You roll or crumple down when you fall to increase the time of impact, not the area. If an increased area was the cause, belly flops wouldn't hurt. Rolling also helps when falling because you use the energy from the fall to fuel the roll, rather than all that energy being transferred into you. hope that explanation makes sense. Great video though
Rolling out of a fall is increasing the time of impact and the area being impacted. Pressure forces on our body are experienced on initial impact and transferring into our roll, which is why we are rolling over large areas of our body (shoulder/back) rather than our head or neck.
RumpelTiltskin That’s wrong. The force of falling is singularly your mass times ~9.8. You dont fall on your head or neck because it’s not as solid and you may break your nexk. You fall on your back/shoulder because it’s very solid and will absorb energy easier. Pressure forces are the forces in fluid dynamics caused by differences in pressure; who taught you physics? OP is right, crumpling will absorb energy and increase time of impact lessening the energy that your body absorbs and protecting vital internal components-much like how cars have crumple zones to protect vital internal components (the people).
@@rahulmathilakath2977 First, I never stated OP was wrong. Secondly, fluid dynamics is a single example of pressure being applied in physics; any force over area (F/A) is pressure. In this case we are experiencing a pressure of impact. Yes, our necks may be less subject to breaking because it may be "less solid", but it is still fact that energy we experience is dispersed over areas of our bodies and not points.
@@rahulmathilakath2977 also, the force of the fall is not your mass times 9.8. Real newton law states that the force is directly proportional to the rate of change of momentum. As your mass is constant, it is the change in your velocity that applies (aka as acceleration), but not earth acceleration, YOUR acceleration (or deceleration if you are hitting the ground). Therefore more time to speed down equals less force. "who taught you physics?" Edit: if you don't believe, applying your "mass times 9.8" would mean that falling from 1 meter hurts the same that falling from 20 meters. Would you test it?
@@j.gonzalez2543 Yeah the force of your fall is in almost no cases 9.8*mass. That's the force of gravity, which has been applied to you during the entire course of your fall. If this was the force the landing was exerting on you, it would take the same amount of time for you to stop as it did to reach maximum speed. It obviously does not, in almost every instance. This is why the landing hurts, and the falling off does not. For people curious about looking into this in a lot greater depth, look up the relationship of Impulse and Peak Force. If the floor you land on is going to stop you completely when you fall from a given height, the impulse you experience will always be the same. What can be changed, however, is the peak force, probably more easily understood as how long it takes you to stop. If you land on something very stiff like concrete, all of that impulse happens very fast, and it's likely going to hurt. If you land on a giant foam pad instead, the pad will compress as you fall on it, far more than concrete would, spreading that same impulse out over a much longer period of time and reducing the peak force you will experience. Helpful graph at the top of this link: sites.google.com/a/perthgrammar.co.uk/physics/courses/higher/our-dynamic-universe/13-collisions-explosions-and-impulse/135-force-time-graphs#:~:text=If%20a%20graph%20of%20force,in%20momentum)%20during%20the%20collision.&text=Graph%202%20has%20a%20smaller,change%20in%20momentum%20is%20constant.
Thank you for this. I had my worst fall ever a few weeks ago - I was trying to top out, panicked, down climbed as much as I could and then had to let go. I didn’t really injure myself, but mentally I was shaken. My first time back in the gym after that, I struggled to climb even the easiest routes because I didn’t think I could do it and fear kept kicking in. I know that if I just keep going back, the fear will get easier to manage.
I think that training to fall could really help you. In my opinion anyone bouldering should aim to feel comfortable to controlled falling from the top of the route. So I try to jump and not climb down most of my warm up routes every time I go to the gym.
in re: fear response. it is advantageous to have a fear response, but it is not always advantageous to act on the fear response. you should always have a realistic view of the risks you are taking (even top rope/ lead climbing incurs risk!) because accidents DO happen, and they can happen to you. the impact these exercises have may not eliminate a fear of heights but they will increase your confidence in managing your reactions in those situations. and that confidence is what will lead to safe decision making in potentially dangerous situations. furthermore, the more practice you have with falling the more muscle memory you will have to rely on when you do take unanticipated falls. this muscle memory can go far in helping keep you safe in those split second moments when it really matters.
So far, you’re the only channel that mentions tucking the head. Thank you. Because I thought that was so important and didn’t understand why no one else was mentioning that.
One time climbing I slipped and banged my chin on a hold as I fell. Anyways falling doesn't really bother me because you'll be fine, it's more important to get that sweet sweet send
Hey Jenn! I usually don't really comment, but I just have to now to say that I love and appreciate your videos! I've been climbing for a little more than a year now and unfortunately, I've never gotten over the fear of falling and never really learnt how to properly land (which I want to change now!). I always downclimb when possible but when I'm too exhausted or there's no good way to downclimb I sometimes panic and when I do actually jump I don't land that well (recently a video was taken where I can totally see my mistakes like sticking arms out etc). I've been looking up advice for the past few weeks (saw that vid by geek climber too, love it haha) and tried a bit of properly falling last time, so this was perfect timing! I'll try again after seeing your video. And for what it's worth @ imposter syndrome, in my opinion it actually makes you much more relatable to me that you're also struggling with fear of heights/falling and that you haven't been climbing for thaaat long as some of the other climbers making videos. I somehow feel that you understand the anxiety of us newbies better lol, and that's what I also really like about your channel besides the wholesome content itself, the great music choices, your funny editing and your likability as a person. :) Thanks and keep up the good work :D !
