At the core, the fear of slipping off of a hold is essentially a fear of falling. It’s specifically the fear of feeling vertigo.
It is useful to examine this issue separately, as the solution to this problem is not as simple as the previous issue. It highlights a difference in the fear of falling due to a failure of strength versus a failure of technique, or an intentional letting go.
As a coaching instructor for over thirty years, I have gained insight on how to help you combat your fear of slipping. This fear is most common in the following scenarios involving bad handholds and bad feet.
Bad Handholds
Though it’s possible on any hold, the majority of slippery hold fears come from slopers and pinches. The difficulty in maintaining the proper angle of attack on these holds leads to the fear of a hand popping off of a hold during a move.
This frequently results in climbers being unwilling to pull off of such holds, and frequently dropping off, or hanging on until they fall.
Climbers will not admit that they are afraid of the fall, but rather will claim they cannot do the move. This is true even though from another point of view, the climber does not genuinely attempt to do the move.
Addressing this problem requires a bit of patience, as this fear is often difficult to overcome.
The Solution to Bad Handholds
The trick is to focus on the move, rather than the fall. As a result, the most effective solution is proper technique, rather than making you comfortable with the fall.
Focus on weight shifting, proper angle of attack, and deadpointing. This takes the emphasis off of what happens if you miss and helps to prevent you from dwelling on the potential of the fall.
Bad Feet
The second most common area where climbers fear slipping is on bad feet. Much like slippery handholds, the approach to addressing this fear is to focus on good technique, rather than dwelling on the fall.
Remind yourself that your foot only comes off of a foothold for one reason. There is not enough weight on it. Therefore, if a foothold feels bad, the solution is to put your weight over that foot and keep good pressure on the hold throughout the move.
Be Aware of Over Gripping
If you are a new climber, be aware that you are prone to have a strong tendency to over-grip on problems with bad feet. This leads you to rely overly on your hands, and even to pull so hard as to lift your weight off of your feet.
You should be encouraged to look at your feet, rather than their hands, for stability.
Take these tips and remember that as a climber, you will inevitably fall while climbing. Focus on technique, especially footwork to help deal with the fear of slipping.
All material is reprinted with the permission of the author. Copyright 2022 David H. Rowland. All rights reserved.
