Why You Should Learn to Fall (Yes, Really!)

Look, it’s going to happen to you. It’ll happen to your friends, your partner, it’ll happen to your mom, if they take up climbing, your siblings, it will happen to pretty much anybody who tries climbing—you’re all going to fall.

Since it’s inevitable, you should learn how to fall. While that may seem like a silly sentence to read, it’s a great skill to have. Understanding how to move your body to land safely on the mats is a valuable skill. You’ll learn the basics of falling when you enter a Kansas City climbing gym, but today you’ll learn the nuances of falling technique and how to fall as safely as possible.

Bouldering will be the topic of discussion when referring to falling today. Leading climb falls will be your next hurdle!

Falling Is Inevitable—So Why Not Get Good at It?

The fear of falling holds you back more than you think. When you have the little voice in your head that whispers, “What if you fall?” just before you make a move, you have two options.

1. You downclimb back to the safe ground, or

2. You try the move anyway.

Seasoned climbers can spot their landing, anticipate how their body will react to falling off the wall before they do so, and determine the angles at which to turn themselves to maintain safety when they hit the mats. The difference between falling smart and falling scared is being proactive in your downward momentum. You must take charge of your fall!

Falling builds confidence. Once you’ve fallen from one foot up and you know that everything is okay, then you practice falling from two feet up and so on. Before you know it, you’ll be going for it on the last move of a boulder, only to slip off the last hold and land gracefully back on the mats, ready to try again.

The Psychology of the Fall: Rewiring Your Brain

It’s common to freeze when you experience a moment of fright while falling. Humans weren’t designed to fall from heights, so it’s only natural that your body’s response is to freak out a bit. This is the part you must work to overcome if you want to become a climber. Remember, everybody falls!

There is a mental barrier to overcome that will enable you to tackle more challenging climbs. You must first understand that you won’t always be comfortable while on the wall. You can be a little scared, but do the moves anyway. If you want, that is!

Now, don’t get the notion that to be better at falling, you must be reckless. There is a big difference between having confidence and being foolhardy. Confidence comes from experience and understanding, while recklessness comes from….well, inexperience and immaturity. Learn to fall with confidence at your Kansas City climbing gym.

How to Fall While Bouldering

This is what you’re here for, right? You want to try hard but fall safely. Let’s make that happen.

1. Accepting

Falling is part of the sport. Trying to avoid it completely leads to hesitation and unsafe movement. Mental prep reduces panic when it happens.

2. Spot Before You Climb

Make sure there isn’t anything lying on the mats, like a water bottle or stick brush that could be in your way. A climbing gym will have staff who are good at their jobs, so you shouldn’t have to worry much about this one.

3. Don’t Flail — Stay Controlled

As you come off the wall, try to stay upright and look down at your landing. You may want to reach out with your arms to catch yourself, but refrain from doing so! This is how wrists, shoulders, and elbows get injured.

4. Land on Your Feet, Then Roll or Absorb

Aim to land with bent knees and feet shoulder-width apart. Let your knees bend deeply to absorb the impact. (Don’t lock your legs—this can lead to knee injuries.) If the momentum continues, roll backward onto your butt and back, tucking your chin to protect your neck.

5. Keep Arms In and Relaxed

Continue to resist the urge to break the fall with your hands. Instead, keep your arms in front of your chest or to your sides, relaxed and ready to roll.

7. Avoid the “Dead Drop”

When in doubt, downclimb. There is no reason to fall from the top of the wall when climbing gyms have downclimb rungs or large jugs to help you down. The higher the fall, the more room for injury.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

We’re talking about practice. You don’t get good at something overnight! You must work to overcome the fear of falling and to learn to embrace it. When you boil it down, there is no falling where there isn’t trying, so keep trying and keep climbing!

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