I'm not really fearful of falling, but the advice on looking down at the pad the split second when you fall was great as it helped me make softer landings from the better anticipation :)
Thank you for this video. I was petrified to start bouldering with my colleagues and I struggled at my first session. This video helped so much when I went back today to try and get over the fear
This was just the video I needed when I first started out! Can't wait to send this to everyone I introduce to climbing! I' struggle so much with a fear of falling, and then as a result with frustration that it's holding me back from becoming a better climber. Thank you so much for this video! (Kat)
Great point on the practicing falls notion. I did martial arts and they taught us how to fall, as well. We spend an hour throwing each other around, so it is really important to know how to repeatedly hit the ground without getting hurt. It was such an incredible lesson that applies to so many things. Same idea, your back is WAY stronger and better suited for impact than any of your limbs. Rolling also helps distribute the impact to next to nothing. However, it is natural to try and "catch yourself" so it doesn't look worse than it is. The reality is, you'll jump right back up if you do it correctly, unlike how well you would get up with broken limbs, or worse, a neck injury. Great advice for people getting into climbing. It will probably help tremendously with all-around confidence.
I think it helps that Touchstone has such cushy mats. When I switched to Sender One and their stiffer mats, I got a lot more terrified of unanticipated falls. And then I sprained my ankle after downclimbing and hopping off the wall from like 1 foot up. Definitely prefer taking falls on lead, though you have to trust your belayer to give a soft catch.
This is so, so important to consider- especially the thing with complacency! I'm currently on week 8 of a healing ankle fracture and sprain that resulted from me trying a slab route well above my skill range...caught my foot on a hold on the way down after slipping on a volume and had to stop doing the sport that I absolutely fell in love with after just two months. Been super bummed out but it's taught me how essential patience and building up a solid foundation of skills are for bouldering! So glad I found your channel- you're helping me figure out what precautions I need to take when I can get back on the wall! Thanks dude!!!
I tore my ACL skiing last year and had it reconstructed about 8 months ago. I've been allowed to boulder since about month 3, with one caveat: climb whatever I want, I'm just not allowed to fall. So I've spent 8 months climbing only problems I know I can hit first try, with good downclimbs nearby. This last month at a followup, my surgeon confirmed that I'm at a point where I can start falling. My falling technique is fine, but I can't even begin to tell you how much it messes with your head to not fall for 8 months (for fear of injury and also fear of being murdered by my physiotherapist). The biggest, biggest thing for me has been the mental preparation side. I'll sit on the mats, eyes closed, imagining the move I'm about to try. What will it feel like to place my foot on that slimy hold? What will it feel like to look far above me and see the next move? What will I see? What will it feel like to go for the move and hit it? What will I do next? Or, what will it feel like to slap the hold and miss? How will I feel on the way down as I fall? And on and on and on, consciously considering each aspect of the scenario and confronting it before I try it. I'm not much good at visualizing a whole problem or sequence, but this method of taking a single moment and breaking it down works really well for me.
Very helpful, thank you! I've just started bouldering and am so afraid of falling that I'm not pushing myself at all. This gave very handy tips which I'll start putting into practice :)
What perfect timing! We just tried bouldering at my sister's gym yesterday and we're used to the large soft mats of our own gym. It was an actual mental hurdle to keep sending because I was worried about falling. Got over it however and did some ones out of my grade level :)
Thanks Jenn. I've injured myself in the past (whiplashes and strained knees from dynos) bouldering and have since mainly sports climb feeling very safe in a harness. However I think it's time I start descensitizing my fear and work on managing it so I can appreciate bouldering again as well as learning to fall more safely. Appreciate the vid!
I watched this awhile back when i was starting out and I gotta say the advice given in this vid, esp starting out by doing some falls at a lower height before proceeding to a higher height one really helped! so thank you :)
i just discovered your channel and i'm so happy i found you here. when i was a younger kid i used to go climbing a few times, and for the past months i have really wanted to start climbing regularly, but somehow i haven't found a climbing buddy for belaying etc. yet. but yesterday i went bouldering just to do something in that direction and i'm positive i'll continue with that now. i loved the tips for overcoming the fear of falling, i enjoy listening to you and i feel like in general the type of videos you make inspire me and motivate me a lot. thank you for that and don't stop creating videos if you enjoy it!
Thanks for another great video! I think for us that have fears in climbing, it will always be a process. On the point of not trying hard moves because the fall might not be controlled: I sometimes try to find different holds low down that I can practice the same move on safely. In a gym it's usually pretty easy to "measure" the distance between holds using the drilling holes in the wall and sometimes it's just the difference of knowing that I have the reach to be able to take a gamble (all the stuff short climbers have to do! :D ).
