Scared of auto belay. I just got reintroduced to the anxiety of heights though when I finally used the auto belay machine we have at my gym yesterday. If that's not an option, I highly recommend climbing up 10 feet and jumping off, or watching other people use the auto belay multiple times before you use it. So what happens is that they will climb halfway up the wall and then sort of freeze because they're worried about what would happen if If there is an auto belay wall you could try that, doesn't help with a fear of falling, but I've found it useful to be able to look down without getting scared and I can climb a lot higher clipped in so feel less tired at the top of bouldering routes and trust myself more which lowers my fear. The more you do it the easier it'll be and you'll be able to control the fear that comes along with being up so high. And that’s why I signed up for the class, to help desensitize myself to heights But auto belay? Fuckin awful. While this expands into the climbing experience as a whole, auto belays offer a specialized manner of being that is hard to come by otherwise. Fear of heights or fear of falling from height? The two should be distinguished imo. This lawsuit really amped up the conversation. You should . They seem to have a fear of falling even after I have explained the auto-belay and demonstrated for them how it lowers you by climbing up myself and letting myself fall. It’s like anything with climbing on ropes, you just need to learn to trust the gear. That's what my belay device did the whole time I knew it before the fatal fall and I assume that had something to do with its failure (edited to reframe in answer of original post! thanks for giving me this space to air my grievances!) And wow do I fuckin hate it It did it’s job tho 😠after the class I was no where near as scared at committing to more difficult moves higher up on the bouldering wall as I usually am. We first responded by removing our Perfect Descent auto belays (Perfect Descent was a defendant in Start small: on top-rope give a loose belay and then get comfortable letting go of the wall, and climbing without tension on the belay line. EDIT: yes, it does look like this was a fixed gear failure somewhere in the system, but that's the exception, not the rule, and I'll be stunned if it was the auto-belay itself and not rope, webbing, lanyard, or metal (bolts, caribiners, etc). See full list on thrillsyndicate. com I think it’s natural to fear auto belays, especially as they feel so alien when you’ve been used to having a partner belay you. Let us explore some of the pros and cons of auto belays. Apr 24, 2023 · The auto belay provides a controlled descent using magnets, centrifugal force, or hydraulics as a braking mechanism. Jan 15, 2024 · Ashley Routson discusses the pros, cons, and some suggestions for the use of auto-belays in indoor climbing gyms. The use of auto belays has been a hotly debated topic in the indoor climbing industry for the last 10 years. Pause at the clip, figure out which hand you'd use, position yourself, etc. Seeing as we're climbing, however, i would imagine it's more the fear of falling from heights? Fear of falling is perfectly normal in climbing. During my first climbing lesson, the instructor explained how the auto belays work. The thing that helped was practicing desensitising myself to the height by climbing the really easy routes that are basically just ladders. It's just not often spoken about, and people will often be encouraged to continue climbing through that fear, which might only worsen and engrain said fear. I thought I’d like it more than w/ a partner but nope. Feb 22, 2020 · Understanding auto belays can be a little unerving if you've not used one before, we cover how they work and how to use them safely. The ability to run laps non-stop or to hyper-focus on a specific route is both integral to training but also an act of self-empowerment at its core. My instructor said to just send it and Something to be aware of: there's a difference between an auto belay failing due to some design or manufacturing flaw and failing due to wear and tear. Lead the easiest thing in the gym. While they offer many benefits, there are also drawbacks to using an auto belay. Since I know that gravity and magnetism are fundamental forces of nature that simply don't fail, it really helped me with my confidence to trust in the device. I've had this issue with a couple of friends I've taken to the climbing gym to try it out. I know I'm working on similar autobelay feelings! I've gone from being scared of climbing even a 3 metre wall to being able to climb the 10 metre auto-belay wall. Is my belay rigged properly) is my partners belay rigged properly? Is my harness on correctly?). That they rely on the principles of induction and magnetism, and that the break system is powered entirely by your weight due to gravity. After that it's just taking more falls and getting used to being up there. I felt a lot less secure in it which took me out of my comfort zone big time. That being said, your fear of auto-belays might be a larger issue if it develops into an overall fear of falling. In September, after a four year long legal battle over an auto belay accident, Vertical World publicly announced a shocking $6m settlement. visualize yourself clipping on routes as you climb on top-rope if you can't mock lead with a rope. I would practice falling as others have recommended here, to avoid the day you fall on accident and create a lot of fear on the autobelay. Annual or bi-annual inspections, as required by the manufacturer, involve disassembly, inspection, repair, testing and recertification of the unit. Breathe, focus on the next move, pull through it, and repeat. The auto-belay itself is safer than the webbing and rope that comprise the rest of the system. NB: If you get to the top of the belay and you have to yank the webbing to make it retract fully, tell the staff. If the gear is sound and your techniques are solid, you shouldn't have much to fear. Practicing falling can help ease your anxiety a bit. svgpzvs lbjsm srqrwm jfsp piwqtrts svt trplfx wggg vrtftd mkfdl