The Rock Warrior's Way
Mental Training for Climbers

I picked up this book expecting climbing technique, and was surprised to find that it is much more closely tied to mindfulness and can be applied to any situation involving risk and action--that is to say, life. The personal philosophy suggested by this book ties together several concepts and tools t......more

A year or so ago I read Training for the Uphill Athlete and learned that it's possible to train your metabolism using exercise. I had originally picked up the book to help improve my endurance, but instead, I learned new levels of training. Since then, I've been looking at other texts on areas I fel......more

It is embarrassing how well Ilgner called out each and every one of my mental habits for returning to my comfort zone; some I had no idea existed until he poignantly threw it in my face. He sprinkles his own personal anecdotes to help us relate to these new concepts and provides exercises and the en......more

I have been climbing outdoors for one and a half years, and understanding how and why you climb is important for performance. It is easy to get stuck chasing grade and forcing it just because of your ego, as Arno Ilgner states and as I have also experienced. It is not because I am vain or you are. I......more

While sitting (or dangling) with my climbing crew at the base of a climb or next pitch, the idea of climbing as a metaphor for life has come up time and again. How we move through a climb can often mirror how we move through life. The mental aspect of climbing is often the biggest limiter. The fear o......more