How to Rock Climb: Better Bouldering

by John Sherman

This guide provides the techniques and tricks gleaned from a 22-year career by John Sherman, America's most noted and notorious bouldering guru. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1575400871
• ISBN13: 9781575400877
• Release Date: August 1997
• Publisher: FalconGuide
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Will change your bouldering

I got this book right after I started bouldering, and I'm so glad I did. Not only is it really helpful for technique and such, but John Sherman is the master of teaching climbers to do something that so few do: NOT TAKE OURSELVES SO SERIOUSLY! His writing is hilarious, and he will give you such a good mindset for climbing. He pushes for you to ignore whatever grading system you have submitted to, and to just have fun. The pictures are great (there are plenty) and the information he gives is necessary for any boulderer out there. He even goes so far as to give a brief history of bouldering (something he is an expert in). There really isn't any useless information in this book. Whether you're a new or experienced climber, get this book.

The ONLY Bouldering Book That You Need

I own two books on the subject of climbing. I'm a career nerd, and as such, I typically amass an extensive library on the subjects that interest me. Not surprisingly, about twelve years ago when I first began climbing, I set out to aquire as much literature on the sport as possible. Now, more than a decade later, my climbing library includes a mere two books: Performance Rock Climbing by Dale Goddard and Udo Neumann, and Better Bouldering by John Sherman. Sherman's stringent attention to detail and wealth of bouldering experience are evident in the outstanding quality of his work. This book is easy to read thanks to Sherman's light-hearted, humorous, and personal style of presentation. The treatment of the subject matter is thorough and even entertaining. I re-read this book annually and recommend it to every boulderer that I meet.

As Great as a Book Can Be

For anyone who doesn't know, bouldering is a branch of rock climbing in which no ropes or harnesses are used. Because of this, the climber usually doesn't go more than a dozen feet up and should have pads and a spotter ready to help should he or she fall. That being said, trying to teach someone how to become a better rock climber (or boulderer) is like trying to teach somebody to drive a manual transmission car from a book. It's no substitute for actually being out there, trying what works and what doesn't, and learning from your own mistakes. That being said, this book gets the job done as best it can, and it even acknowledges the fact that the best skill honing and development will come not from reading, but from hands-on practicing. Author John Sherman definitely knows his stuff, and this book gives a good overview of virtually the entire bouldering world. It would have been nice to have more pictures and diagrams, just because there's so much to benefit from visual aids in this sport. Unfortunately for anyone who is already a skilled boulderer, this book will be of little help in furthering one's craft. It primarily targets individuals who are new to the sport and rather unfamiliar or of a novice-level with the concept. But then again, anyone who is already a well-skilled boulderer should know that "How to" books are probably not the answer to fine-tuning his or her skills. If you're someone looking to get a little more into bouldering, this book will help you take the plunge. Be sure to read the section on safety and caution first, as it can be a dangerous sport to those who are careless or reckless.

Sherman is a God!!

Sherman the Vermin scores again with this wonderful book on the sport of bouldering. A life-long boulderer and a gifted smart-aleck, Sherman lays it out in a fun and informative style that will give you all the tricks of the trade while keeping you chuckling the whole way through.

Witty and informative; A Bull's Eye

Verm (Sherman) hits the mark with this guide. Read it and you will climb (boulder) better and will not look or act like a geek. Lots of insider hints and tricks, gently sprinkled with John's particular humor. A must buy.