Hi all,
I just wanted to share that recently I recognized that I'd allowed a fear of falling to become part of my climbing. I think it was a gradual process, kind of sneaking up on me. I did some reading about it (see here) and find it very interesting how it can occur. Basically you acquire some skill, then seek to protect or preserve that skill, avoiding things that might challenge you too much. Before long you are standing on a very small island with no room to move.

Anyway, I started doing this trick in the climbing gym today called "clip dropping." After that I could lead much closer to my limit, and generally felt more creative, free and happy on the lead. This trick managed to introduce (hysterical) laughter back to an aspect of climbing that had become gradually grimmer and dimmer over a while. I can't wait to get back to the gym in a few days.

An article about the technique is here. Check it out if you think you have developed an irrational fear of falling in safe sport climbing situations.

--Michael

I just think, as long as I have fun before I die, I'll be happy!

Seems like the technique might be kind of hard on your rope?

McCannster wrote:Seems like the technique might be kind of hard on your rope?

That's why you do it at the gym... Use their cords.

Conspiracy theory: Rope makers invented sport climbing.

mvs wrote:Hi all,
I just wanted to share that recently I recognized that I'd allowed a fear of falling to become part of my climbing. --Michael

Never thought about it but this is exactly what's happened to me as well. Thank you very much for making me realize this problem and for the link to a solution! Come to think about it - my friends don't fall on sport routes too often. As a result I'm not very solid on a dynamic belay technique and that isn't good!

I'd really recommend checking out Rock Warriors Way. His basis is:

Analyze the situation before hand. Is there a good reason to be scared about something. If the scary part is grounded in reality, it may be a good idea to walk away. And when you do walk away don't have regrets.

If the risk is reasonable-
-do it, don't think about is it scary or not but concentrate on what you are doing
you may have assessed it wrong below and may need to re-assess the situation mid-route but make it based on facts.
- don't think about success or failure. Those are outcomes you have no control over whereas climbing, protecting the climb,.... are thinks that you can control.

We all need to work on it. I have to say that right now I am trad climbing hardedr then I sports climb, so I should work on it also.

Hotoven wrote:I just think, as long as I have fun before I die, I'll be happy!

I think as long as I have fun and don't die, I'll be happier.

mconnell wrote:

Hotoven wrote:I just think, as long as I have fun before I die, I'll be happy!

I think as long as I have fun and don't die, I'll be happier.

Ohh How I love believing in an afterlife much better than this one!

Thanks, good points all. I read a couple of chapters of Rock Warriors Way at the Chief's house last November. He was already pushing me in this direction, but only now did I really see the need to reinvent internally. Looks like I'll get that book as a Christmas present if I'm good...

Definitely something I still haven't dealt with. I've exclusively trad climbed and never really done any sport since I started roping up. I've taken a couple of clean whippers but still get totally sketched on routes at the edge of my ability (mentally) that I can cruise on toprope. Maybe I should try sport climbing more.

I have stuggled with this for awhile also. I have yet to take a fall outside, sport or otherwise. I try to get use to leading at my ability in the gym by only leading. At the gym I will not top rope unless I do not have someone there that can lead belay.

I am now considerable more comfortable leading sport in the gym, however I'm not certain this is going to be reflected when climbing outside. My goal for the upcoming summer is to jump on some big overhanging sport routes to push myself past my comfort level. Hopefully I will have new found confidence that will also help while leading trad. I'm confident in most of my placements - it's just a mental thing for me.

What gets my heart racing is when I need to clip from a strenuous or thin stance (whether there's a better stance one move higher or that I'm just missing is a separate but related issue). I hate feeling like I'm about to blow the clip because I can see how much rope is out. Having a skilled belayer helps physically in expediting the clip and psychologically in knowing I won't fall farther than I deserve to.

At the gym, I instruct my belayer to deny my requests for tension if I haven't fallen on the route yet.

outofstep80 wrote:My goal for the upcoming summer is to jump on some big overhanging sport routes to push myself past my comfort level.

Why wait until the summer?

[quote="
Why wait until the summer?[/quote]

Got something in mind? I'm game for whatever.

FortMental wrote:OK....how about this problem.... you train your body to relax and not waste energy overcrimping. Then, without any warning whatsover, your hands just pop off the holds.

I can think of a related argument: "I'm not going to train myself to fall because then when it counts I won't be conditioned to hang on at all costs."

I think both arguments are comforting and can be adhered too if you want to climb to 5.9 or so. But if you want to climb 5.11 you have to leave them on the side (apologies to super strong 5.11 climber guys and girls who overcrimp and never fall, they are surely out there ).

I'm really interested in this clip drop exercise. Even tho I don't climb indoors i would really like to try it on some outdoor sport routes, very interesting stuff, thanks for the link mvs