Lead Belay Mind Conditioning

Post by **Ploosh** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:19 pm

Ok, I'm new to lead climbing and have done a lot of research to make myself as knowledgable as possible of the potential problems and solutions one might encounter at the crag.One can only prepare so much, and experience is the best teacher.

The biggest fear I have is not gear unclipping or that massive whipper, but how I and my parter when belaying, respond to the big fall. obviously the most important thing to do is to hold that break hand for all it's worth.

Is there any training one might suggest to prepare mentally for this experience that isn't detrimental to the rope? I'm not adverse to finding out how I react on site but I'd certainly like to find out before my partner or myself is above what I would consider a safe fall to my bouldering pad.

Post by **caribe** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:29 pm

You don't appear to know the parameters of the system you are dealing with. How do you think you are going to be hurting the rope? Why are you mixing the bouldering pad and the rope in the same paragraph and entitling your post "lead belay mind conditioning?" This is all pretty odd. Read more.

Post by **Saxman** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:38 pm

Find an overhanging climb you can get up going bolt to bolt and take practice falls until you and your belayer both feel comfortable falling and catching. As caribe said, you haven't read much if you think this will hurt your rope as it will be required to catch a ton of falls in its life.

Post by **ElectricDisciple** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:37 pm

Sages in their own right Caribe and Saxman is!

Post by **SCIN** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:49 pm

http://www.warriorsway.com/products/products.aspx

Post by **der uber** » Tue May 13, 2008 10:39 pm

Just lead a lot. You'll evenutally fall. By the time you or your partner pushes enough to get into range of a whipper, you'll be ready.

Post by **Lander** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:08 pm

When lurkist and me were neophytes, we gained knowledge from this book of lore.

http://www.redriverclimbing.com/museum/ ... mage0.html

I'm sure things haven't changed much since it was written.

Post by **caribe** » Wed May 14, 2008 9:47 am

some of this is a bit dated neal.

http://www.redriverclimbing.com/museum/ ... mage7.html
http://www.redriverclimbing.com/museum/ ... age13.html

Post by **Lander** » Wed May 14, 2008 10:07 am

No!

Actually, it was really rather dated when i was starting out (late eighties). But there's some stuff in there that still applies, basic technique, some of the rope work etc. Obviously, the biggest changes have to do with the gear. I'm really glad we don't have to rely on pitons anymore (although pitons were placed on a handful of routes in the red as late as the eighties, see Into the Void Direct).

Post by **rhunt** » Wed May 14, 2008 10:20 am

umm wow this is a scary post...