The TrainingBeta Podcast: A Climbing Training Podcast

TBP 279: Overcoming Fear of Climbing Above Bolt - A Mindset Coaching Session

Dec 18, 2024

In this insightful session, guest Nathaniel Lamont, a dedicated Canadian sport climber, tackles his fear of falling above bolts. Over six years of climbing experience, Nathaniel’s struggles resonate deeply within the climbing community. They explore the psychological roots of his fear and establish strategies for gradual exposure through intentional fall practice. The conversation emphasizes the importance of communication with belayers and techniques like mindfulness. This honest discussion inspires climbers to confront their fears, enhancing both skills and confidence.

01:09:27

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Episode guests

Nathaniel Lamont

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Nathaniel's fear of falling above bolts in climbing is rooted in past injuries and overthinking, which significantly hampers his performance and confidence.

The podcast emphasizes a structured approach to overcoming fear through gradual fall practice, allowing climbers to build confidence in a safe environment.

Fostering open communication with belayers and creating a supportive climbing community are crucial strategies for addressing fear and enhancing overall climbing experiences.

Deep dives

Understanding Coaching vs. Therapy

Coaching focuses on guiding individuals to achieve specific goals, emphasizing high-functioning clients rather than addressing deep trauma, which is typically the realm of therapy. The podcast clarifies that while both coaching and therapy can involve discussions of emotions and past experiences, coaching aims to facilitate concrete outcomes and behavioral changes without diagnosing mental health issues. This distinction is crucial for listeners seeking to understand what they can expect from coaching sessions, especially in highly emotional contexts like climbing. The speaker highlights their training and experience to establish credibility in working with climbers on their fears and performance issues.

Intro

2min

Navigating Fear and Expanding Coaching Horizons

5min

Mindset Coaching Session on Sport Climbing

2min

Conquering Fear in Climbing

10min

Conquering Climbing Fears

20min

Navigating Safety and Fear in Climbing

6min

Overcoming Fear in Sport Climbing

17min

Conquering Climbing Anxiety

6min

Confronting Climbing Fears: Breaking the Stigma

3min

In this episode I do a full mindset coaching session with Nathaniel Lamont, a Canadian climber whose performance is being affected by his fear of falling above his bolt while lead climbing. This is such a common issue among climbers, so if you or someone you know struggles with this, please listen to this one!

We go through the reasons he’s afraid, we acknowledge and validate those reasons, and I help him figure out ways he can feel more in control of the controllables (who his belayer is, what device they’re using, what climbs he chooses to get on, etc.).

Then we make a plan to work through some of his fear with strategic fall practice. He outlines what he thinks is realistic for him and I give him some clear guidelines for how to implement it in his sessions.

I really hope you enjoy this one – I loved doing this session with Nathaniel and really appreciated his willingness to be honest and vulnerable in front of thousands of people on the podcast.

If you’d like to watch this interview on video with no ads, no intro, and no outro, you can become a member on Patreon for $5/month to get that and other bonus content.

Work with Me on Your Fear in Climbing

If you want to work on your fear with me one-on-one, I’m accepting 6 new clients to do 3 months of work (6 sessions) on all things climbing. But we’ll also branch out into other areas of your life you want to work on, including:

Career satisfaction
Relationship issues
Body image
Life design
All things climbing

I’ve been climbing for 27 years, and I feel uniquely qualified to act as both your coach (asking you questions only you know the answers to) AND your mentor (giving you advice) in climbing. I am a Certified Professional Coach and will hold a safe space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings about any topic you want to discuss. We will make goals for each session, and I’ll hold you accountable to carrying out the homework I give you during each session. I’m really looking forward to working with you!

Work with Me on Fear

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