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thecornflake
Oct 15, 2005, 2:21 PM
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Hi,
I haven't actually done any rock climbing yet, although I've always wanted to. I have a fear of heights, and on a school activity holiday a few years ago when they did abseiling (about 50 foot I think) I couldn't get over my fear enough to do it.
However, I've decided that I'd like to try and overcome my fear, and done some basic research. Bouldering seems to be a good way to learn the techniques and perfect for me as it's close to the ground. Am I right in thinking this?
Also, any tips for beginners would be great, as would hearing from climbers in the UK (I come from Kent).
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markanite
Oct 15, 2005, 3:32 PM
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As soon as you increase your knowledge and trust the gear more that fear will decrease. Ask questions and don't be an idiot :).
Oh ya ... bouldering is a fun way to do it but do some Top roping as well.
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skidawg
Oct 15, 2005, 3:38 PM
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I agree...go with someone that knows how to climb, and have them give you a really tight toprope. My dad is afraid of heights, and after bugging him for years about climbing we finally went to vantage, and I toproped him. He was afraid the first time, but warmed up quick once he realized how safe the top rope felt, and said he'd actually want to do it again soon. Good luck...it'll come with time.
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thecornflake
Oct 15, 2005, 4:45 PM
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I saw top-roping recommended for beginners as well, but wasn't sure about how safe I'd feel. Although once I have trust in the ropes I'll be ok.
It's only heights I don't trust or don't feel safe that bother me - I'll happily stand on a high bridge or on top of a cliff because I know it's safe. The problem I had with the abseiling was trusting the rope enough to go over the edge.
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ddt
Oct 15, 2005, 4:53 PM
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Hi thecornflake,
Welcome to the site! There's a lot of good information here to get you started. Browse the beginners forum or do some text searches and you'll quickly find a lot of good tips and pointers. The best advice I can give you though is to hook up with someone that can show you the ropes.
Rockclimbing in all its forms is an amazing sport, so I hope you push through with this! Many others have overcome their fear of heights, and you can definitely do it too. :)
DDT
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deltav
Oct 17, 2005, 3:46 PM
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If trusting the gear is your main issue, I suggest you check out the specs on some of the stuff. Nearly all climbing or abseiling gear will quite literally hold up a truck. There is very little to worry about. So try it, and I'm sure that you will begin to feel more comfortable right away.
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bill413
Oct 17, 2005, 3:56 PM
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One odd, but helpful thing that I have found -
If I'm walking or hiking and come to the top of a cliff, it can be scary to look out over it or stand too near to it. However, if I've climbed up it, I'm much more comfortable with the height.
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wjca
Oct 17, 2005, 4:15 PM
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I tried bouldering when I first started climbing, but didn't have the strength for it at the time. It took a while for me (and I would imagine the same would apply to a lot of average people) to develop the strength (both muscle and tendon) to boulder effectively without getting injured. Don't jump right into bouldering if you don't have the strength foundation to support the moves, or else soft tissue injuries await. Try toproping with some experienced climbers who are accustomed to people with altitude aversions.
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euancranston
Oct 17, 2005, 6:17 PM
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In reply to: Don't jump right into bouldering if you don't have the strength foundation to support the moves, or else soft tissue injuries await.
Just out of interest (as i still get the occasional twinge in my elbows) whats the best way to develop the muscles/tendons in your arms to avoid such injury, with free weights for example? One of my friends is a boxer (good one too!) he recommended doing purely "wrist curls" with light weights?
I want to start increasing the muscle on my arms, but he recommends strengthening them first........ slightly confused..... PM me if you wish - not to distract from the topic here.
By the way one of the reasons I took up climbing was to get over my fear of heights. If you join a gym you can just "rainbow climb" on any old holds top roping and just go to the height you feel comfortable with and gradually get used to the rope and height. It worked for me! :shock:
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bobruef
Oct 17, 2005, 6:54 PM
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thecornflake -
I have what I consider to be a healthy aversion to heights. For me, this is one of the things that makes climbing fun.
Being still new to the sport, I love being out on lead, with every *instinct* telling me that this isn't safe/wise, while my logical side tries to counteract those emotions through faith in my system. It is a mental struggle that is becoming less prevalent, the more I climb, but overcoming my mind's natural panic mode has proved very rewarding.
The more you learn about the sport, the more research you do on your gear's limitations, and the more time you spend climbing, you will become comfortable with your own abilities, and overcome your fear.
Your original post mentioned what sounded like a much greater fear than I had to deal with, but in tackling that fear head on, and excelling in a new sport that deals exclusively with this weakness, you will experience great personal growth.
The best thing you can do is turn that fear of heights into a healthy respect. Bouldering will not do this for you, but it will help you with your technique. Start in a safe environment where you tackle the height issue under instruction, and on easier climbs. You shouldn't have trouble finding climbs in a gym that turn out to be more like a ladder than a rock surface. If you want to just enjoy the movement of climbing without dealing with your fear of heights, then by all means boulder on. But I think in the long run, you'll get more satisfaction and exhilaration out of roped climbing.
Have fun and good luck!
-Bob
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wjca
Oct 17, 2005, 7:03 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Don't jump right into bouldering if you don't have the strength foundation to support the moves, or else soft tissue injuries await. Just out of interest (as i still get the occasional twinge in my elbows) whats the best way to develop the muscles/tendons in your arms to avoid such injury, with free weights for example? One of my friends is a boxer (good one too!) he recommended doing purely "wrist curls" with light weights? I want to start increasing the muscle on my arms, but he recommends strengthening them first........ slightly confused..... PM me if you wish - not to distract from the topic here. By the way one of the reasons I took up climbing was to get over my fear of heights. If you join a gym you can just "rainbow climb" on any old holds top roping and just go to the height you feel comfortable with and gradually get used to the rope and height. It worked for me! :shock:
Unfortunately the best way that I know of is to climb. Climb a lot. Don't follow the crowd that is in the gym or at the crag simply chasing numbers. Stick with what you can climb and keep climbing until you naturally develop the forearm and finger strength (both muscle and tendon) to move onto the smaller holds that come along with more difficult climbs. As your ability, as a beginner, to move from 5.7 to 5.8 to 5.9 and so develops, so to is your strength to climb these routes developing naturally. It really is quite simple. If you can't climb 5.10 in the gym because you can't grab the holds, its because you're not strong enough and you're not ready to climb at that level. Just get out or in, climb and have fun. Listen to what your body is telling you about what its ready for.
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bnh1985
Oct 17, 2005, 9:39 PM
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personally I would go with toproping because if you fall the rope hurts a lot less than the ground. I don't know about anyone else but I feel safer attached to the rope than if im just bouldering
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