Questions for all pros

I'm definitely not a pro Leighda, but I'll take a stab at your answers.
Getting your "Lead Head" is something all climbers have to work on. Some have it pretty naturally, others need to develop it. As you climb more often I think you'll get more comfortable on leads. I'm sure you felt shaky on the .9 because the fall was so recent in you memory. I personally do a lot of onsiting and get shaky on harder leads when theres more of a fall potentional. This stems from me not trying harder routes and not used to falling on lead; something I'd like to work on more.
One way you can get used to falling is to take them. Practice lead falls occaisoinally. This is best on a slightly overhanging route; no slabs! Start small at first with your waist at the bolt and then go foot by foot out. Don't get too crazy with this with huge whippers but I hope you get the idea. Arno Ilgner has a book call The Rock Warriors Way that is about mental preparation for climbing. On RC.com theres even a who section that he answer questions to. That might be worth taking a look at.

As for your other question, I can't tell you what your motivation for climbing is. Some like the challenge or being outdoors or meeting people or whatever. I don't think many people get into climbing to be famous. Climb for why you like it and things will fall into place. The current issue of Rock and Ice has a lot of articles on up and coming young climbers. It might be a good idea to read about others that are about your age.

I would highly recommend one of the Rock Warrior Way clinics by Arno Ingler. In the class you will do leader falls from above your protection. I was a "leader doesn't fall" kind of climber for year since I started climbing in the 70's. I only took one really long trad leader fall. But now that I have returned to climbing I needed to realize that I CAN fall on sport leads. After his class I got the confidence to take the fall. I still don't like the prospect but don't fear it either. I have since taken a couple of leader falls, two on a 5.9 (grossly underrated) and two a 10a. I still push hard for the on-sight but no longer obsess about taking a fall now and then.

This is not a professional opinion, just my own, but take it for what it's worth. Getting your lead head back on is hard, especially after taking a huge whipper. I took a 30 foot whipper at Summersville last year and it really shook me up. Took me several months to get back into it. I tell you what, the next time I was out, I wasn't climbing as well. I was getting sketched out on easy climbs, climbs that I had done before.

The only way I know of to get your lead head back on is to take falls. One of the guys I know would spend the first part of his training taking falls to get his lead head back in. Another person during training would fall if she ever felt sketched or apprehensive. If she knew her fear was keeping her from making the next move, then she would fall, get over the fear and try again. I know that after my lead fall or a layoff, I have to go back to the gym and take huge whippers. The gym was a cool place to take practice whippers, because there was this arch that you could fall from and not hit anything.

When I learned how to lead climb, my instructor told me the biggest difference between TR and lead climbing is not the rope or the belay or the quickdraws. He said it was mental, because there is going to be a point at which you will be above protection and there's a move you have to go for. And you have to decide, do you go for it, and take the fall, or back off and downclimb. And every time you have to make that decision, it will scare you. And I believe him. When I got back from the desert, I did a climb that I had done many times before. Only problem is that it's a little run out from last bolt to the top, about ~10 feet or so. I'm at the last move to the anchors, and I freak. Don't have my lead head at all. I know I can make the move, I know I've done it before, but fear over came me and I stopped trusting myself and my belayer, and I ended up wussing out and having to downclimb. Could have went for it easily and made it, but again, hadn't been climbing in a while, lost my lead head. Lead climbing is way more mental than TR, when you can basically stop at any point and continue climbing from where you left off.

Anyway, long story short, it takes a while to get back into it. But don't get discouraged! It will come back. Just climb with what you are comfortable with. And sometimes you may just have to fall to get back your confidence in yourself, in the equipment, and in your belayer. The fear you are feeling is natural, and you can get over it. Be patient with yourself and trust in your abilities. It will come back, and you'll be setting up 5.12s for the rest of us old RockRatz in no time. You can do it!

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I think confidence is important. If you climb enough and get used to the variety of moves, etc., you can make and what are your strong and weak points, you get to a place where you kind of know what's possible, what's plausible, and what's a risk. In other words, you get to know your own limits and how far it is reasonable to push them.

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good point Bum. On easier trad routes I'll run out the gear as I'm very comfortable while some of my partners might sew up the same route. Its all about being comfortable.
leigha, you might also think about doing easier leads for the time being.

Completely agree Bum. I feel the same way about bouldering. If I feel pretty good on a climb, I don't get so sketched out if I'm on a highball. But if the move is at my ability level, I get more sketched out, and really think about where my crashpad is and how I'll land. I've been bouldering a lot by myself lately, and I don't push myself as I should because of the lack of spotters or a bad landing. I think that's something that the best climbers know. That they are aware of their body and know how far they can push it and still be safe.

Leigha, I'd also recommend using belayers that you are very comfortable with for now, like your mom or dad. Right now, the climbing is freaking you out. The last thing you need to worry about is if the new person you have belaying you is going to catch you when you fall. Don't be afraid to tell someone that you'd rather have a person you know belay you for now. Most people will understand and be cool with it. It's just one less thing to worry about while you get your confidence back.

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http://vegas.smugmug.com
http://www.coloradospringsrockratz.com

Everyone struggles with being afraid of falling. It's definitely something that I've struggled with. If you've only taken on lead fall, then it's perfectly normal to feel shakey when getting back on lead. The fact that you did fall, however, means that you're already a step ahead of the game when it comes to bravery. To get more comfortable, though, I would recommend taking things in stages. Start by going just a couple of inches above the bolt, falling, and then going a bit further, and a bit further, until you are falling with your feet above the bolt. Also, it's very important that you have someone experience at belaying small people, because the worst is when you get a hard fall. In my opinion, it's always better to fall a bit further than to swing in and hit the rock because you weren't given a soft belay.

To answer your other questions, first: as far as my drive to get better, I don't really worry about it too much. I just go climbing when I'm motivated because I love it and progress kinda comes with the territory. When you really love something and spend a lot of time doing it, you're going to improve, naturally.

As far as being famous goes, you don't need to 'decide' just yet I don't think. Things will work themselves out as you get older and discover more about what you enjoy and like.

hey thanx all you guys for your posts they have helped me alot. the other day on a lead i fell but didnt hesitate to keep going up and finishing my route.

thank you,
Leigha

Cool. Don't push harder than you feel comfortable with. (Damn, I am old...I sound like your mother. Or more to the point, my mother!)

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