Are you passionate about climbing but your fear of falling holds you back? You’re not alone. Despite modern safety gear like ropes, harnesses, and crash pads, the fear of falling remains a common challenge for all levels – whether or not climbers admit to it.
In this guide, you’ll better understand why this fear exists and, more importantly, learn strategies to manage and overcome it.
Are you ready to unlock your full potential and ultimately achieve the climbing flow?
Let’s talk about fear: The first step to overcome it
Fear sucks. But it’s also one of the most primal emotional responses in the world, rooted in our fight-or-flight system, meant to protect us in situations we perceive as being dangerous.
Fear is simple and doesn’t understand evolution and it can sometimes hold us back from reaching our true potential, and not only that.
Did you know that a climber afraid of falling has a higher risk of getting injured due to bad falls, experiences more unpleasant moments, and is more stressed?
The good news? The brain is resourceful and flexible enough, so it can be trained and taught whatever you want…including overcoming the fear of falling!
Why does falling in climbing feel so scary?
Most probably your fear of falling in climbing is linked to deeper fears such as the fear of failing, losing control, fear of the unknown, fear of success, fear of physical injury, and so on.
According to climbing mental coaches and experts such as Rebecca Williams, Strong Mind Climbing (Hazel Findlay), or Arno Ilgner (The Warriors Way) pinpointing your specific fear is the first step toward managing it.
My climbing story of self-sabotage
There I was, halfway through my climb, cruising a challenging route with a sense of flow and rhythm.
Every move felt right, and I was happy with myself.
But then, a distant hold caught my eye and I started scanning for ways to get me there but nothing seemed “safe” enough.
I paused, and told myself “Hmm, this might be tricky!” Looking down, the ground looked like 100 metres below.
The self-confidence I had just moments before? Vanished!
Every move to reach that good faraway hold now seemed like a gamble with gravity. Seconds later, the mental battle began.
My mind was flooded with doubt: “This looks difficult. It’s too reachy. How could they place the bolt so far? You’re not strong enough. Maybe you can stick the move but you definitely don’t have the margin to keep going after that.”
I shake my hands, I do a desperate try half-hesitating, feeling super tense and I hear the voice again “You’ll fall”.
Suddenly, I wasn’t just physically stuck, I felt mentally paralysed. Fear had taken over and now the pump was real.
Completely out of the flow, I say, “Take!”. But not before I downclimb on unforgiving holds. Utterly disappointed, again.”
Does this self-sabotage sound familiar to you?
Proven strategies to overcome the fear of falling in climbing
Did you know that falling, and jumping can be considered skills you can train as much as power and strength training for climbing?
This means your approach to fear and how you choose to manage your anxiety can significantly influence your performance.
Check out the Hard is Easy video video featuring Hana Banana. In this brilliant experiment, she faces her fear of falling bravely by practising intentional falling. Watch it and discover some of the best tips and tricks.
Hungry for more? Here’s another: Step-by-step guide for beginners on how to ditch the fear of falling indoors.
The falling practice: Know your enemy
Falling can feel scary if you are a beginner. But did you know even more experienced climbers can have the same issue?
Luckily, falling is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice and patience.
I have friends who have been climbing for over 10 years and still start their climbing sessions by falling a few times during their warm-ups.
Don’t see it as a sign of weakness; it’s a smart way to build confidence in yourself, and your gear.
You can try that too! Start with small, controlled falls, allowing yourself to gradually push past that instinctive fear.
It can feel uncomfortable at first but trust me, it gets better by doing.
Breathing technique
One breathing exercise a day keeps the panic at bay.
When I feel fear creeping in, I find that taking deep, slow breaths helps me to calm down my nervous system, and prevents me from panicking in challenging and tense situations.
Moreover, constant breathing can also improve your climbing because it helps your body relax and creates the spaces you sometimes need to reach for the next hold.
Regular breathwork practices, like those from yoga or pranayama, can build this habit over time.
Here are some breathing techniques that will improve your climbing and Pranayama.
Positive Self-Talk
Sometimes when bouldering, the higher I get, I start doubting my capacity to top out. Therefore, as soon as I feel it’s sketchy I often down-climb. Or I jump.
When leading, I sometimes catch myself letting go before I even try the hard move because I convince myself that “I’m not strong enough”.