Definitely helpful! And reminding me to practice falling, which I don’t really do even tho I should! I find myself working on overhangs more lately bc the fall isn’t as bad for me compared to a tall ass slab. Glad to know I’m not alone😂
Ha, this is a great video for me, because just last week I fell off a slight boulder overhang and fractured my wrist in three places and fell straight on my back, knocked the wind out of me and my back is still a little bruised. Not the best falling situation, but I was just really not prepared to fall and I was on my last explosive move... rar, while I was laying there everyone in the gym was like... well, at least you're fearless.... lul tenks mahn.
in indoor gyms, I have the aim of no fear. Through training falling and rolling a lot, I know nothing bad will happen. I can controll my fall, it is fine to fall. Sometimes, on high walls (5m) with sketchy exits, I get some fear and climb super careful. But when somebody violates my safety area (e.g. walking in my potential falling area) -> insta fear. Always keep a safe distance to the climber, it's safer for the both of you! Sometimes I ask a friend to keep other people away from where I could fall, so that I can concentrate 100% and climb without fear. So yeah, I manage my fear by managing my surroundings!
Great video, you're amazing, I love your videos, I work in a climbing gym in mexico and I gonna use this useful information to help beginner people get over the fear of fall
i don't know why but some days I feel fearless at the gym and won't be afraid to push myself at all. but other days ill be too scared to go for something well within my capabilities :/ what I hate the most is that I am super good at slab climbs, but slab scares me the absolute most. i took a fall on slab and skid every hold on the way down and ever since I just can't take risk on slab.
Kacheekyy if you feel sketch on the next move in slab, drop and check out the route. Most likely the reading was off and you didn’t have ideal body positioning.
Not wanting to dismiss any of the fears that go into falling but I will say that once you have become more comfortable with it and you start to get into that high level of climbing and projects where you go from 99% of it being falling to 99.9% it’s good to get into a mindset of no longer bailing. This definitely isn’t something you have to do but once you go from the V6-V8 level into the V9 and up range it can be beneficial to be in a mental space where you’re going to try the next move no matter what because it’ll get you that much closer to to a send if you stick it.
Thank you so much for this video Jenn! It really helped me out when I just started bouldering in the beginning of the year, and is again now as I’m getting used to climbing in the gym again!
Friction of rubber actually does depend on surface area! The usually quoted independence (Amontons' Law) is an approximation that holds for solids with flat surfaces, but rubber (and skin) deforms. Also, having a bigger surface area could allow the climber to apply more force or direct the force more favorably.
I've never thought about falling as something to practice, I just assumed I'm a cat and will land well automatically. Not a good assumption, given me being a human.
Well some people are just naturally more able to fall properly (or maybe it's not natural at all but has everything to do with the activities you engaged in when you were little.
Rolling also makes the fall slower. When you roll from a stand-up position your center of mass descends more slowly than if you just squat, meaning that the energy is transferred over a longer period ;) Regards from Spain!
Jennn! I'm obsessed w ur vids. Pls do a vid on finger strength! Idk how to improve faster than I am without stressing my tendons and I'm wary of overtraining because the adrenaline makes pain so easy to ignore.
Absolutely agree on the having enough fear being advantageous. Every single time I have gotten injured bouldering I was not focused on my surroundings, even the possibility of falling, and most definitely not the implications. I have panic attacks and have to remind myself not to climb if I have taken anything for them earlier that day (I have forgotten in the past and paid for it). Did I climb better lacking that fear? Hard to say, but I certainly got worse over the next several months if I came out injured. So yeah, I’d say the lack of fear harmed the climbing game. Another thing: western culture lives for quick fixes, fast results, and all that. The faster someone gets good, the “better.” But with that faster progression usually comes with more risks for injury and thus more injuries. As I’ve personally gotten better slower (vs the beginning being called a “natural” and all that), I have gotten injured less. Since tendons heal slower than muscles, it may actually be good to listen to our amygdalas, esp in the beginning when people are more prone to twisted ankles n such. Thanks for the vid!!!
I know this is an old comment, but thank you. I needed to read the part about progressing slowly. I only started bouldering about three weeks ago. I'm bouldering with a couple of friends who are progressing very quickly and I feel like I suck next to them. I'm also in a gym where everyone else around me is really good. I seem to be the only one in the gym on level 1 and 2 so it makes me feel like I should be progressing faster. But I also have a lot of fear so seeing your comment and realising that it's okay to go at my own pace, whatever that is, was really helpful for me.
Hey Jenn, I just started climbing not even a month ago. I had a pretty scary fall today where I made it to the top of the bouldering wall, but was terrified to let go. I started hyperventilating and shaking and I grabbed my head when I fell which caused whip lash. It was not a pleasant experience and I know I have to get over my fear of falling.
i like to read my problem to see where i’m most likely to fall and what position my body is going to be in before i hop on. i don’t think about it when i climb but when i do fall i’ve already got the “fall beta” in the back of my head. obviously easier when i’ve seen other people climb the problem and i know where the crux moves are.
