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genevieve
Aug 12, 2004, 7:22 PM
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I started sport climbing last february, and I'm still afraid (i'm such a wuss) when I climb. I always feel uncomfortable when I do a "route" (how do you name this when it's in a gym) for the first time. I barely climb 5.8 (always with a nice shaky leg)...
How do you overcome your fears?
I'm desperatly waiting for some help.
Thanks.
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hiram
Aug 12, 2004, 7:25 PM
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pretend you are on tr.............
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genevieve
Aug 12, 2004, 7:29 PM
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In reply to: pretend you are on tr.............
Easy to say... not to do.
The fact is the rope is under me, not in my face. I can't pretend I'm on TR.
:(
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mother_sheep
Aug 12, 2004, 7:30 PM
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I can sooooo relate to this!!! I felt like I was never going to overcome my fears. Sad to say but even on TR I would shake. The more I climbed the less scared I became. If you love climbing, just stick with it. I believe it will get better if you stick with it. Good luck!
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vegastradguy
Aug 12, 2004, 7:31 PM
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fall.
get up to the second bolt, have your belayer prep to catch a fall, and let go. make sure you've clipped the second bolt and theres not enough slack in the system to cause a groundfall.
sounds like you need to learn to trust both your belayer and your gear.
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genevieve
Aug 12, 2004, 7:34 PM
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In reply to: I can sooooo relate to this!!! I felt like I was never going to overcome my fears. Sad to say but even on TR I would shake. The more I climbed the less scared I became. If you love climbing, just stick with it. I believe it will get better if you stick with it. Good luck!
I must say that I'm afraid of heights... When I started climbing in august 2003, I was really afraid on TR. But since I sport climb, I'm not afraid anymore on TR...
But for now, it's seems that my fear won't go away... :?
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genevieve
Aug 12, 2004, 7:35 PM
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In reply to: fall. get up to the second bolt, have your belayer prep to catch a fall, and let go. make sure you've clipped the second bolt and theres not enough slack in the system to cause a groundfall. sounds like you need to learn to trust both your belayer and your gear.
Take a fall on the second bolt?!? :shock:
Usually, I only feel safe when I've clipped the third or fourth one...
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glowering
Aug 12, 2004, 7:41 PM
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Courage is not the lack of fear, it's the conquering of it.
Fear is good. It helps keep you from doing stupid things.
Overcome your fear by double-checking your tie in and belay, thinking what will happen if I fall and picturing the rope catching you safely, say "watch me" before a hard move, get some mileage on easy routes to get comfortable leading, then try a harder overhanging route (so you don't hit the wall) and climb until you fall (don't rest or hand dog keep pushing until you fall) with every fall you will get more comfortable with it.
Then when you are finally used to it, start all over again with trad leading and learn to trust natural gear. 8^)
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killclimbz
Aug 12, 2004, 7:50 PM
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Lead, lead, lead, lead, lead. Lead just about everything you get on. Find a route that is just a little too hard for you to do without taking a few hangs. Work that route over, focus on the moves, go for it, take the falls, go for it again.
As long as your belayer is attentive and the route is well protected you shouldn't get hurt, so you are going to have to force yourself to climb through the bs that makes you nervous. Redpointing routes is perfect for this.
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mother_sheep
Aug 12, 2004, 7:59 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I can sooooo relate to this!!! I felt like I was never going to overcome my fears. Sad to say but even on TR I would shake. The more I climbed the less scared I became. If you love climbing, just stick with it. I believe it will get better if you stick with it. Good luck! I must say that I'm afraid of heights... When I started climbing in august 2003, I was really afraid on TR. But since I sport climb, I'm not afraid anymore on TR... But for now, it's seems that my fear won't go away... :?
Practice the pyramid theory. Start leading and perfecting super low, easy grades. Once you've mastered a grade, move on to the next. See how that works. Are you even scared on really easy routes, like 5.5?
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rangerfan94
Aug 12, 2004, 8:07 PM
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Hi Genevieve,
I don't think taking falls off the second, third, fouth, or nth bolt will help you at this point. Might even set you back if a fall goes wrong. Mother_Sheep's advice is good, keep climbing if it's what you really want. If you don't have probelms TR'ing try doing some more difficult TR's and concentrate on your footwork. You have to have confidence in where your placing your feet and confidence in knowing they'll stay where you've put them. Many of us newb's start out trusting our hands more than our feet and as a result we don't climb as well because we're worried about our feet slipping. Once I put more effort into footwork I noticed my climbing ability improved every weekend I was climbing. That confidence let me lead my first two sport routes a couple of weekends ago. When you place your foot on a spot remember to shift your weight over to that foot then push up and extend. Let your larger quad muscle do the hard work. Keep climbing and it'll all fall into place soon enough. Just don't try to do too much too soon. Relax and have fun but always be careful.
Steve
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arschles
Aug 12, 2004, 8:19 PM
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climb outside! If you can do so, and can practice setting up anchors or seconding trad (or even leading, but that sounds like it would be pretty f----- scary for you - i can relate) you will trust the pro in the gym with more than your life. After my first outdoor experience, where I did a few TR climbs on a few small stoppers and a shady hex, all my fears indoors were gone. I've taken a few indoor lead falls, and I find I'm not scared anymore of the whipper. Trying to fall, or doing so on purpose is something I wouldn't do - I've heard enough stories about upside down experiences... but gaining trust to the point where you are going all out on TR, and pushing yourself on sport is good.