In reality, I am afraid of falling and hurting myself even though the distance is not as big as I imagine it.
What helps: I find that sometimes affirming statements such as “I’m strong”, “I know how to do this” and “It’s ok if you fall” can help me gain my confidence back and rewire my brain to approach the climb with confidence instead of fear.
Visualisation
How about taking a moment to check out your boulder before jumping on it?
If it’s your first time on the climb, try to identify movements, get visually acquainted with the line and its holds, and see yourself climbing it successfully.
Observing your route from the ground up and later on reminding yourself there is no real danger if you fall can also work.
If it’s a project, try and picture each move, how it feels, and the sense of achievement when you finish. Visualisation is a powerful tool for overcoming the fear of falling and this mental practice can make the real climb feel more familiar and less daunting.
Visualisation is kind of a big deal in climbing so if you want to read more about it check out our in-depth guide on visualisation.
Embrace failure as a learning tool
Most of the time, fear of failure is unconscious and it can be related to being a perfectionist.
In climbing, it can prevent us from attempting or sending challenging routes as well as pushing our limits.
However, keep in mind every fall provides valuable feedback on your weaknesses, and areas for improvement on even the tiniest details.
By reframing failure as part of your climbing, falling included, you can build resilience and confidence, and get one move closer to mastering the psychology of fear.
Building trust in your climbing partner
Is your climbing buddy a keeper? They are a big part of your climbing experience, your safety, and your support when you try hard.
In bouldering, make sure that you communicate effectively with whoever is spotting you.
When lead climbing, do the same with whoever is holding the other side of the rope.
Your climbing partner must understand the risks, know how to stop a bad fall, give a soft catch, and respect 100% your fears as well as your approach to it.
Practical Steps for Different Scenarios
Bouldering Indoors
You can try controlled jumping and falling on the mat while gradually reaching for the next hold.
This way you can get used to the height and also get comfortable with falling.
Lead Climbing
When lead climbing if reaching for the next hold while getting further from the bolt scares you, try shaking your hands a bit, taking regular breaths, and focusing on the next move.
If you still feel terrified try taking intentional falls: first one from the bolt, then a few cm higher, and so on.
Make sure your belayer is totally supporting you and knows how to give you a safe fall. When in doubt, talk to a professional.
Goal setting
Last but not least, understand you have a choice. You can choose to fear or not to fear, and how much to explore your fear on a given day.
This one is easier said than done but once unlocked it’s an incredibly powerful tool that will boost your climbing experience.
Start by setting small goals to build confidence in yourself and keep your mind in the climbing game.
For more examples watch this video of Hannah Moris and Hazel Findlay on How to overcome the fear of climbing.
When is the fear of falling most intense for you?
For example, especially women may feel more vulnerable to fear and dangerous situations at different points in their menstrual cycle.
In my case, I fear the most before my period and the levels can vary depending on circumstances like hormonal changes, fatigue, or stress.
This vulnerability can last for a few days, while other times it can linger for up to two weeks.
If on regular days, I can push myself, on my vulnerable days, I rarely take up to taking on challenging climbs, and I often find myself saying “take” because I become unreasonably terrified by heights, spicy bolted lines, and other perceived dangers related to climbing.
Practical tools that keep fear in check
- Intentional falling helps me stay focused on the climb instead of being consumed by the fear of falling. It’s as if, on some days, my mind needs to repeatedly experience the sensation of falling, so it becomes familiar with the rush. By doing this, I become more relaxed and I can move more freely; otherwise, I tend to tense up and freeze on the wall.
- Adjust your expectations when you notice you feel vulnerable. Focus on routes that you feel comfortable with and are well within your skill level, you can build confidence and reduce the mental pressure of tackling more difficult routes. This approach allows your body to stay relaxed, helping you stay focused on movement rather than on fear.
- Go out climbing with people know and trust. I usually like hanging out with new people but on days like that I prefer going out with friends I trust spotting or belaying.
3 fun personal facts related to the fear of falling
- When I get scared about falling, I don’t allow myself to keep going and I start feeling terrified instead. I convince myself I am not strong enough and that I am too tired but I am still able to downclimb on very sketchy tiny holds.