8:45 I felt the same my first time flying solo in a paraglider, is soo different compare to tandem, but I recognised what could control and what was beyond my control. And I took control of my fear, it didn't disappear but move from shouting aloud to a voice in the back. I trully miss flying. Hope to join the climbing comunity soon ...
I’ve been wondering this from watching your other videos. How high are the walls in your bouldering gym? It might be lens distortion, but they look so much higher than the walls here in The Netherlands. (Which are max 4,5m = ~ 14 feet) I’ve been bouldering for 5 months, still have quite a bit of anxiety of making moves i’m not sure I’ll be able to stick. And trusting my feet on volumes is a big issue, after slipping a few times before and nearly kissing the wall. So, thanks for this video!
I recently took an unexpected fall from 5 metres. I had the general fall form right but my left foot slid down my right shin - left a cut and a bruise. I shudder to think what would happen had it come down at a slightly different angle...
I started bouldering seven weeks ago, even though I have a crippling fear of heights (which really is a fear of falling) and I've made great progress on overhangs because they usually don't top so high up, but now I'm stuck in a place where I know I can top certain routes when it comes to strength and technique but I actually don't top them because halfway up the problem I block and don't dare to go any further. I really do not know how to get past that except to just get on those problems again and again and again. It's frustrating and a little heartbreaking. I love bouldering and I seem good at it, but if I can't somehow break through this fear of falling enough to make it to the top of the wall then I don't know what to do. 😑😣☹😩🥺
I can recommend rope climbing on top ropes (i.e. not lead climbing). I at least find that very fun, and much more manageable fear-wise than bouldering.
I'll make this short - if you are falling while climbing without a rope, then you are taking huge risks. 40 years ago, climbers who climbed without ropes only climbed what they could do without falling. When you tear up your knee or ankle or wrist, it is too late to change. Last word: your ten friends who are putting their arms up 15 feet below you - can't save you from a broken leg.
I jumped.. and my ankle joint dislocated, at least 6 weeks of pain and longer to really get some strength back.. trying to figure out where I went wrong :(
1. Falling is actually dangerous. 2. Presenter is still afraid of falling. 3. Comment section full of people, who weren't afraid of falling, injured themselves, and are now afraid of falling. I guess I should switch to top roping or something.
Top roping is actually the ONLY reason Im climbing right now. You can basically go for ANY crazy move because you're not weighing the pros and cons with falling.
I want to say that this is a very human video, which is not a little thing to say! I personally think that the risk evaluations should be done from the ground, especially in bouldering. After the evaluation your thoughts should be only focus on your position, movements and reading. Focus only on your movements is something that Archery has taugh me. Thinking is always, always a bad thing when it comes to a physical movement. That way you can make the fear manageable and climb with the less risk, in my opinion. As you stated block in the middle of a climb can be more dangerous than completing it. I want to add that your initial risk evaluation should be checked at the end of the climb, it is a skill as it is spotting or reading a route! p.s: Hey Mum! I am famous! ;)
Don’t thing that because you fall onto a Mat your totally safe, my fiancé fell onto a fall mat and broke her back, poor thing couldn’t even move. Know how to fall and when to react when slipping/falling
Love this video! I think I struggle with a fear of falling because when I did fall from the top, I landed properly but still managed to hurt my back (as I landed, kind of shockwaves went up my spine and I was fully winded). My back hurt for a couple of weeks after and I'm struggling to find any resources on getting over that specific fear of falling if anyone has any tips? 😊
im a personal fan of rolling across the whole pad after falling
me too, best way to distribute force in body :)
You roll or crumple down when you fall to increase the time of impact, not the area. If an increased area was the cause, belly flops wouldn't hurt. Rolling also helps when falling because you use the energy from the fall to fuel the roll, rather than all that energy being transferred into you. hope that explanation makes sense. Great video though
Rolling out of a fall is increasing the time of impact and the area being impacted. Pressure forces on our body are experienced on initial impact and transferring into our roll, which is why we are rolling over large areas of our body (shoulder/back) rather than our head or neck.
RumpelTiltskin That’s wrong. The force of falling is singularly your mass times ~9.8. You dont fall on your head or neck because it’s not as solid and you may break your nexk. You fall on your back/shoulder because it’s very solid and will absorb energy easier. Pressure forces are the forces in fluid dynamics caused by differences in pressure; who taught you physics? OP is right, crumpling will absorb energy and increase time of impact lessening the energy that your body absorbs and protecting vital internal components-much like how cars have crumple zones to protect vital internal components (the people).
@@rahulmathilakath2977
First, I never stated OP was wrong. Secondly, fluid dynamics is a single example of pressure being applied in physics; any force over area (F/A) is pressure. In this case we are experiencing a pressure of impact. Yes, our necks may be less subject to breaking because it may be "less solid", but it is still fact that energy we experience is dispersed over areas of our bodies and not points.
