How do you control it when you're sweating on the crux, crying and want your mommy? Personally there are times when I'm cuising and in the \"zone\" and other times when I reckon the grim reaper is belaying me. What do the rest you guys and girls do?

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\"When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you\". - Oom Nietzsche

Fresh set of huggies and more gear!

Hmmm – I don’t think you will ever get over it – you just push the fear one grade up from where you comfortably climb. I was reading David Breasher’s book and he reckoned that till you look at a climb, walked up to it and did it without the grim reaper giving you slack on the crux, you were not ready for it. I think this probably points to climbing mentally strong rather than physically strong.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/097401 ... F8&s=books

buy this book and study it \"mental training for rock climbers\".

Not just on fear but all aspcts of climbing. I consider this the quintessential book to read to improve all aspects of climbing.

Spread the word.

Steve

Fear is a big bad wolf snapping at your heels, just climb a move or two higher and he wont be able to reach you!
There are many ways to alter your arousal levels (no not Hustler magazine!) by controlling your breathing, focussing in on only the task at hand nothing else, zooming your attention in so all you can see or are concerned with is the next sequence of holds. Get yourself in the right mental state before you leave the ground and strive to maintain that throughout the route. Pre-route rituals can really help you get your 'race face' on, I always tie in, do my shoes and open my chalky in exactly the same way, it orders your mind which promotes stable logical thought.

We all get jittery from time to time, if its a safe sport route consider jumping off a few times to get the adrenalin pumping and blow those cobwebs away, once you've taken a couple of falls you realise its safe and the fear goes away. Obviously trying this on a dicey trad route would be stupid, but hopefully you would have sorted your head out before leaving the ground on those.