Fear of Falling on Lead
16 February 2010 - 4:54pm
It is said that the only instinctive fear that we are born with is the fear of falling. So many times I end up failing on a route, not beause i am not strong enough, not because my technique or endurance are poor but purely because that head is so scared that it takes control of the entire body, you panic, you flash pump, you shake and the list carries on.
See video clips of the pro's doing insanely hard routes, skipping like 4 bolts cause there is no time to stop and clip and then taking these MASSIVE 60ft falls without even a squeek. Where has that fear gone? How have they managed to control the only instinctive fear that we are born with?
How do you train your head, how do you convince yourself to push forward on hard routes on lead, focusing on the moves instead of the falls that you dread. What is the secret. Many a climber can easily say to just take then and you will get over them but I have seen climbers Freeze from fear.
Look forward to hear you guys and gals reply and comments.
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17 February 2010 - 7:38am
#2
i've read the rock warrior's way books (http://warriorsway.com/) and think they are useful - ymmv. the author discusses fall and the fear of falling quite a lot, and his technique for overcoming the fear essentially boils down to:
1. practicing lead falls so that you get more comfortable with them, ie. take a few falls from the bolt, then a foot up, two feet up, three feet up, and work your way up to some bigger falls so that they become mundane instead of scary,
2. assessing the situation you are in so that you accept that it is safe to fall (assuming that it is), ie. if you're worried about going for a move, look down, see that the last bolt is a metre below your feet, check that a fall won't land you on a ledge or whatever, decide if this situation is okay for taking a fall, then go for it,
3. suck it up.
one thing to bear in mind is the when you see guys on wicked hard routes they are often overhanging so massive falls will just be a big gentle sing in the air - a bit arse puckering the first time, but nothing to fear there. falls on slabs are far scarier because you'll be sliding and bouncing until the rope comes taut.
i try to take the time to take falls intentionally every week or two, and i do always pay attention to where i'm at relative to my last bolt / gear so that i can decide whether i want to do the next moves rather than try to ignore the situation and blindly hope for the best.
sucking it up, however, is key, and it'll eventually boil down to this. decide that you're going to try the moves, accept that you might fall, and then just f*cking do it. easier said than done, i know 
steve
22 February 2010 - 9:33am
#3
Thanks for that Steve, Well Said
24 March 2010 - 10:09pm
#4
New here, but can help myself. I just read Dave McLeod's book "9 out of 10 Climbers." His contention is that falling is a skill that must be practiced and maintained like any other in your climbing arsenal. It is not something you get over once and never have to deal with again. It is something you need to address and practice on a regular basis. Mostly by falling often. Steep sport climbing being a wonderful place to start.
take up bridge swinging or canyoning, where you tend to jump of rediculusly high sh*t all the time. that deals to the hights part of it... or the other way is to watch (or recreate if your smart enough/got the gear) gear being tested to destruction. always puts my faith back in how strong the stuff we use is!
failing either of those, climb at your limit all the time. one of two things will happen, you'll either get stupid strong and never fall cos your too scared. or you'll fall all the time thus training your brain that it is actually ok to take that whipper.
Slab climbing in 2 easy steps.
1. lips against rock
2. suck...