This applies outside of climbing, too.
Note: Michael is a good friend of mine, and my roomie. He's also the person to blame for getting me into climbing. Thanks Mike!!
Mike sent this to me in today's email.
I think this is a great article with some really good food for thought!
When I began climbing nearly 30 years ago, the adage was "the leader never falls." In the day of hemp rope and imaginary protection, it was life saving advice because the system would probably fail to stop the leader and most likely allow the whole climbing party to be swept off the face. Although taught to a "newbie" climber, this essential principle of the past was on the verge of becoming obsolete.
By the seventies, climbing gear had improved enough to safely stop falls, but the "style" of the time didn't endorse falling. It was called the "ground-up" ethic - everything started from the ground and proceeded upward. When a leader fell, it was considered appropriate to lower to the ground, pull the rope (and as much protection as possible) and start again. The concept of figuring out a move or series of moves while leading was considered bad form. Thanks to a few visionaries, some of whom did so in a climbing vacuum, began to "hang-dog" routes until they were able to redpoint (climb to the top without falling) the route. And over time, the tide shifted. The advancement in natural and fixed protection have led to low-risk, high performance climbing.
Scott Milton in an article called "The Leader Better Fall" in Gripped (v7.04) said, "Obviously, the goal is to not fall, but if a leader is not falling on safe routes, then that person is not pushing themselves hard enough and their growth as a climber will be stunted." Falling is never easy for two simple reasons:
It's not a natural and an often scary thing to do.
It shows that we just failed.
The scary part can be justified in some climbing situations, but many times it is not.
Falling is a climbing skill that should be learned and practiced. First, always be aware of your fall zone. Your fall should be safe from hitting anything (watch out for small ledges, etc.). Make sure the rope is not behind your leg as this can lead to a head-banging flip, (obviously, always wear a helmet!). And, know that your belayer is attentive and gear placement is solid. On a route that is slightly overhanging where most of the rope is out (i.e. high on the pitch), take a few falls for the fun of it. Start below the protection and then slowly work to where the protection is at your feet. The late Todd Skinner, when freeing the Headwall on the Salathe' Wall route on El Capitan in 1988, would start each day with a few falls. It was a way of getting the jitters out - 2,500 feet off the deck.
The second part to falling is showing the world that we failed. This kind of "fear of failure" is normal and keeps most climbers from accomplishing as much as they can. On pitches where a fall may come into play, many climbers focus on the possibility of falling with all the requisite implications and emotions, and they don't concentrate on the task at hand.
For me, when I'm on a climb that is in my "hard" zone, the issue is often a lack of focus on the fact that I'm above a safe fall zone. Then when the moves become difficult and I'm losing my confidence in success, my mind begins to race and I get into tunnel vision mode. That leads to missing key holds and not looking to get the bit of extra rest that will allow for success on the route.
In football, the decisions of the quarterback determine the effectiveness of the offense. When college quarterbacks transition to the pros, they often go through a rough stretch as they adjust to the faster pace of play. However, after a few years of experience, the game "slows down" for the quarterback as he is able to speed up his decision-making with confidence.
As I write this first part of this article, I'm on a plane to El Potrero Chico, Mexico. I haven't been on rope for over two months and normally, when I'm not climbing regularly, I'm not very receptive to the idea of falling. Adhering to my own advice, I'm making a decision to accept the possibility of "failing by falling" rather than grabbing a draw or saying "take" too soon.
Mike sent this to me in today's email.
I think this is a great article with some really good food for thought!
When I began climbing nearly 30 years ago, the adage was "the leader never falls." In the day of hemp rope and imaginary protection, it was life saving advice because the system would probably fail to stop the leader and most likely allow the whole climbing party to be swept off the face. Although taught to a "newbie" climber, this essential principle of the past was on the verge of becoming obsolete.
By the seventies, climbing gear had improved enough to safely stop falls, but the "style" of the time didn't endorse falling. It was called the "ground-up" ethic - everything started from the ground and proceeded upward. When a leader fell, it was considered appropriate to lower to the ground, pull the rope (and as much protection as possible) and start again. The concept of figuring out a move or series of moves while leading was considered bad form. Thanks to a few visionaries, some of whom did so in a climbing vacuum, began to "hang-dog" routes until they were able to redpoint (climb to the top without falling) the route. And over time, the tide shifted. The advancement in natural and fixed protection have led to low-risk, high performance climbing.
Scott Milton in an article called "The Leader Better Fall" in Gripped (v7.04) said, "Obviously, the goal is to not fall, but if a leader is not falling on safe routes, then that person is not pushing themselves hard enough and their growth as a climber will be stunted." Falling is never easy for two simple reasons:
It's not a natural and an often scary thing to do.
It shows that we just failed.
The scary part can be justified in some climbing situations, but many times it is not.
Falling is a climbing skill that should be learned and practiced. First, always be aware of your fall zone. Your fall should be safe from hitting anything (watch out for small ledges, etc.). Make sure the rope is not behind your leg as this can lead to a head-banging flip, (obviously, always wear a helmet!). And, know that your belayer is attentive and gear placement is solid. On a route that is slightly overhanging where most of the rope is out (i.e. high on the pitch), take a few falls for the fun of it. Start below the protection and then slowly work to where the protection is at your feet. The late Todd Skinner, when freeing the Headwall on the Salathe' Wall route on El Capitan in 1988, would start each day with a few falls. It was a way of getting the jitters out - 2,500 feet off the deck.
The second part to falling is showing the world that we failed. This kind of "fear of failure" is normal and keeps most climbers from accomplishing as much as they can. On pitches where a fall may come into play, many climbers focus on the possibility of falling with all the requisite implications and emotions, and they don't concentrate on the task at hand.
For me, when I'm on a climb that is in my "hard" zone, the issue is often a lack of focus on the fact that I'm above a safe fall zone. Then when the moves become difficult and I'm losing my confidence in success, my mind begins to race and I get into tunnel vision mode. That leads to missing key holds and not looking to get the bit of extra rest that will allow for success on the route.
In football, the decisions of the quarterback determine the effectiveness of the offense. When college quarterbacks transition to the pros, they often go through a rough stretch as they adjust to the faster pace of play. However, after a few years of experience, the game "slows down" for the quarterback as he is able to speed up his decision-making with confidence.
As I write this first part of this article, I'm on a plane to El Potrero Chico, Mexico. I haven't been on rope for over two months and normally, when I'm not climbing regularly, I'm not very receptive to the idea of falling. Adhering to my own advice, I'm making a decision to accept the possibility of "failing by falling" rather than grabbing a draw or saying "take" too soon.