How to Fall Bouldering – Life Saving Advice You Need

Bouldering stands apart from other types of climbing, as there is no harness or rope to safeguard you in the event that you fall. This means that each time you slip off a boulder, your body will be unavoidably cushioned by the padding below or crash against the ground.

It is important to recognize that all rock climbing, with or without a rope, carries risks.

This blog post should not be used as your how to fall bouldering bible, but it should at the very least give you a better understanding of how to properly fall when bouldering, helping you to avoid injuring yourself or anyone else around you.

How To Fall Bouldering: The Right Way

Due to the nature of bouldering, there is no one right way to fall; you could be at an awkward overhang when you do fall off the wall, which could lead you to fall directly onto your back. There are also scenarios where you could fall on your front, and of course as standard, on your feet.

Because of this, I want to cover how to do a proper fall in these different scenarios, giving you advice on how to do it the right way when the time comes.

But first, let's talk about some of the basics when it comes to bouldering and falling (+ controlled fall) in general.

What To Do Before You Climb

Falling is an inevitable part of bouldering, so it's important to take the necessary steps to ensure you are adequately prepared before you start climbing.

1. Check Your Gear: Make sure your climbing shoes fit well and that all equipment used for protection, such as a crash pad, is in good condition.

2. Have a Good Spotter: You should always have someone spot you during your bouldering session, as this will help to cushion your fall if you do slip off the wall. Spotters are essential when it comes to protecting a falling climber.

3. Warm-up: Doing a proper warm up before climbing helps to prepare your body for the physical challenges of bouldering and reduces the risk of getting injured.

4. Visualize Your Routes: Before attempting any bouldering problem, it is important that you take the time to plan and visualize your route. This will give you an idea of what moves to make, which holds to use, and which footholds are best for you.

5. Remove Any Jewelry: Jewelry can get caught in holds or on the wall, which could result in an injury.

6. Have The Right Mindset: Having the right attitude and mindset is essential for bouldering safely. You should always be aware of your own capabilities, have an understanding of what you’re comfortable with, and remember that falling is part of the process.

What To Remember When Falling

When you begin to come away from the wall, abstain from attempting to grab onto any other holds in an effort to stop yourself. Instead, acknowledge that you're falling and ride the moment out. Doing so will give you a higher chance that you'll fall safely.

Striking the ideal balance between keeping your body engaged yet relaxed is key for achieving optimum performance.

It might sound far-fetched, but discovering the ideal balance between having your muscles engaged yet relaxed is essential for successful landings. Becoming too tense prior to impact can result in sprains and fractures, together with ligament damage as well as muscle tears.

Relaxing your body, on the other hand, will help to reduce injury risk and give you an opportunity to make quick adjustments in order to hit the spot.

You'll have bouldering crash mats there to protect you, but it's still important to reduce the impact of your fall. Try to aim for a flat movement and land on your feet, making sure you keep your head up.

Remember; You CAN Roll

In most cases, you will not need to use this technique because you'll have a comfy crash mat under you, but its always best to preperare for the worst; so be mindful that you COULD roll if you needed to, the event that the mat is going to help break your fall.

Always remember that when it comes time to land, rolling is better than trying to break the fall with your arms or legs. This technique helps to spread out the impact of the fall and is a great way to reduce potential injuries.

If you are falling in an awkward position and unable to land on your feet, don’t be afraid to roll as this can help you disperse the impact much more efficiently than if you were to just let yourself crash onto the ground.

How to Land (In Most Cases)

Cushioning your fall is a critical part of the process when it comes to bouldering. Try to land using your feet first and then let your body follow in an upright position. This will help to reduce the impact of the fall, rather than landing on your side or back which can lead to more serious injuries.

As you land, keep your arms and legs relaxed as much as possible. Don’t try to fight against gravity; instead, use it to your advantage by allowing yourself to sink into the mat rather than crashing onto it.

It's also important to remember that you don't always have to land perfectly on your feet. Even if you're in an awkward position, just make sure you're ready for it.

Don't forget to bring your chin close to your chest as this will help engage your neck muscles and protect against whiplash, one of the most common injuries experienced in bouldering.

And never try to stop yourself with your arms or hands; this can cause sprains, strains, and fractures if you land on an outstretched arm.

As you plummet, keep your arms tightened close to your chest. This position not only minimizes the chances of them reaching out to catch yourself in an attempt to break a fall, but it also helps avoid contact with anything that may be obstructing the way down.

What To Do When Landing On Your Back

If you happen to slip off a roof, the most likely outcome is that your back will take all of the impact. Avoid clinging onto any rocks as this could lead to serious injuries on your fingers and hands.