@@rahulmathilakath2977 also, the force of the fall is not your mass times 9.8. Real newton law states that the force is directly proportional to the rate of change of momentum. As your mass is constant, it is the change in your velocity that applies (aka as acceleration), but not earth acceleration, YOUR acceleration (or deceleration if you are hitting the ground). Therefore more time to speed down equals less force. "who taught you physics?"
Edit: if you don't believe, applying your "mass times 9.8" would mean that falling from 1 meter hurts the same that falling from 20 meters. Would you test it?
@@j.gonzalez2543 Yeah the force of your fall is in almost no cases 9.8*mass. That's the force of gravity, which has been applied to you during the entire course of your fall. If this was the force the landing was exerting on you, it would take the same amount of time for you to stop as it did to reach maximum speed.
It obviously does not, in almost every instance. This is why the landing hurts, and the falling off does not.
For people curious about looking into this in a lot greater depth, look up the relationship of Impulse and Peak Force. If the floor you land on is going to stop you completely when you fall from a given height, the impulse you experience will always be the same. What can be changed, however, is the peak force, probably more easily understood as how long it takes you to stop. If you land on something very stiff like concrete, all of that impulse happens very fast, and it's likely going to hurt. If you land on a giant foam pad instead, the pad will compress as you fall on it, far more than concrete would, spreading that same impulse out over a much longer period of time and reducing the peak force you will experience.
Helpful graph at the top of this link:
sites.google.com/a/perthgrammar.co.uk/physics/courses/higher/our-dynamic-universe/13-collisions-explosions-and-impulse/135-force-time-graphs#:~:text=If%20a%20graph%20of%20force,in%20momentum)%20during%20the%20collision.&text=Graph%202%20has%20a%20smaller,change%20in%20momentum%20is%20constant.
Normal people: "how to get over the fear of falling?"
Alex Honnold: "start freesoloing" :D
To me anything above 2.5m is free soloing.
Thank you for this. I had my worst fall ever a few weeks ago - I was trying to top out, panicked, down climbed as much as I could and then had to let go. I didn’t really injure myself, but mentally I was shaken. My first time back in the gym after that, I struggled to climb even the easiest routes because I didn’t think I could do it and fear kept kicking in. I know that if I just keep going back, the fear will get easier to manage.
I think that training to fall could really help you. In my opinion anyone bouldering should aim to feel comfortable to controlled falling from the top of the route. So I try to jump and not climb down most of my warm up routes every time I go to the gym.
Thank you Jenn. I get all the panic symptoms. I definitely have a fear of falling.
in re: fear response. it is advantageous to have a fear response, but it is not always advantageous to act on the fear response. you should always have a realistic view of the risks you are taking (even top rope/ lead climbing incurs risk!) because accidents DO happen, and they can happen to you. the impact these exercises have may not eliminate a fear of heights but they will increase your confidence in managing your reactions in those situations. and that confidence is what will lead to safe decision making in potentially dangerous situations. furthermore, the more practice you have with falling the more muscle memory you will have to rely on when you do take unanticipated falls. this muscle memory can go far in helping keep you safe in those split second moments when it really matters.
So far, you’re the only channel that mentions tucking the head. Thank you. Because I thought that was so important and didn’t understand why no one else was mentioning that.
Not really scared of falling, but hate to jump back to ground after reaching the top.. Most of time I climb down
One time climbing I slipped and banged my chin on a hold as I fell. Anyways falling doesn't really bother me because you'll be fine, it's more important to get that sweet sweet send
Hey Jenn! I usually don't really comment, but I just have to now to say that I love and appreciate your videos! I've been climbing for a little more than a year now and unfortunately, I've never gotten over the fear of falling and never really learnt how to properly land (which I want to change now!). I always downclimb when possible but when I'm too exhausted or there's no good way to downclimb I sometimes panic and when I do actually jump I don't land that well (recently a video was taken where I can totally see my mistakes like sticking arms out etc). I've been looking up advice for the past few weeks (saw that vid by geek climber too, love it haha) and tried a bit of properly falling last time, so this was perfect timing! I'll try again after seeing your video. And for what it's worth @ imposter syndrome, in my opinion it actually makes you much more relatable to me that you're also struggling with fear of heights/falling and that you haven't been climbing for thaaat long as some of the other climbers making videos. I somehow feel that you understand the anxiety of us newbies better lol, and that's what I also really like about your channel besides the wholesome content itself, the great music choices, your funny editing and your likability as a person. :) Thanks and keep up the good work :D !
I'm not really fearful of falling, but the advice on looking down at the pad the split second when you fall was great as it helped me make softer landings from the better anticipation :)
Thank you for this video. I was petrified to start bouldering with my colleagues and I struggled at my first session. This video helped so much when I went back today to try and get over the fear
This was just the video I needed when I first started out! Can't wait to send this to everyone I introduce to climbing! I' struggle so much with a fear of falling, and then as a result with frustration that it's holding me back from becoming a better climber. Thank you so much for this video!