So...I say, if you can...climb outside and stop thinking about falling on sport! Trust yourself...maybe even doing some easy and high bouldering would help in trusting yourself. Trust your gear (or the gear given to you in the gym)...climb outside.
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pumpout2004
Aug 12, 2004, 9:14 PM
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I know how you feel. Ur right in the middle of that hard move and that critical foot starts to shake! I just take a big deep breath and calm myself down. Its easy to get nervous when leading. I did my first outdoor leading a couple weekends ago and it was a little scary but amazing (the note on the bolts saying max load 2200 pounds is comforting). I would recommend taking lead falls at an indoor gym, make them higher and higher above ur last bolt untill u almost enjoy falling (it can be fun and exhilerating)!!
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veep23
Aug 12, 2004, 9:24 PM
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Have u fallen on lead yet? Until we know this, it's hard to give good advice as a lot of people are scared until they take their first fall.
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telluryan
Aug 12, 2004, 9:25 PM
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Check out the book The Rock Warriors Way. Tackles the subject of one of the most complex aspects of the sport, The Mind! Excellent book, would help you in this situation.
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tisar
Aug 12, 2004, 9:32 PM
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There was another thread like this. Good advices there. Check out.
- Daniel
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jt512
Aug 12, 2004, 9:38 PM
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In reply to: fall. get up to the second bolt, have your belayer prep to catch a fall, and let go. make sure you've clipped the second bolt and theres not enough slack in the system to cause a groundfall.
Taking practice falls is good advice, but is not something you want to do from the 2nd bolt. You're too close to the ground, and you don't have much rope out to absorb the fall. Better to...
[*:5e774c1f09]Take practice falls above a high bolt, with more rope out to absorb the fall and hence a softer catch.
Also, make sure that...
[*:5e774c1f09]The route is slightly overhanging and that your belayer knows not to take in rope when you fall, as doing so will cause you to pendulum into the wall. Best of all, find a belayer who can dynamically belay you.
[*:5e774c1f09]Your legs are clear of the rope, so you don't get flipped upside down.
[*:5e774c1f09]Stay relaxed and absorb the swing into the wall with your legs.
-Jay
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genevieve
Aug 13, 2004, 3:16 AM
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Thanks for all your answers!
It's now bedtime for me, but tomorrow, I'll reply!
Thanks again, I really appreciate it!
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climbingurlie
Aug 13, 2004, 3:33 AM
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I've got the exact same problem. Stay in the gym and just practice. It takes time. I've been leading sport for about a year and am still afraid of falling. It's ironic that once I end up falling, it's not bad, it's just my mind telling me, "Don't fall, don't fall." There's some psychological aspect that needs to be conquered.
I wouldn't reccomend going outside to practice leading. Get comfortable with leading first. Going outdoors and being unsure could lead to accidents and a dislike for climbing. Don't let anyone force you to do anything you aren't cofortable with. I let my climbing partner push me on lead a bit too hard outside which made me nervous enough to cry (though I didn't fall) and it took me a while to fully enjoy the sport again.
Remember, you can be in control of your situation.
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hipdos
Aug 13, 2004, 3:36 AM
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Another vote for The Rock Warriors Way. You are the perfect candidate for this book, it has a comprehensive section on falling practice as well as all the mental aspects.
As far as I am concerned, everyone is / was scared of heights and falling at some stage. Don't expect that you will be different, time and experience mixed in with some sound technique will sort you out soon enough. You are just like the rest of us.
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cgranite
Aug 13, 2004, 3:54 AM
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Climb above your abillity level and take the whipper.
NOT advisable for everyone! :shock:
But it works,...it worked for me and I had fun. Make sure the fall is clean though. :x
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overlord
Aug 13, 2004, 6:13 AM
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in order to overcome the fear of leading, you need to lead. and elad a lot.
jsut start leading. dont even think about going TR. start with easy routes and work your way to the hard stuff.
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jcshaggy
Aug 13, 2004, 9:27 AM
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Just keep climbing-the more you climb,the more comfortable you'll feel about it.I also find that I do moves instinctively now,which lets me tackle a route without any self-doubt.
Well, that is my view anyway!
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decaf
Aug 13, 2004, 11:37 AM
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Well coming from somone who just took their first lead fall I would say that taking a fall is a good route to go, But then my advice is coming without years of experience behind it. All I do know is once you trust your gear more you will feel much better about climbing and hell the adrenaline rush that comes from that first fall is huge......
In fact so many people like it here is a thread
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...topic=68024&forum=16
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antigrav
Aug 13, 2004, 11:46 AM
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I also feel some fear when leading, but this is not connected (as much) to the idea of getting above the protection, but more a fear of hitting outcrops, small ledges, protrusions etc. Are your comments/suggestions in any way modified by this specialization? I guess you would not recommend taking a lot of unclean falls... at least I don't hope so... :)
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