Just allow yourself to let go, making sure you fall correctly.

Keep your limbs raised so you don't feel the urge to reach out and attempt to lessen the impact with one of your arms. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Tuck in your chin for extra protection on your neck, trusting that it will help reduce some of the fall's force by bringing it down upon your back instead.

After you land falling flat, if the mats are unevenly placed then a roll to one side might occur, even when falling safely. To stop this from happening, position your arms securely into your chest and keep your knees bent or hug your knees in while stretching out your arms and slapping them down on the mat to stop this from happening.

What To Do When Landing on Your Front

Without a doubt, this is the scariest fall you could possibly have. Though certainly not preferable, it's possible to land on your stomach when attempting to nail down an explosive dyno move.

Instead of curling your arms and legs inwards, keep them spread out wide. To safeguard your neck and nose from the impact, turn your head to one side.

Make sure you land on your belly first; engaging those core muscles will ensure that minimal damage is done to the spine during a fall.

Practice Falling

Falling correctly is a skill that you should never underestimate. As with any sport, the more practice you get, the better prepared you'll be when it comes time to land.

When practicing proper falling technique, start by standing near the mats and allowing yourself to plop down onto them. It's important to remember that during an actual fall, the force will be much more intense than simply falling from a standing position.

The next step should involve some simple jumps, such as hopping up and down from an elevated platform. This will help to strengthen your legs, arms, and core muscles in preparation for bigger climber falls.

Finally, begin practicing actual bouldering moves that involve dynamic movements, such as dynos and mantels.

By doing this you'll be able to simulate a real-life fall, getting your body used to the sensation of freefalling and training it to react accordingly.

With practice, you can become an expert at breaking your falls and ultimately stay safe while bouldering - this advice will also help if you're lead climbing or top rope climbing at your local bouldering gyms.

How To Arrange Your Bouldering Pads For Maximum Protection

When outdoor bouldering, the quality of your landing zone is integral for safety. It all comes down to two elements: assessing whether or not the ground you're landing on is level and free from rocks, as well as taking care in positioning pads correctly.

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about what makes for good pad coverage, even on flat ground.

Despite the belief that you must land evenly on multiple pads or risk rolling your ankle, this is generally untrue. Unless they are new, most pads will squish and cushion upon impact from your landing ensuring a safe fall every time.

By far the bigger problem is cracks between pads that can allow your foot to hit the hard ground. Make sure these cracks don’t form and, when possible, cover cracks with other pads.

What To Think About When Placing Crash Pads

When thinking about where to place different pads, you should weigh two considerations:

• The likeliness of a fall in any given place
• And the consequence of that fall.

My thought process usually looks something like this;

"As I'm prone to missing the last step of this 10-foot problem, I'll place a large firm hold at the lip of the boulder rather than somewhere near where it begins."

Other times, depending what I'm climbing, I might think about splitting the difference;

"To protect against a worst-case scenario, I'll use my thinner and softer pad on the second move. That way, if I fall on this particular spot, the impact won't be as bad. Then for extra security to guard against greater danger at the later stages of the problem, I will place my bigger pad over there for added protection should disaster strike."

To conclude, placing crash pads correctly is just as important as wearing a helmet when it comes to staying safe during outdoor bouldering.

Common Bouldering Injuries

This section isn't here to scare you, but rather to make sure you are aware of the potential hazards so you know what you could be getting yourself in for.

Compared to other climbing styles, such as trad climbing where your safety relies heavily on each piece of gear you placed, with falls being long-lasting, bouldering appears much safer.

In bouldering, your longest fall is only likely to be 10 - 15ft and you have a soft landing. However, falling that short distance is more than enough to cause some damage.

As a result, some common bouldering injuries include: 

• Twisted and sprained ankles
• Whiplash
• Finger and hand injuries
• Shoulder and wrist injuries

Conclusion

Bouldering is a great way to get active, improve your strength and coordination, and have some fun. However, it can also be dangerous if you don’t take the necessary precautions.

It's important to remember that falling is part of the process and although it may seem intimidating at first, with practice, you can learn to control your falls and land safely.

Cushioning your fall properly is critical, so make sure you keep your body relaxed, aim for a flat movement with your feet first, and never try to break the fall with your arms or hands.

Finally, remember that when it comes time to land, rolling is better than trying to break the fall with your arms or legs. This technique helps disperse the impact more efficiently and can help reduce the risk of injury.

By following these tips, you'll be able to enjoy bouldering safely and stay injury free!

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