(Kat)
Great point on the practicing falls notion. I did martial arts and they taught us how to fall, as well. We spend an hour throwing each other around, so it is really important to know how to repeatedly hit the ground without getting hurt. It was such an incredible lesson that applies to so many things. Same idea, your back is WAY stronger and better suited for impact than any of your limbs. Rolling also helps distribute the impact to next to nothing. However, it is natural to try and "catch yourself" so it doesn't look worse than it is. The reality is, you'll jump right back up if you do it correctly, unlike how well you would get up with broken limbs, or worse, a neck injury. Great advice for people getting into climbing. It will probably help tremendously with all-around confidence.
I think it helps that Touchstone has such cushy mats. When I switched to Sender One and their stiffer mats, I got a lot more terrified of unanticipated falls. And then I sprained my ankle after downclimbing and hopping off the wall from like 1 foot up. Definitely prefer taking falls on lead, though you have to trust your belayer to give a soft catch.
This is so, so important to consider- especially the thing with complacency! I'm currently on week 8 of a healing ankle fracture and sprain that resulted from me trying a slab route well above my skill range...caught my foot on a hold on the way down after slipping on a volume and had to stop doing the sport that I absolutely fell in love with after just two months. Been super bummed out but it's taught me how essential patience and building up a solid foundation of skills are for bouldering! So glad I found your channel- you're helping me figure out what precautions I need to take when I can get back on the wall! Thanks dude!!!
I tore my ACL skiing last year and had it reconstructed about 8 months ago. I've been allowed to boulder since about month 3, with one caveat: climb whatever I want, I'm just not allowed to fall. So I've spent 8 months climbing only problems I know I can hit first try, with good downclimbs nearby.
This last month at a followup, my surgeon confirmed that I'm at a point where I can start falling. My falling technique is fine, but I can't even begin to tell you how much it messes with your head to not fall for 8 months (for fear of injury and also fear of being murdered by my physiotherapist).
The biggest, biggest thing for me has been the mental preparation side. I'll sit on the mats, eyes closed, imagining the move I'm about to try. What will it feel like to place my foot on that slimy hold? What will it feel like to look far above me and see the next move? What will I see? What will it feel like to go for the move and hit it? What will I do next? Or, what will it feel like to slap the hold and miss? How will I feel on the way down as I fall? And on and on and on, consciously considering each aspect of the scenario and confronting it before I try it.
I'm not much good at visualizing a whole problem or sequence, but this method of taking a single moment and breaking it down works really well for me.
Very helpful, thank you! I've just started bouldering and am so afraid of falling that I'm not pushing myself at all. This gave very handy tips which I'll start putting into practice :)
What perfect timing! We just tried bouldering at my sister's gym yesterday and we're used to the large soft mats of our own gym. It was an actual mental hurdle to keep sending because I was worried about falling. Got over it however and did some ones out of my grade level :)
Thanks Jenn. I've injured myself in the past (whiplashes and strained knees from dynos) bouldering and have since mainly sports climb feeling very safe in a harness. However I think it's time I start descensitizing my fear and work on managing it so I can appreciate bouldering again as well as learning to fall more safely. Appreciate the vid!
Thank you ! Very helpful. I’ve recently started bouldering & need to practice falling more.
One thing for rolling make sure the landing area is clear, the last thing you want is to land on a long brush or other hard objects
I don’t even climb but your videos inspire me to start.
Thx so much for making this video. I loved everything in it. I'm going bouldering tomorrow🥰🥰
I watched this awhile back when i was starting out and I gotta say the advice given in this vid, esp starting out by doing some falls at a lower height before proceeding to a higher height one really helped! so thank you :)
personally, desensitization really helped with a lot of my fears a painful experience and it does take a bit but definitely works
i just discovered your channel and i'm so happy i found you here. when i was a younger kid i used to go climbing a few times, and for the past months i have really wanted to start climbing regularly, but somehow i haven't found a climbing buddy for belaying etc. yet. but yesterday i went bouldering just to do something in that direction and i'm positive i'll continue with that now. i loved the tips for overcoming the fear of falling, i enjoy listening to you and i feel like in general the type of videos you make inspire me and motivate me a lot. thank you for that and don't stop creating videos if you enjoy it!
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! I look forward to trying these to help me. I'm more comfortable doing top rope because of these fears.
Thanks for another great video! I think for us that have fears in climbing, it will always be a process. On the point of not trying hard moves because the fall might not be controlled: I sometimes try to find different holds low down that I can practice the same move on safely. In a gym it's usually pretty easy to "measure" the distance between holds using the drilling holes in the wall and sometimes it's just the difference of knowing that I have the reach to be able to take a gamble (all the stuff short climbers have to do! :D ).
Definitely helpful! And reminding me to practice falling, which I don’t really do even tho I should! I find myself working on overhangs more lately bc the fall isn’t as bad for me compared to a tall ass slab. Glad to know I’m not alone😂
Ha, this is a great video for me, because just last week I fell off a slight boulder overhang and fractured my wrist in three places and fell straight on my back, knocked the wind out of me and my back is still a little bruised. Not the best falling situation, but I was just really not prepared to fall and I was on my last explosive move... rar, while I was laying there everyone in the gym was like... well, at least you're fearless.... lul tenks mahn.
in indoor gyms, I have the aim of no fear. Through training falling and rolling a lot, I know nothing bad will happen. I can controll my fall, it is fine to fall. Sometimes, on high walls (5m) with sketchy exits, I get some fear and climb super careful.
