A bizarre frame of mind

[Starscream]

All great advice, also try singing/humming an uplifting song when you feel jittery. I find the star wars theme gets me going.

 

Seriously though, I've turned music on on my phone a couple of times when installing my tie in point!! Agree or disagree it really settled me and with the right song choice gave me a boost:001_smile:

[born2trot]

All great advice, also try singing/humming an uplifting song when you feel jittery. I find the star wars theme gets me going.

 

Hahaha !! That deserves it's own thread

 

PS . I always liked ' Walking in the air ' from the snowman ( sung in a high pitched voice ) works for me

[Tom Mabbutt]

The more you work with trees, the more you will understand the strength of wood, and how the different types of wood behave when you cut and work with them. When you are anchored in remember that the compressive strength of upright branch sections can be quite significant, side loading (or lateral loading) and the tension that this creates on wood is something to be weary of, just pause and take a while to think carefully about the best anchor points which are strong and which will allow you to work all or much of the crown, and the higher you can get your anchor the better too (having less of an angle on your main line will make you more confident when working at the extremities of crowns, this will help you to do better work). As said before; climbing hardwear is over-engineered for safety and once you learn to trust your gear you'll start speeding up. Always check.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Tom Mabbutt
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[Thesnarlingbadger]

The more you work with trees, the more you will understand the strength of wood, and how the different types of wood behave when you cut and work with them. When you are anchored in remember that the compressive strength of upright branch sections can be quite significant, side loading (or lateral loading) and the tension that this creates on wood is something to be weary of, just pause and take a while to think carefully about the best anchor points which are strong and which will allow you to work all or much of the crown, and the higher you can get your anchor the better too (having less of an angle on your main line will make you more confident when working at the extremities of crowns, this will help you to do better work). As said before; climbing hardwear is over-engineered for safety and once you learn to trust your gear you'll start speeding up. Always check.

 

 

This is a good point and one to consider when climber.

Also another thing that got my confidence up in the beginning was my tutor telling me that on average a tree can hold 4.5 times its own weight, so they are strong buggers.

This changes from deferent species but I have rigged some big lumps out of pops in the past and never had a mishap (touch wood), and they are about as week and brittle as you can get.

[Daveo]

Hi

 

I used to instruct indoor climbing and Absailing was competent and heights didn't bother me but I was respectful of the dangers.

 

One day I was climbing with a ground person belaying my safety, I missed a hold and slipped and fell 40ft on to the ground very lucky escape no injured rise , it happens because they didn't have the belay correctly adjusted.

 

Took me 10yrs to attempt climbing again but didn't enjoy it as much, I have been up to some different heights now in mewps but still can get very nervous all of a sudden but I push my comfort zone that little bit every time to build my confidence back always on my own unless I really trust the person I'm with, I have to be in control people on the ground are aware of my past and we have 2way coms incase I get into trouble.

 

My point really is slowly but surely, it's no bad thing checking your kit frequently as many have said don't be complacent and don't worry about what the folk on the ground might or might not be thinking.

 

Good luck, don't put pressure on yourself either as stress will make it worse

 

Hope that helps

 

PM me if you fancy a chat

[Dan]

Many years ago I did a job dead wooding trees at an outdoor concert venue, they were practicing singing opera whilst we worked with hand saws only. A really chilled couple of days swinging about in the sun.

[Goaty]

I don't work as a climber, I'm not trained to do it. Never have used a rope for support.

Some will frown at these comments perhaps and that's up to them.

I personally find ropes restrictive and get in the way and have never relied on them. Therefore I don't attempt to trust them, I know I'm primative for modern arb. However I reckon having climbed trees from an early age, I do have a sensitivity, judgement of wood strength, structure, center of gravity and an awareness of my own capability.

So when in climbing mode my awareness is heightened as many have said.

I can climb a steel girder spanned shed up and over and down the other side. However if I was on a rope with carabiners etc. I would be very wary, slow.

I reckon as already suggested you need to learn to rely on your climbing equipment to trust it more and a fun climb or a few should help. Once it's confidently familiar you should progress.

 

Something a kiwi uncle once said about rugby comes to mind. The only time players get injured is when they are not at the top if their game. I've found this is true. If you feel below par that's when you bang your head or have silly accidents, even in the home.

 

So pushing yourself whilst taking care should help.

[RC0]

I'm a definitely an inexperienced climber given its not my normal day job, but I love the work! And always want to know more that can help me be a better climber!

 

However, bizarrely, I have developed this debilitating fear when I'm climbing! And I've no idea why or where it's from! I'm slow, and check and re check everything, I worry about my anchors and about using the saw anywhere near my rope or lanyard...

 

Anyone else ever had this, and any ideas how I can rid it and get back to loving it again!?

 

All the best

 

It's just a phase. It'll pass just as soon as you start thinking cleary again. You're over thinking to the point where you created a phobia at the moment.

 

If Im ever fixated, over analysing or creating a problem in my head that isn't really there....I go out and have about 6 pints and think about the whole thing again. All of a sudden, with somewhat detached perception of things I realise how ridiculous I've been, and I'm cured. I'm not joking. It's never failed me yet. You need to stop worrying about nothing.

[Gary Prentice]

I worked with a newly ticketed climber a few years back, who complained he was only being given small trees to climb. To prove a point, he was given a big tree and bottled it, refusing to climb high enough for a TIP to work the tree.

 

My theory was that by doing lots of small trees, confidence would be gained on smaller limbs, the mechanics of climbing became more second nature with practice and it was a hell of a lot easier to talk and communicate from the floor.

 

Once confident and practiced, doing bigger trees becomes easier as the climber is in a small tree at the top of a big tree- but still doing what he's used to just at a higher level. Unless you're used to getting around on smaller diameters with high TIPs lots of decisions and work positions are restricted, the jobs harder, more bad choices are made as to where cut (too big) and more mistakes (damages) occur. And more confidence is lost.

 

Climb at every opportunity, even if it's just for bits of crown lifting, confidence will increase and trust in you gear becomes second nature. ( I still check my screw gates which I haven't climbed with for more yrs than I care to remember ). It's no bad thing.

 

Remember, all the good climbers started out just the same as you, they have time, practice and experience behind them- don't think none suffered your problems when they started or expect to be as good/quick/confident as they are soon. Climbing a something you get better at by doing, do it, do it and do it again-!if the want/desire is there, it will come and before long you'll wonder what the issues you're struggling with now were all about.

 

You'll get there, but understand sometimes you need to learn to walk before you can run.

[Mick Dempsey]

Hahaha !! That deserves it's own thread

 

PS . I always liked ' Walking in the air ' from the snowman ( sung in a high pitched voice ) works for me

 

Done!