If you want to get comfortable falling make practice falls part of your warmup routine. I take 1-3 falls on my warmup route, gets the nerves out since you've already fallen. Really helps if you do practice falls every time you climb, they become boring until you stop doing them.
consistency is of amazing value here, and often programming for falls becomes single or a few sessions when this should be treated alike other interventions with progressive overload and a minimum effective dose model. Fall a few times during warming procedures and then switch to top rope if you want until the next session and add a little height, and on and on until a while later you are doing some moving falls without being explicit to the belayer where still as part of the warmup.
Another good drill is to let your belayer saying when to let go. You have to let go immediately. It completely removes the intention on the climber side, which is nice!
i do this, i noticed that its easier than me letting go on my own... when i suspect my belayer will ask me to fall during a hard move (since i havent fallen maybe for 2-3 quickdraws lenght) and so i rest just before to prepare... even if im not really tired... i look at him and he smiles... he knows that i know that hes gonna call it... then because of the anticipation its actually harder to let go LOL
I'd also say practice for what you plan to climb. Although good for starters, this gym looks super overly well bolted compared to the bolt distance you can find outdoors. I know some climbers that really have huge hickups with this. They think they are good at lead climbing, but outdoors they have big trouble with the bolt distance.
I saw you at the gym when you were filming this a few weeks back and I didn’t want to bug you but I wanted to say thank you for making your videos, my wife and I have learned most of our techniques from you since we don’t have any gym buddies but your videos make us feel like we have one! We appreciate your content as I’m sure everyone does, fantastic job and I hope you keep crushing it!
i noticed that having my trusted belayer rather than someone already vetted but not by myself (a friend of a friend) improves my leading A LOT... i wish training courage was easy as training muscles and tendons
While adding movement into the fall is useful, this is progression alike falling below, at, above, more above, far above the current bolt or doing these with less delay from reaching the predetermined fall point until actual falling. Making a movement to prompt the fall is progress only if there is no delay prior, and should be seen as a potential progression rather than a distinct method. This is akin to explaining to a belayer where you will fall. Start precise and progress to imprecision, from "At fourth bolt, I will be on those two jugs, clip, tell you I am falling, you confirm you have me, take a breath and then release," until "In this session I want to find a route which won't simply exhaust me to have to release but which I will fight on a boulder crux and fail." All progressions.
I've had so many injuries with lead falls now I find it very hard to control the fear. With a lot of fall practice I can improve this but it comes back very quickly. Consistency is everything for me!
I completely tore off the meniscus and damaged the ligament when I jumped unsuccessfully while practicing in boulder. Now I'm still recovering from surgery and I'm not climbing. The main problem was that my muscles were completely tired and failed, so they did not self-stabilize on landing. Be careful in boulder
Thank you for this video. I have found the way of falling especially in the gym to be way scarier for me. Outside it is what it is, until I started falling in gyms which triggered a mental block outdoors as well as indoors. I try not to climb projects and push the envelope and it has hindered my confidence greatly. Whereas before when I first started climbing outside I just would try whatever my friend that I trusted put me on. Maybe it’s a trust issue as well, But I will practice these. Clipping when slack is out and I’m traversed is my worst fear right now.
excellent video! your voice was nice and clear! would it also be a good idea to play a game with your belayer where they will randomly yell FALL and then you have to fall?
Very timely video, I just got my lead cert this week and started lead climbing. Already sustained a minor “tweak” (injury sounds like too strong of a word) during the training class due to leaning too far back when falling in conjunction with a hard catch that resulted in a spinal extension motion. It freaked me out and now am much more anxious on the wall particularly if the climb is overhung, i’m worried it will happen again. I’ve been quitting routes I know I can do out of fear
I sprained my ankle really badly after a fall bouldering a year and a half ago. I've been back to the gym a handful of times and the fear of falling is still the hardest thing for me now.
I get rid of falling fear pretty fast even tho i used to be very scared and got shaky legs.. the method was to climb very hard routes on auto belay which i could not climb all the way up and was forced to fall, but not so high.. after few sessions i got confidence in falling and since then i can climb all the way up on easier routes and let go at the top or just climb hard ones and fall confidently and no fear again :)
If you want to get comfortable falling make practice falls part of your warmup routine. I take 1-3 falls on my warmup route, gets the nerves out since you've already fallen. Really helps if you do practice falls every time you climb, they become boring until you stop doing them.
I’m sure you often change your rope 😅
consistency is of amazing value here, and often programming for falls becomes single or a few sessions when this should be treated alike other interventions with progressive overload and a minimum effective dose model. Fall a few times during warming procedures and then switch to top rope if you want until the next session and add a little height, and on and on until a while later you are doing some moving falls without being explicit to the belayer where still as part of the warmup.
Another good drill is to let your belayer saying when to let go. You have to let go immediately. It completely removes the intention on the climber side, which is nice!
i do this, i noticed that its easier than me letting go on my own... when i suspect my belayer will ask me to fall during a hard move (since i havent fallen maybe for 2-3 quickdraws lenght) and so i rest just before to prepare... even if im not really tired... i look at him and he smiles... he knows that i know that hes gonna call it... then because of the anticipation its actually harder to let go LOL
Fantastic video.
Have you ever done a similar video about overcoming the fear of falling when bouldering?
I actually thought that was what this video was about 😥 hopefully he can do one soon, because falling while bouldering can be scary as hell
I watched this video even if I have no fear of falling. and I don't regret it. I know how to help others thanks to you
I'd also say practice for what you plan to climb. Although good for starters, this gym looks super overly well bolted compared to the bolt distance you can find outdoors. I know some climbers that really have huge hickups with this. They think they are good at lead climbing, but outdoors they have big trouble with the bolt distance.
Agreed!
I saw you at the gym when you were filming this a few weeks back and I didn’t want to bug you but I wanted to say thank you for making your videos, my wife and I have learned most of our techniques from you since we don’t have any gym buddies but your videos make us feel like we have one! We appreciate your content as I’m sure everyone does, fantastic job and I hope you keep crushing it!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Feel free to say hi the next time you see me at the gym.
i noticed that having my trusted belayer rather than someone already vetted but not by myself (a friend of a friend) improves my leading A LOT... i wish training courage was easy as training muscles and tendons
thank you, I really want to work on it this year!
While adding movement into the fall is useful, this is progression alike falling below, at, above, more above, far above the current bolt or doing these with less delay from reaching the predetermined fall point until actual falling. Making a movement to prompt the fall is progress only if there is no delay prior, and should be seen as a potential progression rather than a distinct method.
This is akin to explaining to a belayer where you will fall. Start precise and progress to imprecision, from "At fourth bolt, I will be on those two jugs, clip, tell you I am falling, you confirm you have me, take a breath and then release," until "In this session I want to find a route which won't simply exhaust me to have to release but which I will fight on a boulder crux and fail."
All progressions.
I've had so many injuries with lead falls now I find it very hard to control the fear.
With a lot of fall practice I can improve this but it comes back very quickly.
Consistency is everything for me!
I'm sorry to hear that. What in your falls caused the injuries?
Hitting the ground and/or the wall..
@@movementforclimbers
I completely tore off the meniscus and damaged the ligament when I jumped unsuccessfully while practicing in boulder. Now I'm still recovering from surgery and I'm not climbing. The main problem was that my muscles were completely tired and failed, so they did not self-stabilize on landing. Be careful in boulder
Thank you. This was so helpful! ❤
Thank you for this video. I have found the way of falling especially in the gym to be way scarier for me. Outside it is what it is, until I started falling in gyms which triggered a mental block outdoors as well as indoors. I try not to climb projects and push the envelope and it has hindered my confidence greatly. Whereas before when I first started climbing outside I just would try whatever my friend that I trusted put me on. Maybe it’s a trust issue as well, But I will practice these. Clipping when slack is out and I’m traversed is my worst fear right now.
excellent video! your voice was nice and clear! would it also be a good idea to play a game with your belayer where they will randomly yell FALL and then you have to fall?
Very timely video, I just got my lead cert this week and started lead climbing.
Already sustained a minor “tweak” (injury sounds like too strong of a word) during the training class due to leaning too far back when falling in conjunction with a hard catch that resulted in a spinal extension motion.
It freaked me out and now am much more anxious on the wall particularly if the climb is overhung, i’m worried it will happen again. I’ve been quitting routes I know I can do out of fear
I sprained my ankle really badly after a fall bouldering a year and a half ago. I've been back to the gym a handful of times and the fear of falling is still the hardest thing for me now.
This is super helpful, but I still have a fear of falling, espcially after I got hurt falling from the top of a boulder recently 😞
Unfortunately my fear of falling is so strong that I’m afraid on top rope, too 😂
what about falling after youre prepared to clip, ie rope in hand and dropping before putting it in the clip as that is another instance that is scary
For me it’s not the fear of falling, but rather the ability of my belayer to catch me smoothly 😂
Definitely. My comfort with taking falls is directly correlated with the trust I have in my belayer. Find yourself a good one!
Any tips when this doesn't work? For me the "touch and drop" only moves that anticipation to the preceding move and I freeze there instead.
how do you remove the fear of gear failure (quickdraw, harness, belay loop)?
I think these are all part of fear of falling. Also check your gear regularly and make sure its in good condition to trust it more
the problem with fear of falling is rather when bouldering, as you literally hit the ground every time.
nice music
I think that autobelays are kinda scary. There are mechanical errors.
I get rid of falling fear pretty fast even tho i used to be very scared and got shaky legs.. the method was to climb very hard routes on auto belay which i could not climb all the way up and was forced to fall, but not so high.. after few sessions i got confidence in falling and since then i can climb all the way up on easier routes and let go at the top or just climb hard ones and fall confidently and no fear again :)
OR
The secret hidden method:
Get better and just don’t fall 😮💨🙄
As a climbing coach, my favorite question to ask is "why did you let go?"
Just don't fall.