But when somebody violates my safety area (e.g. walking in my potential falling area) -> insta fear. Always keep a safe distance to the climber, it's safer for the both of you!
Sometimes I ask a friend to keep other people away from where I could fall, so that I can concentrate 100% and climb without fear. So yeah, I manage my fear by managing my surroundings!
Just started this sport and found your channel! Cool stuff!
Great video, you're amazing, I love your videos, I work in a climbing gym in mexico and I gonna use this useful information to help beginner people get over the fear of fall
i don't know why but some days I feel fearless at the gym and won't be afraid to push myself at all. but other days ill be too scared to go for something well within my capabilities :/
what I hate the most is that I am super good at slab climbs, but slab scares me the absolute most. i took a fall on slab and skid every hold on the way down and ever since I just can't take risk on slab.
Kacheekyy if you feel sketch on the next move in slab, drop and check out the route. Most likely the reading was off and you didn’t have ideal body positioning.
Love your video! Super down to earth!
My first time falling I really took the fall back wards too seriously and didn’t engage my legs at all. Smacked my nose to my knee.
Oh my gosh 😳 ouch
This just happened to me yesterday after falling from the top of the bouldering wall.
Not wanting to dismiss any of the fears that go into falling but I will say that once you have become more comfortable with it and you start to get into that high level of climbing and projects where you go from 99% of it being falling to 99.9% it’s good to get into a mindset of no longer bailing. This definitely isn’t something you have to do but once you go from the V6-V8 level into the V9 and up range it can be beneficial to be in a mental space where you’re going to try the next move no matter what because it’ll get you that much closer to to a send if you stick it.
Thank you so much for this video Jenn! It really helped me out when I just started bouldering in the beginning of the year, and is again now as I’m getting used to climbing in the gym again!
Oh wow Ronnie Shalvis safety roll made it into the video this was quite unexpected but really cool!
Friction of rubber actually does depend on surface area!
The usually quoted independence (Amontons' Law) is an approximation that holds for solids with flat surfaces, but rubber (and skin) deforms.
Also, having a bigger surface area could allow the climber to apply more force or direct the force more favorably.
Fantastic advice! I sketched off a downclimb a few weeks back and whiplashed. It wasn't fun.
BTW: All the best climbers are scared of heights - or at least have a deep respect for heights.
I got whiplash for the first time from a roof as well! That pain was nuts but this was such a great video to learn from 💗
I've never thought about falling as something to practice, I just assumed I'm a cat and will land well automatically. Not a good assumption, given me being a human.
Me too
Well some people are just naturally more able to fall properly (or maybe it's not natural at all but has everything to do with the activities you engaged in when you were little.
I love this comment lol
I've always assumed if I fall I die 🤷♂️
Rolling also makes the fall slower. When you roll from a stand-up position your center of mass descends more slowly than if you just squat, meaning that the energy is transferred over a longer period ;)
Regards from Spain!
This was really helpful! Love how you articulated everything.
Rolling or decompressing your legs is super important. Just witnessed a friend tear his ACL because he fell with his legs extended.
This is literally what I needed in my life. LOl thank you.
Jennn! I'm obsessed w ur vids. Pls do a vid on finger strength! Idk how to improve faster than I am without stressing my tendons and I'm wary of overtraining because the adrenaline makes pain so easy to ignore.
nice advice! also try lead. I thought i got over my fear of falling just bouldering and top roping. Then I took a lead class.
highkey needed this video rn so thanks for that! 💕
Absolutely agree on the having enough fear being advantageous. Every single time I have gotten injured bouldering I was not focused on my surroundings, even the possibility of falling, and most definitely not the implications.
I have panic attacks and have to remind myself not to climb if I have taken anything for them earlier that day (I have forgotten in the past and paid for it).
Did I climb better lacking that fear? Hard to say, but I certainly got worse over the next several months if I came out injured. So yeah, I’d say the lack of fear harmed the climbing game.
Another thing: western culture lives for quick fixes, fast results, and all that. The faster someone gets good, the “better.” But with that faster progression usually comes with more risks for injury and thus more injuries.
As I’ve personally gotten better slower (vs the beginning being called a “natural” and all that), I have gotten injured less. Since tendons heal slower than muscles, it may actually be good to listen to our amygdalas, esp in the beginning when people are more prone to twisted ankles n such.
Thanks for the vid!!!
I know this is an old comment, but thank you. I needed to read the part about progressing slowly.
I only started bouldering about three weeks ago. I'm bouldering with a couple of friends who are progressing very quickly and I feel like I suck next to them. I'm also in a gym where everyone else around me is really good. I seem to be the only one in the gym on level 1 and 2 so it makes me feel like I should be progressing faster.
But I also have a lot of fear so seeing your comment and realising that it's okay to go at my own pace, whatever that is, was really helpful for me.
