Maintaining a good lead head while training indoors.

[danielr]

So I don't have my book yet I just go around to ordering it a few days ago so it is possible that this was addressed there but I have a question about maintaining a good lead head while training indoors.

I have climbed very sporadically for a number of years usually 2-3 times outdoors over a six month period. All of my climbing was outdoors though and leading wasn't a big deal I was barely breaking into 10s but since all of the climbing I did was leading the mental effort wasn't a factor. If I physically could do the move I could do it while leading. 

A recent job change and move let me get back into climbing around 6 months ago and I have been able to boulder 2 times a week fairly consistently since then. I have done v4s in the gym and TR 11s on the few occasions when I had a partner.

When I have made it outside a couple of times the mental side has gotten much harder it seems. I can get on an easy 10 route and the moves don't feel physically hard but mentally I have a hard time not over gripping and pumping off.

It is frustrating since I can feel that the moves would be no big deal on a boulder or TR but leading has my freaked out. 

I rarely have the opportunity for roped climbing inside so even leading at the gym doesn't seem like an easy solution.

[Will]

Outdoors, especially early in the sport climbing seasons, I usually jump off a few times during my warmups, pushing a little higher each time to take progressively longer falls. By the time I've taken 3-4 falls and gone up to 15' or so in one of them, I can completely focus on the climbing for the rest of the day. It's a cliche, but it works for me. (I usually do this somewhere above the 3rd bolt, minimum)

On a similar note, I'll often make a point of "taking" on several bolts on my first warmup pitches just to drill into myself that yes, it's easy, but reading it wrong could make it harder than it needs to be and I don't want to get too pumped when warming up...warming up isn't about performing, so take if you need to to manage your warmup properly. That pride in your head saying "this is 3 number grades below my project, I can't he hanging on this"...get rid of it. Separate warming up from performing. Part of why I am nervous on the first pitches is feeling like I CANT fall off or take or whatever, so while still cold I am overgripping, moving stiffly, etc. Part of that is about taking the fall, part is about expectations of my partners..like what will they think if I'm calling "take" on this lowly warmup.

[MarkAnderson]

Great ideas Will!

First, let me say that what you are experiencing is completely normal. I often feel a bit hesitant my first few days out after a long outdoor layoff. What I like to do is start that first day out by working a new project, where I know I will be taking/hanging from the rope a lot. If there's a spooky stretch between bolts I'm not shy about using my stick clip to advance the rope so that I'm usually on toprope. I find this really helps me get used to the exposure again, and to refresh my trust in the rope and the belay, in a low-stress situation.

I find that once I know the moves of a route, being on lead, or even making long runouts is far less intimidating. Obviously that's not an option while onsighting, which is why I schedule challenging onsights for late in my Performance Phase when my lead head is completely dialed.

[danielr]

Cool thanks for the tips guys. I think I will use a little bit from both responses. Hopefully I will post a follow-up success reply here in a little bit.