If you are falling on climbs less than 5.10, you're going about it all wrong. Generations of climbers have learned to work their way up through 5.9 without taking leader falls, primarily because the gear made falling a more serious proposition. But better gear won't make you a better climber, and it won't help you develop the discipline needed to climb with relative safety near your limit. So slow down and learn the fine art of failure, so that when tomorrow comes, you'll still be around for another try.

If you are falling on climbs less than 5.10, you're going about it all wrong. Generations of climbers have learned to work their way up through 5.9 without taking leader falls, primarily because the gear made falling a more serious proposition. But better gear won't make you a better climber, and it won't help you develop the discipline needed to climb with relative safety near your limit. So slow down and learn the fine art of failure, so that when tomorrow comes, you'll still be around for another try.

Another one of the reasons for a rule like this is that in many places the 5.10's are the first routes that are suited for safe falls on good and plentiful gear at the hard part.

One possible counter to this ideal would be if you’re unreasonably afraid of falling. In this case, learning that the rope will catch you in a safe manner, under ideal conditions can be helpful. I.E. Don’t fall by choice as opposed to being unreasonably afraid of it.

Being afraid of falling is a double edged sword. In one way it can keep you safer, in another it can prevent you from exploring your limits.

For the most part I don’t fall on trad. I reserve that for sport climbing, and sometimes I “sport climb” on gear.

For a full on beginner: don’t fall until you are confident of being able to tell the difference between a place where it is alright to fall and a place where it is not alright to fall.

Bottom line: I don’t buy the line “if you’re not falling, you’re not trying, and your not going to get any better.”

If you think you are not in control of a fall, then you need to PRACTICE!!!!

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So, is falling failing for boulderers too? cause if so, it seems like most boulderers are doing an awful lot of failing, but they sure seem to be havinig a lot of fun diong it.

I can't separate bouldering and trad. They just go hand in hand. And especially when you throw in high balling and free soloing, any distinction between bouldering and climbing is lost.

I used to feel guilty about not falling, that is until I read somewhere a little piece about your own personal ethics. Why should anyone climb any other way than what their own personal ethics dictates. For instance I hate to fall, I have downclimbed through the crux of a 5.11 climb because I was not comfortable with the next move.

I will grab a draw at my waist rather than falling. Mind you I have taken a 30 metre whipper when I got off route once. Pretty much the only time I will fall is when I least expect it, I will do everything in my power to prevent a fall. If I become absolutely spanked and the forearms a burning sooo much that I think they will explode then I amy spooge off the holds and drop whatever distance.

Even on huge big fat ringbolts on a roof every metre I will avoid falling on any sort of slack rope.

If you fall during an ascent, then you didn't "finish the climb," which was kind of the point in the first place.