- Sometimes I choose to fall because I am scared about getting too far from the ground.
- Oddly I sometimes feel scared when I am one metre above the bolt but I feel totally fine while bouldering 3 metres off the ground.
Conclusion? Lack of strength is definitely not the issue here!
Embrace fear like top athletes
Stefano Ghisolfi, 9b+ climber
Image from Instagram @steghiso
Stefano manages to overcome his fear of falling by setting small goals when working on a project.
For example, stop before the crux and try to link the hardest section, maybe skipping a bolt if needed.
Having a goal before starting the actual climb helps him to maintain the focus on the climb and this takes fear to second place.
Dave Graham, 9b climber
Image from Instagram @dave_graham_
His black beast? Céüse with its traditional runouts. Dave has an up-and-down relationship with the fear of falling.
Depending on how much time he spent bouldering, he might take a long time to get comfortable with falling while leading.
What does Dave Graham do? He tries to build confidence by taking good falls.
He says being afraid is important as long as it keeps you safe but that it can become dangerous when you start making mistakes because you’re scared.
Overcoming your fear of falling shouldn’t be just about being brave but also being smart as well.
For instance, talking to your belayer and letting them know you want a dynamic fall could be a good idea.
Nonaka Miho is a WC competitor and 8c+ climber
Image from Instagram @nonaka_miho
She trusts the gear so she isn’t afraid of falling but she never skips bolts because she thinks it is dangerous.
Alex Rohr, 9a climber
Image from Instagram @alex__rohr
Alex talks about having days when he feels afraid of falling and days when he simply enjoys the pure flow of climbing.
His strategy of losing fear is testing certain falls in order to know if they’re dangerous or not.
He advises watching your feet always so you don’t get your foot behind the rope.
Christoph Hanke, WC Climber, and 9a climber
Image from Instagram @christoph_hanke
Chris has an interesting story on the fear of falling. After experiencing a ground fall he trained his mind for a year to lose fear of falling.
More than 15 years later he completely dissolved this fear and says it’s something competitors can’t have since the main goal in competing is fighting to reach one more hold.
Our solution? You can compete at your local bouldering gym!
Alizée Dufraisse, 8c+/9a climber
Image from Instagram @alizee_dufraisse
Alizée says she used to be much bolder in her 20s but now in her 30’s she is being more mindful about falling. However, when she really likes a route, she forgets her fear and embraces the challenge of falling.
Therefore, before you assume that professional climbers are fearless gods born to send, think again! Just because a climber can climb higher grades it doesn’t necessarily mean they have less fear.
Instead, they found a way to develop better coping mechanisms such as visualisation techniques and mindfulness.
The Hard is Easy video on Fear of Falling is proof of that and could be truly inspiring for any climber out there.
Your inspiration corner
For more precious insight on fear listen to Mastering Your Mind: Unlock Your True Potential Beyond Physical Limits-Hazel Findlay Full Interview here:
The key takeaways are:
- Harness fear as a guide
- Mind over matter
- Adaption is key
- Stay present
Arno Ilgner The Rock Warrior’s Way. This book is a well-known guide to mental training in climbing, that focuses on how climbers can overcome mental barriers through mindfulness, accepting risk, and much more.
Key takeaways:
- Explaining the concept of fear of falling in climbing
- Practical examples to beat the fear of falling
- Step-by-step guidance on motivation analysis, information gathering, risk assessment, mental focus, and deliberate transition into action
The Lattice video on how climbers can control their fear of falling:
The key takeaways here are:
- Science of fear
- Practical examples in 3 steps
- Climbing partner checklist
A very inspiring podcast featuring a competitive swimmer who, after becoming paralyzed from the waist down, chose to control her approach and attitude and reach her greatest potential:
The key takeaways here are:
- Define your limitations
- How to shift your beliefs and capabilities
Embrace the challenge
To wrap it up, overcoming fear is not a quick fix, especially when it comes to climbing. You’ll need patience to focus on small but steady steps.
But the fun part is it is very rewarding and empowering from day one.
Consider ideas as thoughts that guide our actions: if you keep on coming back to climbing it means your love for it is so much bigger than your fear of climbing.
So choose to pursue that love.
If fear wasn’t what’s holding you back which dream route would you choose to climb?
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