Scared of Falling

November 2012

Climb

Hi Steph!

My name’s Jourdan, I’ve been climbing sporadically for about 3 years and regularly for the past few months. I wish I could say I’ve been climbing non-stop for that long but, I live in Florida so my ability to climb has been limited by the proximity of climbing gyms. Now that I live in an area with a gym I get to do what I love all the time! I just recently learned to lead climb and got “certified”(I’m allowed to lead in the gym now) last Friday! My problem is, I’m so scared to fall on lead. During the lead class the instructor makes you take a fairly small fall, and a pretty decent whipper. My climbing buddies are awesome and will belay me to just go up and take practice falls, but even knowing that I’m falling on purpose they really scare me. What can I do to get over my fear? I’m also still building up my confidence belaying on lead, but since I’m so much smaller than my climbing buddies (5 feet tall and like 90ish pounds, I’m a pretty little girl/young woman whatever lol) that kind of scares me too? Is it just a matter of practice now or is there anything else I can do? I’m thinking of maybe trying to get on a Summit for Someone climb of Devil’s Tower next summer and I really want to more confident in my skills by then (then I’ll only have the exposure to be afraid of lol). Thank you so much for even taking the time to read this, I really look up to you a lot!

Safe travels! Happy climbing!

Jourdan

P.S. I love High Infatuation, can’t wait til Learning to Fly comes out!

Hi Jourdan,

Thanks for writing 🙂

It sounds like you are doing a good job of dealing with the fear bit by bit, taking practice falls and getting friends to help you practice. I think if you just stick with it, you’ll find that it gradually improves. And for belaying: it can definitely be intimidating when you are much lighter than the leader. When I’m belaying someone heavier, I make sure to stand directly at the base of the wall (unless it’s super overhung, in which case I get straight under the first bolt), and I also make sure to be wearing my hiking shoes and have them laced up firmly. That might sound funny, but if you’re in a gym or at a crag, and you are switching turns climbing, it’s easy to end up barefoot, in flipflops/clogs, or in unlaced shoes while belaying, and then if you get pulled up against the wall it’s not ideal to be in that kind of footwear.

Stick with it!!

🙂 Steph