Leading at your climbing limit?

Post by **ynot** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 1:59 am

It occured to me that following someone on routes harder than you lead might help alot with confidence .I climbed harder and wilder stuff following Huggy, and pushed myself to the limit.
How do you go about taking lead falls on purpose? Set up a bomber piece with another bomber piece behind it and just jump?

Post by **ynot** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 2:01 am

WOOOOOHOOOOOOOO Im a poser

somebody take a picture.

Post by **merrick** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 2:08 am

now you can do what you have been dreaming about for months.... change the color of your name.

Post by **Jeff** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 3:03 am

That's about how you'd do it ynot.
Of course make sure where you take your intentional fall is fairly safe. IE you're not going to hit a ledge, the rope is not behind your leg, you have confidence in the piece/pieces you have placed, etc. Go for a verticle to overhanging route for the falls.
We took practice falls in Arnos' WW class. They were on bolted routes, and not really the best routes to fall on. Start out at the last piece of pro, and work up from there. Do one at the pro, then one a foot past, then two feet past, go for what you can take.
When it really got interesting is when you are three feet up from your last pro, and you intentionaly take a long time to let go. I don't mean you have a death grip until the last minute, but you slowwwly let your hands melt off the holds. Taking about 5-10 seconds from when you start relaxing your grip to when you start falling.
This gives you alot of time to be in that mental state of "chaos". The more you do it the more comfortable you are with the feeling. You see that falling is not that bad (actualy kinda fun), and this really builds your confidence to get on harder routes where you think there might be a chance of falling.
He recomends taking practice falls every time you climb, and I can definatly see where this is a good thing to do, even though I don't usually practice it. I will work on it though.

If you ever get a chance, have the desire to improve your climbing, and can afford it, I would recomend Arnos' course 100%!
Before I took it, I was always itimidated by the 10.c grade. Didn't even want to get on anything harder 'cause I figured there was no way I could do them. (Of course positive image and positive self talk are a big part of the course too) The day after the course I was on 10.d's and then into the 11's. If I had more time to climb this past summer I am sure I would be a confident 11.c-11.d climber and probably getting on some 12's (even if they were soft 12's).

Post by **ralst4** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 3:30 am

I was out with ynot and a few others a few months ago and took a nasty fall

. I was pushing my limit, big time. It was one of those life flashing before your eyes moments, really freaky. I wasn't sure that climbing was for me for a little while after that. I have thought about it alot and I am ready to go out again, if I ever get the time! I couldn't figure out what I was afrade of at first, but finally realized it wasn't the fall or getting hurt, it was what it would do to my family

. I know that now I have to back up a little on what I climb and take all of the precautions I can.

ynot gave me some good advice on doing a risk management plan and following it to the letter.

Later,
ralst4

Post by **Gretchen** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 2:26 pm

Who's the mentor now Ynot!!!!! You rock my man.

Post by **deleted username** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 3:47 pm

If you wanna take lead falls, climb with Johnny, he'll short rope ya and pull you off (once you're past the crux) onto a crap tcu. I hear that you still giggle about that you sorry old bastard!! :p

Post by **rhino** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 7:08 pm

JB you should see the glee in his eyes when he tells that story.

Post by **Huggybone** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 7:18 pm

I think a good thing is for improving your lead head is to do a few routes without knowing the rating or grade. Have someone take you to a place you've never been, and do a route they reccomend without learning the rating.

Its not the only thing for sure, but I feel confident when I can tell that a route I'm doing is within my ability. And, while your learning, you end up getting on some harder routes without knowing it.

Post by **ynot** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 1:44 am

That could work,HB.I can tell by looking at a route if I dont thinkI can do it.I took one look at Good Times and said nope.The risk management plan has worked. It keeps one from getting hurt but to push ones limits you have to take some risk.I think I will stick to placing good gear and take the risks.