Before I started writing this I thought I’d find some witty way leading into my scaredy cat fear. But there’s not a really good way for me to do that except to just say I have some unnatural fear of climbing a rope. It’s ridiculous when I think about it, yet I have no answer for myself or anyone else when it comes to actually doing it. It’s the same fear when trying to jump on a 30″ box. I get all ready to go. I’m determined, but once I take that step, I stop. Only thing with the rope climb is that my hands don’t want to let go of the rope. At all.
We worked on rope climbs the other day and I had some crazy death grip on the rope. My hands were sore for days! And I never got more than like 3 feet off the ground. So it’s not like I was going to plummet to my death. I know this. Today, we worked again on said rope climbs and the rope I was using didn’t have a lot of slack on it. I had to climb onto a box so when I grabbed the rope I had slack. Mind you I’m only standing on a 24″ box. Not scary. But scary when I reach for the rope. HOLY GEESH my insides freeze up.
Of course I googled “fear of rope climbs” and “scared of rope climbs” and I get nothing. I’m the only person in the world that is scared. Confidence level -10.
Coach is patient with me, THANK GOODNESS, but I’m sure he thinks I’m a loonball. Believe me, I feel silly about the whole situation too. I shouldn’t be scared. But in the end I’m a girl baby who freezes up! The one thing Coach helped me with that I will have to practice (in all my free time) is to start up higher and practice coming down. It took me a few moments of telling myself I can jump onto this rope off of this now 30″ box. I’ll be ok. I even said outloud I’m scared to just get it out of me. I finally grabbed onto the rope and worked on coming down, but it was a sloppy mess. I have convinced myself that’s it not the actual climbing up that’s scary, it’s the coming down. So hopefully this will help in the end. Again, in my head I know I would NEVER willingly let myself fall but it’s like I don’t trust me at all. When and if I get up there I don’t know that I will be able to come down without breaking my neck. I guess the best thing is that I still tried. But really, can someone hypnotize me to not be scared? Thanks!
8/20/13 WOD
Skill: ROPE CLIMB
Scaredy Cat 
MetCon: 9 MU, 400m run, 7MU, 400m run, 5MU, 400m run
For us non Muscle Uppers, and not Chest to Bar folks. Just us ol Pull Uppers (with bands for me of course), we had to do 15, 12 and 9. So far today is a day of suck. Rope Climbs, Pull Ups and Running. My top weaknesses all in one day. How fun. But I didn’t sleep in. I showed up cause no matter how scared or how crappy I am at all the above, I knew sleeping in wasn’t going to help me get better! I moved as fast as I could on the Pull Ups. Only to move slow on my runs. Halfway through my first run, my right calf and hip were on fire. By the end of that run my shin was about to spontaneously combust. I’m sure of it. For the rest of the runs, it was just misery. I’d run/walk/run. I’ve never had shin pain like that until today. A combo of being completely stress on the rope. My right leg being my lead leg maybe was traumatized, lol. Who knows. I rolled it out the best I could post-WOD but I’m it will probably be achy for a day or two. Time: 14:23
8/20/13 WOD
Food note: I know it’s been a long time since I shared any food with you but I did make Avocado Deviled Eggs yesterday. I didn’t follow anyone’s recipe, just kind of winged it.
I used:
4 hardboiled eggs
1/2 avocado
splash of olive oil
mustard (although I don’t recommend, after taste test)
bacon
I’m a fan of deviled eggs and I prefer to use paleo mayo but I didn’t have that on hand. I did, however, have avocados. I’ve seen links and posts and always thought it sounded weird, but I was about to give it a try anyways.
Just like regular deviled eggs, you scoop out the yolk into a bowl and mash it all up. I then added avocado and continued mashing. The consistency was too thick for my liking so I added a little olive oil. This was helping but I still felt like it wasn’t enough. So even though avocado and mustard don’t sound great, I thought the mustard would help. I love the tang of mustard and it’s what I use in a normal deviled egg mixture but I wasn’t sure what would come of it. Stirred it all together and spooned it out into my egg halves. Topped with chopped up bacon. They looked pretty at least! And they tasted alright too. The mustard addition probably wasn’t the best idea though. I will definitely give it another try with the mustard.
So that’s all folks for this beautiful Tuesday. Let me know how you deal with silly fears. And don’t forget to be awesome!
idrankthecfkoolaid 
You are NOT the only one. The last time we were practicing rope climbs I got so scared I freaking CRIED when my coach was trying to just encourage me. Yeah, burst into tears. And then I was so embarassed I couldn’t stop crying. She kept saying, “it’s ok, just take a deep breath.” The whole time I am literally 12 inches off the ground, feet locked in and holding on to the rope like I’m about to plumet to my death.
So no, you’re not the only one.
Not that I’m happy you have this same dumb fear but I’m super glad I’m not the only one. It’s almost a joke because I can rationalize how it shouldn’t be that big of a deal until it’s actually a big deal. Yikes on the crying. I’ve come close to crying several times but I have yet to full out cry. I did cry today later on the phone when my boyfriend was trying to have a tough love conversation with me. He realized that didn’t work when I started bawling. So I really just need to be hypnotized!
Dude, I NEVER cry. I was mortified. It just like, happened. I have no idea why and once it started I coudln’t calm down.
I was literally that scared.
So yes, it’s irrational, but it’s a fear. And not many fears are rational, ya know?
Hubs does that sometimes too. We’re at the point in our relationship where if he’s tough-loving me when really what I need is him to console me I usually yell at him “can’t you just spoon me?!” Even if we’re on the phone. He gets the point. 🙂
And now that I’m thinking about it… I’m pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that Annie Sakamoto (sp?) doesn’t like rope climbs either. She’s one of the origional Crossfit girls (one of the Nasty Girls!) and even has a WOD named after her.
I will have to look that up. I want to be like her when I grow up. Or Lindsey Valenzuela. I’m not picky or anything! 😀
Lindsey is awesome. Have you seen the videos of her 2 years ago when she first started? If that doesn’t make you want to work your butt off, I dont know what will! Her, and Julie Foucher are kind of my idols.
Ya, I think I’m on the 4 year plan, since I’ve already been doing CrossFit for 2 years and am nowhere near her awesomeness. I’m a big fan of Foucher as well. She’s just so tiny yet so strong! Watching both of them and their beginnings at least gives me hope!
I don’t know if I like them or not as I can’t get my legs and feet work to twist the rope and actually climb anything. This is the benefit of being a klutz.
I’m not sure even if I learn to not be scared that I would actually be able to climb the darn rope due to the same legs and feet issue. 🙂
I’m terrified of the rope climbs. And it doesn’t help that our rope is outside, in a tall tree with rocks underneath it. First time I tried I grabbed on, hooked my feet, i was excited …then my hands started to slip but my feet were tangled in the rope so I slid down and fell on my butt on the rocks in front of everyone! it hurt! I’ve not gotten any better either. But I still practice and at least land on my feet now! 🙂
Kudos to you, I highly doubt I would attempt a rope climb with the rope hanging from a tree! Add scary rocks and I’m definitely out. Like you I must keep practicing. Hopefully there fear will go away.