The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training For Climbers

side of climbing and into the heart and soul of it—the mind. Climbers of all levels will be able to benefit from Arno’s work. I know I have already.”
    —Mark Wilford
    “Many of us are blind to our motivations and why we do not perform up to our desires. Reading and embracing the Warrior’s Way will certainly change that. The book delves deeply into the inner reaches of our psyche in ways that no other climbing literature has. The Warrior’s Way is not simply a guide to improve your climbing, but shows you how to better approach life as a whole.”
    —Tony Yaniro

Acknowledgements
    A creative work is never done alone. Our Ego will want to take full credit for it but invariably we’ve been helped by friends and family, inspired by our heroes, and motivated by challenging experiences. I’ve had my share of challenging experiences, which forced me to look at the limiting ways I interacted with the world. Working through these experiences was critical in developing this material. My climbing heroes inspired me to push myself on routes, thus giving me the laboratory to test the material presented in this book. For my friends and family I am most grateful.
    Jeff Achey has been invaluable in the creation of this work. He was interested in the material in its early stages, in 1996, and introduced it with his articles in Climbing magazine. More significantly, he wrote this book, using my notes, stories, scripts, and with much discussion with me before, during, and after the various drafts. His beautiful writing style has created a book that far exceeded my vision of it.
    In 1998 I was still in the beginning stages of developing this material. I want to thank all my students during that time, and the climbing gyms where I taught, Atlanta Rocks, Classic Rock Gym, and Climbmax, for their trust and faith in me. Although I feel I added value for the students, my material was a far cry from what it is today.
    As I continued to teach and refine the material several people helped me make breakthroughs. Steve Jones helped me identify the core themes in each warrior process and develop effective ways of teaching them. Clay Rubano helped me in many ways, but was specifically important in integrating the graphics of the Bullet and the Laser Beam. Chris Warner helped me see the warrior processes from the inside out, which helped me to be more effective in teaching them. Tina Bronaugh helped me refine the risk-assessment process. Doyle Parsons has helped me to brainstorm the material throughout the years. He has been a gracious friend, with whom to share ideas and to help me ground my idealistic-type thinking.
    I want to thank Rita Bills, Thomas Schmidt, Steve Anderson, and Joe Finnegan for their efforts to edit and proofread the manuscript. I also received valuable suggestions from Steve Petro, Lisa Gnade, Lynn Hill, Ed Webster, Eric Hörst, John Gill, Todd Skinner, Paul Piana, John Long, Jim Gilchrist, Kirk Brode, Lance Brock, Stuart and Heidi Chapin, Jeff Jenkins, Suzy Wilkinson, and my brother Mark.
    I appreciate the help of Fred Knapp with Sharp End Publishing and Mike Jones with Wilderness Press for their feedback on the content and layout questions I had. I’d like to thank Michelle (Kadar) Moore, my first student, whose inquiry helped start me on the path.
    Lastly, I’d like to thank Jane, my wife, for her patience during these many years. I sincerely appreciate her belief in me and her support of my desire to create a life’s work in my passion.
    Thanks again to all.
    —Arno Ilgner, La Vergne, Tennessee, Spring 2003

Statement of Risk
    Important Note to Readers
    WARNING: Climbing is inherently risky and can result in injury or death. It’s your responsibility to consciously choose what you are willing to do, and to do it from your own motivation. This program is not intended to encourage you to take unacceptable risk, but to give you tools to help analyze and understand risks. Only you can determine what risk is appropriate for you. If you do decide to climb and take risks, I suggest taking small ones. Your goal should be to learn about yourself, not to learn recklessness. Make conscious choices that make sense to you. Don’t blindly follow my suggestions or anyone else’s.

Foreword
    By John Long
    Consider the climber who wants to raise his standard, climb Astroman in Yosemite or a route of the next grade at the local crag. Common sense says the direct path to these goals is to practice longer and harder.