By Arno Ilgner

The Rock Warrior's Way is both a mental-training program and a philosophy of rock climbing that draws from the rich warrior tradition and literature. Its style is very different from what many people think of as war-like, being neither combative nor overly aggressive. Rather, it is a program of balance, harmony, and insight that is inspired by a peaceable application of ancient martial traditions.

The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training for Climbers (Paperback) by Arno Ilgner Description: Desiderata Institute (2006) Second Edition: same content as first edition but with new cover and a few new photos inside.

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.