Espresso Lessons From The Rock Warrior's Way

By Arno Ilgner and Joy Avery

Book Overview

The Rock Warrior`s Way: Mental Training for Climbers, first published in 2003, outlines the foundation of the Warrior`s Way material. Espresso Lessons takes the material into practical climbing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974011231
• ISBN13: 9780974011233
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Desiderata Institute
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.8" x 13.8"

Customer Reviews

Mental Training Fast + Not Just for Climbers !

The successor to Arno Ilgner's earlier book, in which the author elaborates the "Rock Warrior's Way", ESPRESSO LESSONS lays out a mental training program for rock climbers. Having climbed only 3 times in my life (two of these at 13 years old!), I don't in the least consider myself an adherent of the sport. That being said, Ilgner's mental training program is easily adaptable to any variety of challenges, physical or mental. For example, the book begins with a chapter on cultivating "awareness". Ilgner argues - rightly - that awareness needs to be the basis of any mental training regimen. Indeed, throughout the processes of stretching, learning and adapting to change, our mind plays repeated tricks on us. If we are to outsmart these tricks, we need to become aware. The basis of this process - as the Buddhists might argue - is thinking. Mental chatter, and negative self-talk are manifestations of this phenomenon. Ilgner recommends building awareness through disassociating with thoughts, thereby gaining perspective. He recommends the position of "watcher" - that is, not identifying with the thoughts we think. How very Buddhist! Other interesting reflections include chapters on risk-assessment and on falling. The tools Ilgner describes for living effectively with risk are readily transferable - be it to combat sports, the stock market or to making major life decisions. The key, for Ilgner, is to clear away useless mental chatter. To do so, one needs to identify the profound reasons for taking the risk, and the potential negative consequences, as well as ones tendency either to rush through or to procrastinate in the face of a stress-producing risk. Note, of course, (a distinction made by Ilgner) the difference between a "stress-producing risk" and an "actual" physical risk. These two things do not always, or even often, line up. We react to many "risks" as if they contained actual danger, while in fact, their manifestation is essentially psychological. Ilgner's take on a "fall" in climbing is easily converted into a metaphor for just about anything unanticipated. Most climbers fear falling, just as we human beings are afraid of trying or hard-to-predict situations, which are unknown to us. Learn to deal with the discomfort of the unknown, and to abstract accurate risk-assessment from phantom fear, and you'll face and take risks more effectively! These are just a few of Ilgner's interesting points. I would highly recommend this book, along with its pre-quill, to anyone interested in mental training. It's a great read and Ilgner doesn't disappoint, cutting through the material with his usual clarity. Definitely thumbs up !