want to choose the falling practice climb very carefully as well. it should be vertical and easy to climb, easy to pro, and have no prominent features to hit or go into.
How exactly did you bang your knee anyway?
|
|
|
|
|
maculated
Jul 20, 2004, 2:45 AM
Post #3 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 23, 2001
Posts: 6179
|
Dirt Curt,
Heheheheheh, the fall injury was entirely my fault. For the past 4 years I've been climbing with ZERO lead falls under my belt. I was doing falling practice and took what I thought was a 20 footer or so, but ANTICIPATED the rope (yeah yeah, don't do this) and brought my foot out toward the rock too soon. My belayer gave me slack so I fell longer than expected and thus . . . broken patella.
It's a stupid injury because I'm a bad faller.
|
|
|
|
|
jt512
Jul 20, 2004, 6:30 PM
Post #4 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 12, 2001
Posts: 21904
|
In reply to: Dirt Curt, Heheheheheh, the fall injury was entirely my fault. For the past 4 years I've been climbing with ZERO lead falls under my belt. I was doing falling practice and took what I thought was a 20 footer or so, but ANTICIPATED the rope (yeah yeah, don't do this) and brought my foot out toward the rock too soon. My belayer gave me slack so I fell longer than expected and thus . . . broken patella. It's a stupid injury because I'm a bad faller.
I'd say that your mistake was taking a 20-footer for your first intentional fall, having never taken a lead fall before. When your knee heals, start out with shorter falls -- like from a foot above the bolt -- and gradually increase the distance above the bolt -- like a foot at a time -- as you gain confidence in your ability to fall safely. I would also recommend that you do your practice falls with a belayer who will give you a proper dynamic belay.
-Jay
|
|
|
|
|
maculated
Jul 20, 2004, 10:46 PM
Post #5 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 23, 2001
Posts: 6179
|
Oh, I built up, that was my third fall: 2 feet, 8 feet, and I guess what I thought was 12 or so turned out tobe longer.
Thanks for the advice, though.
|
|
|
|
|
dirtineye
Jul 21, 2004, 11:41 PM
Post #6 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 29, 2003
Posts: 5590
|
Well here's the deal. With twelve feet of fall already, why would you need additional slack?
I'm leaning towrd blaming this knee boo-boo partly on the belayer. Sounds like you got extra slack a bit late in the fall, and that would be difficult to handle.
But, and without seeingthe actual fall it's really hard to say, perhaps you over anticipated your contact and had your legs too straight when you thought yo uwere about to hit? And maybe your feet were not in fromt of you enough, and this made it so that you were leading with your knees at the actual moment of truth?
When you get a little surprize near the end of a fall, it's very difficult if not impossible to do much about it though. You can develop a quick rezction, but it takes, uh, practice. hehe.
One other question, do you think the climb you were falling on was as well suited to the task as it could have been?
Remember they need to be very vertical, juggy and lacking prominent features to fall onto or into.
|
|
|
|
|
maculated
Jul 22, 2004, 1:13 AM
Post #7 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 23, 2001
Posts: 6179
|
Woah, this so totally did not need to become an analysis of my fall. I took a fall on something approaching vertical. It was not overhanging, but, at the same time, I NEVER climb overhanging anything, it's simply not realistic. In fact, anything around here that IS overhanging, I can't even get up.
I'm placing the blame squarely on me, simply because I've not taken any falls in the past so I don't really know the protocol. That's it. Off to read.
|
|
|
|
|
dredsovrn
Jul 22, 2004, 2:18 PM
Post #8 of 8
(4001 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 24, 2003
Posts: 1226
|
Congratulations on reading the book and actually putting thought into action. Way to go out there and push out of the comfort zone. No whining allowed as you have noted. Keep looking for the path, and don't be afraid to jump off it when it becomes habit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