Hey Jenn,
I just started climbing not even a month ago. I had a pretty scary fall today where I made it to the top of the bouldering wall, but was terrified to let go. I started hyperventilating and shaking and I grabbed my head when I fell which caused whip lash. It was not a pleasant experience and I know I have to get over my fear of falling.
i like to read my problem to see where i’m most likely to fall and what position my body is going to be in before i hop on. i don’t think about it when i climb but when i do fall i’ve already got the “fall beta” in the back of my head. obviously easier when i’ve seen other people climb the problem and i know where the crux moves are.
8:45 I felt the same my first time flying solo in a paraglider, is soo different compare to tandem, but I recognised what could control and what was beyond my control. And I took control of my fear, it didn't disappear but move from shouting aloud to a voice in the back. I trully miss flying. Hope to join the climbing comunity soon ...
I’ve been wondering this from watching your other videos. How high are the walls in your bouldering gym? It might be lens distortion, but they look so much higher than the walls here in The Netherlands. (Which are max 4,5m = ~ 14 feet)
I’ve been bouldering for 5 months, still have quite a bit of anxiety of making moves i’m not sure I’ll be able to stick. And trusting my feet on volumes is a big issue, after slipping a few times before and nearly kissing the wall. So, thanks for this video!
Four meters is more than enough to get injured. Also there's often plastic on the way down. : (
If you're afraid of falling use an auto belay that way you can fall from any height without getting hurt.
thanks so much, great advice!!
I recently took an unexpected fall from 5 metres. I had the general fall form right but my left foot slid down my right shin - left a cut and a bruise. I shudder to think what would happen had it come down at a slightly different angle...
I started bouldering seven weeks ago, even though I have a crippling fear of heights (which really is a fear of falling) and I've made great progress on overhangs because they usually don't top so high up, but now I'm stuck in a place where I know I can top certain routes when it comes to strength and technique but I actually don't top them because halfway up the problem I block and don't dare to go any further. I really do not know how to get past that except to just get on those problems again and again and again. It's frustrating and a little heartbreaking. I love bouldering and I seem good at it, but if I can't somehow break through this fear of falling enough to make it to the top of the wall then I don't know what to do. 😑😣☹😩🥺
I can recommend rope climbing on top ropes (i.e. not lead climbing). I at least find that very fun, and much more manageable fear-wise than bouldering.
I'll make this short - if you are falling while climbing without a rope, then you are taking huge risks. 40 years ago, climbers who climbed without ropes only climbed what they could do without falling. When you tear up your knee or ankle or wrist, it is too late to change. Last word: your ten friends who are putting their arms up 15 feet below you - can't save you from a broken leg.
I jumped.. and my ankle joint dislocated, at least 6 weeks of pain and longer to really get some strength back.. trying to figure out where I went wrong :(
Perhaps try to do a collab video with the youtuber Physics Girl to get the climbing physics dialed in :p (that would *actually* be quite interesting!)
1. Falling is actually dangerous.
2. Presenter is still afraid of falling.
3. Comment section full of people, who weren't afraid of falling, injured themselves, and are now afraid of falling.
I guess I should switch to top roping or something.
Top roping is actually the ONLY reason Im climbing right now. You can basically go for ANY crazy move because you're not weighing the pros and cons with falling.
Great video!
I want to say that this is a very human video, which is not a little thing to say!
I personally think that the risk evaluations should be done from the ground, especially in bouldering. After the evaluation your thoughts should be only focus on your position, movements and reading. Focus only on your movements is something that Archery has taugh me. Thinking is always, always a bad thing when it comes to a physical movement. That way you can make the fear manageable and climb with the less risk, in my opinion. As you stated block in the middle of a climb can be more dangerous than completing it.
I want to add that your initial risk evaluation should be checked at the end of the climb, it is a skill as it is spotting or reading a route!
p.s: Hey Mum! I am famous! ;)
Don’t thing that because you fall onto a Mat your totally safe, my fiancé fell onto a fall mat and broke her back, poor thing couldn’t even move. Know how to fall and when to react when slipping/falling
Love this video! I think I struggle with a fear of falling because when I did fall from the top, I landed properly but still managed to hurt my back (as I landed, kind of shockwaves went up my spine and I was fully winded). My back hurt for a couple of weeks after and I'm struggling to find any resources on getting over that specific fear of falling if anyone has any tips? 😊
I like bouldering I
That the one thing am scared of I get scared because I think am going to get a bad injury
thank you
"Im very fragile" - aww cute! I like you, dude! (:
Lol spot on
I dislocated my elbow falling off a problem in August, should have watched this video about 6 months ago
Apparently you weren't afraid and that's why you dislocated your elbow.
I always do a whole forward roll after I fall.... people clap, some laugh 🤷🏽♂️
Anatomically this doesn't make alot of sense.
Are you jumping backwards or are you turning 180° mid air?
I only started climbing in August climbing V3s & V4s and Im still so scared of falling I hope this helps 😩
its worse for lead climbing
"fitness climbing"
heheh dissipate.
There are so many things wrongs with this video
Desensitization is basically just don’t be a big baby when you fall