The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training For Climbers

number of 30- to 60-foot falls on this section. His fear of falling turned into a relaxation about falling. He learned to deal with falling and that helped pave an important part of his road to 5.14. He was transformed.”
    —Randy Leavitt
    “When the climb is done, what’s left? The experience! The Rock Warrior’s Way will help you choreograph your experience through a full-frontal dance with the beautiful and demanding realities of our sport. You’ll learn to relinquish the Ego-driven yearning for external success and recognition, in favor of allowing your spirit its love-driven embrace of climbing and life. This is a landmark work!”
    —Jeff Lowe
    “The Rock Warrior’s Way describes the amazing potential of human will once the ego is tamed, and is full of insight on honing the mental aspects of concentrated effort. It will help you better understand the spiritual awareness that comes when engaging in a challenging pursuit, and make you more likely to retain that understanding after the adrenaline wears off. This is a great book for learning about the rock climber within.”
    —John Middendorf
    “Arno has managed to put into simple words the psychological processes that we struggle with as climbers. Most of us have practiced to various degrees the lessons and principles held within these pages, but none has ever truly mastered them. Arno breaks down the positive and negative chatter that runs through our minds before, during, and after a climb. Then, using climbing analogies we can all relate to, he shows us how to follow our personal paths to greater knowledge, growth, and ultimately success.”
    —Scott Milton
    “The mental aspects of climbing can be extremely difficult to master. If used correctly, the Warrior’s Way can be more useful than any amount of physical training and can push you to new levels.”
    —Beth Rodden
    “In an era where an unhealthy emphasis is placed on tools like rock gyms and campus boards, which train the body, it’s refreshing to read a book that addresses the critical but often-overlooked mental component to climbing. Blending firsthand experience from his long, storied climbing career with simple, direct prose, Ilgner offers a serene, process-based way of improving your climbing that avoids the all-too-common pitfalls of anger, stagnation, and frustration. Long a victim of my own reward-based, “redpoint” way of thinking, I now intend to get out, get after it, and celebrate my love for the sport the Rock Warrior’s way.”
    —Matt Samet, Associate Editor , Climbing Magazine
    “In The Rock Warrior’s Way Arno Ilgner illuminates the illusive mental states and processes that can hinder or free us to fully experience the purity of climbing. Ilgner touches in on the heart of the matter—who we are inside—and uses this as the foundation for understanding how we relate to the rock. The Rock Warrior’s Way is an invaluable guide for anyone sincerely looking to have a breakthrough in their approach to climbing.”
    —Chris Sharma
    “Finally! A strength-training book for climbers that focuses on the most important power source—the mind.
    —Todd Skinner
    “I thought I had a lot of this stuff figured out, but there were many new ideas in The Rock Warrior’s Way that I took to heart. The very next day after reading the book I pulled down a boulder problem that had been frustrating me for some time. The power of positive visualization is truly amazing. I would imagine that almost anyone, be they a climber or not, could benefit from reading The Rock Warrior’s Way .”
    —Mark Synnott
    “When you climb big mountains, you will suffer. In alpine climbing the range of my discomfort has included being cold, wet, and fatigued. The pinnacle of the challenge for me, both physically and mentally, has included surviving a severe accident. I learned to accept and embrace it. The Rock Warrior’s Way helps you understand the need to accept the situation as it is and guide you on how to deal with it.”
    —Jack Tackle
    “Arno can teach you to climb consistently at your highest level, no matter the medium. His concepts will keep your mind from straying and your body moving toward your goals. I consciously return to the lessons I learned in his Warrior’s Way program while soloing big peaks and clipping bolts.”
    —Chris Warner, first American to solo an 8000-meter peak (Shishapangma, South Face)
    “The Rock Warrior’s Way is a very insightful look beyond the physical