I'm a beginner and have mainly been toproping climbs at Struben's valley. Over the weekend I managed to get up an 18 and my friend suggested I try a lead climb. I got ready and was standing at the base of a 3 bolt 15 and just froze up. I couldn't climb it.

Are there any tricks to preparing your mind for 'the lead'. It can't be as simple as just going for it. When I'm on a 16 on toprope, I'm invincible.

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Silly games. I've been around since 2006, and what's wrong with toproping 16's anyway?

I am the original intergalactic champion. Fear me o<zero>dball!!

he greenface yup you're right its all in the head. and talk is cheap...... you have to get strong in your mind and overcome the fear of falling....no foolproof recipe that i know off, but what helped me greatly is to actually take a few falls and - then you know that it is not so bad. nothing really. so go clip that 2nd bolt on the 15, climb up to the 3rd bolt and sit back - just make sure you're not going to hit a ledge. ask your climbing buddy to show you falling technique (make sure you do not end-up upside down). and oh yes, get a helmet.

Hi Greenface,

My suggestion starts long before you get onto the rock.

What I've noticed with students is that being able to clip quickly without fumbling at all is a HUGE confidence boost - conversely, one fumbled clip tends to be psychologically cataclismic for a beginner.

Learn at least two ways of clipping your rope. Then in a safe enviroment practice each at least 100 times with each hand. Then when you next get to your Strubens 15, toprope it with a trailing rope twice - second time with 0.5m slack in the toprope. Then GO in the same climbing session.

Good luck

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Inspiration exists, but it must find you working. – Pablo Picasso

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You have an opinion, so do I. When these differ, please don't confuse your opinion with the truth, nothing is absolute.

I think top roping 15 at Strubens is quite impressive, I'm still battling to get up a 12, without hanging on the rope.

oOdball, perhaps you can get this leading thing under the belt, and you can become our lead queen. we really need someone to set up our top ropes.

Also, what about changing your profile name, It quite coinfusing having you and the other o0dball around.

Wena, Mok and Ian, wena

Hi All,

The username 'o0dball' has been banned from posting onto the ClimbZA forum.
Reason: The username is too similar to the username 'oOdball' and is causing confusion.

Any objections, etc please mail me
Thanks,
ClimbZA Site Admin

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Climb ZA - Administrator