May 24th 2013
Welcome to How to Climb Harder
How to climb harder is the website that is linked to the great self-coaching book for Rock Climbers from publisher Pesda Press and author Mark Reeves. This is Mark first book, and was published in October 2010, and has so far seen a great response from readers and reviewers alike.
About the Book
How to Climb Harder was the brain child of the author Mark Reeves, who after serving an apprenticeship at Plas Y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre for England and Wales decided to take the current best practice and turn it into a highly illustrated book for the self coached climbers. Along the journey into coaching, Mark realised that practical use aside there was a whole world of sport science that could help improve the book and his coaching. So enrolled on an MSc in Applied Sports Science, Mark graduated shortly before the book came out, and has used the skills he learnt in Sport Psychology, Effective Coaching and Performance Physiology to enhance this text beyond the usual safe ropework. |
Sections
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The book is broken down into three main sections. Each with an underlying theme, and each a progression on the last. These sections are:
Preparation: Before you climb
This section includes lots of information, diagrams, photos and exercises that are aimed at getting you climbing well from your first steps, its main themes are:
- Safety: Basic Ropework and Gear Placement
- Warming up
- Basic Technique: Footwork, Balance, and Body Position
Technique: Moving on up
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This section takes the saving that we have made in the use of efficient movement and takes them onto longer climbs, and starts to link them together. As we progress we then explore the tactics, techniques and mental challenges of lead climbing:
- Rest: Finding and Using them
- Moving Up: Linking efficient movement together
- Advanced Techniques: Steeper more bouldering orientated movements
- Putting it all Together: Reading routes and style of ascent
- Lead Climbing: Tactics and techniques for better lead climbing
- Mind Games: A practical guide to sport psychology and climbing
Training: Getting into shape
This section is based on not just training but how to go about identifying and working on your weaknesses. It also includes a background on some of the fundemental principles you'll need to improve week on week, when the long winter nights force you inside:
- Basic Principles: Identifying Weakness, Goal Setting and principals of training.
- Training: Strength, Power Endurance and Stamina
- Training: The younger climber
- Nutrition: A basic guide