The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training for Climbers

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0974011207 ISBN 13: 9780974011202

Publisher: Desiderata Institute, 2003

Mental training is scarcely covered in the climbing literature, yet it is as important to performance as strength, flexibility, and technique. In his unique approach to mental training, Arno Ilgner draws essential elements from the rich "warrior" literature, as well as from sports psychology, and combines these with his extensive climbing experience to create The Rock Warrior’s Way.

Here is a comprehensive program for learning how to focus your mental resources during a challenging climb. It includes step-by-step guidance on motivation analysis, information gathering, risk assessment, mental focus, and deliberate transition into action.

Poor use of attention creates fear, which can manifest itself as anything from performance anxiety to sheer terror. By using attention more purposefully we can understand how fear is created, deal with it effectively, and free ourselves to get back in touch with a far more powerful motivating force: our love of climbing. We can then create the kind of unbending intention that leads to outstanding performance. The Rock Warrior’s Way is a revolutionary program for climbers who want to improve both their performance and their enjoyment of climbing.

About the Author:

Arno Ilgner was introduced to climbing in 1973 and has been actively involved since then, climbing in areas across the US and Canada, and in France and Korea. Some of his significant first ascents include the 1100-foot east face of Cloud Peak in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, the team free ascent of Glass Menagerie on the north face of Looking Glass Rock in North Carolina, and numerous headwall routes on Whitesides Mountain, also in North Carolina.

Arno has developed his Rock Warrior’s Way mental training method over the course of ten years, working with hundreds of students. He also teaches courses on movement that help climbers improve their balance and create more energy-efficient performances. He lives with his family in Tennessee and conducts courses mainly in the Southeast, but also travels to other areas of the country to teach clinics and make presentations. Climbers have attended his courses from as far away as Canada, California, Florida, and New York. Recently he has been working with young competition climbers.