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Mastermind: Mental training for climbers
‘The brain is the most important muscle for climbing.’ – Wolfgang Güllich Mastermind by climbing legend Jerry Moffatt is a guide to mental training for climbers. Drawing on his own personal experiences from an international climbing career spanning three decades, as well as inspiring stories from the current elite of the sport including Alex Megos , Adam Ondra , Alex Honnold and Barbara Zangerl , Jerry invites climbers and other sportspeople to explore and maximise their mental potential. This updated edition features a new foreword by American climbing legend Chris Sharma . Broken down into easy-to-read sections, including Mind Control, Self Image and Visualisation, Mastermind will help you utilise the power of your mind to make the most of your existing strength, technique and ability so that you can perform under pressure – not just in climbing, but in all sport.
- GenresClimbingNonfictionSports
231 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2022
42 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 26, 2023
Mind on Climbing! Loved it!
November 30, 2019
Jerry Moffatt was probably the best rock-climber in the world in the 1980’s. He pushed new standards of difficulty and showed the climbing world what training, both physical and mental, could achieve. He didn’t get that good by natural ability alone, and he makes the point well about how elite performance only results from a combination of self-belief, desire, drive, focus, confidence, obsession, and competitiveness. If you apply yourself rigorously and systematically, you might find yourself in the sought-after state of Flow, just when it matters most, whether that be in a competition or attempting your hardest climb to date. He sets out the keys to your success as positive thinking, mental control, goal-setting and visualisation.
Books about climbing skills and improvement have been around for many years. The Rock Warrior’s Way by Arno Ligner was probably the first book to concentrate primarily on mental training for climbers. It drew heavily on the inner Zen warrior tradition expounded by Carlos Castenada and the martial arts. Moffatt too draws wisdom from the martial arts, notably Bruce Lee, but he casts a wider net, seeking parallels from top golfers, Olympic shooters, and his own surfing experience. The real meat of the book’s insight into elite psychology is the line-up of star-studded witness stories, a gender-balanced Who’s Who of contemporary climbing royalty – Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, Margo Hayes, Alex Megos, and Anna Stӧhr, to name but a few, and of course your Sensei himself – Jerry.
I see more and more young climbers who are dedicated to training, and more climbing walls are providing additional specialist training facilities and coaching. I think this book will appeal to them, if they connect with the Buddhist saying “When the student is ready the teacher will appear”. Well, luckily, Jerry is here, your personal coach and cheerleader, provided you are ready to make the kind of commitment and focus that he brought to his world class years. The kind of person who will pick up and run with the disciplined approach he sets out will probably be the kind of person who will take training and improvement as an obsession and ambition anyway, and be capable of brutal self-reflection, but even the punters and bumblies of this world could choose to latch on to and apply just one or more component of his mental training programme. At the very least, you can imitate the top climbers of the day by using the prefix “super-“ at every opportunity – super-epic, super-beautiful, be super-fine-tuned, but don’t let being super-frustrated get you down. I know I’m going to get super-motivated to talk this way from now on, and I’ve already written it into my goals on the relevant pages.
The book is pleasingly tactile, like a Murakami hardback, a welcome trend for lovers of physical books, and it has an original and funky design. The style is reminiscent of a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy workbook, with spaces to fill in your doubts, your positive thoughts and diary of progress, a pocket at the back for extra notes and a loop for your pen (sadly not provided, but if you can’t source a pen, the rest is going to be too much for you anyway). One small disappointment (apart from the absence of a free pen) is that there are too many typos and grammatical glitches, which detracts from the otherwise attractive and stylish presentation. This is a highly readable book about improving your climbing by attending to the “inner game”. It does not descend into impenetrable psychobabble, and Moffatt has done a very good job of maintaining a practical synthesis of what it takes to be an elite climber.
Books about climbing skills and improvement have been around for many years. The Rock Warrior’s Way by Arno Ligner was probably the first book to concentrate primarily on mental training for climbers. It drew heavily on the inner Zen warrior tradition expounded by Carlos Castenada and the martial arts. Moffatt too draws wisdom from the martial arts, notably Bruce Lee, but he casts a wider net, seeking parallels from top golfers, Olympic shooters, and his own surfing experience. The real meat of the book’s insight into elite psychology is the line-up of star-studded witness stories, a gender-balanced Who’s Who of contemporary climbing royalty – Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, