18 Nov WORKING THROUGH A FEAR OF FALLING
On one of the first rock climbs I led, I remember taking on the last bolt again and again, unable to go for the challenging move above my bolt. Most climbers have experienced something similar– it’s normal to fear falling on occasion. But if you feel like a fear of falling is holding you back from having fun or doing climbs you are physically capable of, it may be time to work through this fear.
On one of the first rock climbs I led, I remember taking on the last bolt again and again, unable to go for the challenging move above my bolt. Most climbers have experienced something similar– it’s normal to fear falling on occasion. But if you feel like a fear of falling is holding you back from having fun or doing climbs you are physically capable of, it may be time to work through this fear.
After I’d gotten scared on a few sport climbs outside, my climbing partner suggested that I climb to the top of routes in the gym, and instead of clipping the anchors, just let go. This, he said, would teach me that it was safe to fall. And it was safe: I climbed up, let go, and took a big fall. I was unhurt, but the whip still felt scary and wasn’t something I wanted to repeat. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about how to work through a fear of falling.
It’s true that you should push yourself and take some falls– toproping forever won’t turn you into a fearless leader. But taking huge whips from the top of climbs isn’t the best strategy for most people either.
Instead, try to take small steps outside of your comfort zone. For example, first take a fall from below your bolt. Once you feel comfortable doing that, fall when your waist is right at your bolt. Then progress to being slightly above the bolt, and so on. Another thing that can help here is to try to be mindful of how your body feels when you fall. It’s often hard to know what to think about when you’re midair, and it can be easy to focus on emotions. However, this can lead to the confirmation of the mental pattern that falling leads to fear. Instead of trying to force yourself not to be scared, try not to focus on emotions at all. Instead, keep your eyes open when you fall. Notice what you see and how your body feels. Pay attention to the actual physical sensation of falling: the momentum, the catch, etc. This mindfulness and attention to the world around you can help you break out of cognitive ruts and focus on the actual climbing.
Another technique you can use to work through a fear of falling is assessing the climb before you begin. Before I lead a climb, whether that be a sport or trad climb, I like to look at the climb and read over whatever beta I have in order to determine if and how much I can focus purely on the climbing. For example, I might assess a sport route before I climb it and determine that it would be safe to fall anywhere as long as I stick clip the second bolt. I would then do just that, and climb with the knowledge that I can fall anywhere. This gives me the freedom to focus on the movement of the climb. In contrast, I might look at a trad route I plan to climb and decide that it would be risky to fall in the first ten feet. I then would be mindful of this in the first section and take on gear if I need to. After I get past the risky section I would again be free to not worry about falling.
If you’re worried about assessing climb correctly, start by leading in the gym! Gym climbs are usually safe to fall on at any point. Make sure that you’re also taking steps to ensure the climb is as safe as possible, like stick clipping bolts, avoiding backstepping, and climbing with a helmet on.
It’s also important to be mindful of who you are climbing with when you are working through a fear of falling. Not every climber has struggled with a fear of falling, and it may be helpful to have partners who have experienced some level of this fear. Figure out who feels best to climb with and who you are able to push yourself most with, and focus on climbing with these people at least while you focus on working through fear.
Most climbers struggle with a fear of falling at some point. It’s a totally normal and logical thing to feel, but techniques such as these can help you work through the fear and have more fun while climbing. It’s also helpful to maintain a growth mindset– just because you are scared of falling now doesn’t mean you will be forever. It’s something you can work through.
