A climb was done: intentional falling is hard

On 15th March this year I got to go climbing with Adrian and co again at the Bell Crag (Blowhole wall), where I didn't get much climbing done due to being paired with a similarly nooby outdoor climber. We both therefore related strongly to each other but took a lot of time getting through one climb between the two of us. It was a good learning exercise in that there wasn't someone experienced telling us what to do so I think we developed some more autonomy in that way.

One thing that we were told to do was to practice our falling - so we could practice catching. Catching as a belayer is much simpler in an indoor gym because the belay rope is tethered to the ground. That means when the climber falls, you don't get yanked up. Or in. To the rock. Outdoors, these possibilities are very real, and the odds are worse if you're lighter. To make things worse, if you pull too hard or early, you risk yanking the falling climber into the wall too! All-round, a fun time.

To avoid making friends with rocks, Adrian taught the belayer to bend their knees and kind of spring up with the rope as it pulls upwards, to soften the fall of the climber. It was a bit tricky to get right and I think there is a lot of improvement to be made as I think my reflex is still an indoor climber reflex: lock the rope down and don't move! Not effective here.

Unfortunately with every trainee catcher is a trainee faller... And it turns out that willing yourself to completely let go of the rock several metres in the air is very scary! It wasn't even a super dangerous fall or anything as we let go off a slight overhang to decrease the risk of smashing into rock, but it was definitely a big mental challenge to make myself do it. I'm by no means a falling or catching expert so I expect to go through this ordeal many more times as it is a part of the Rock Climbing Level 2 skillset. Not exactly thrilled, but understandable why it has to be done.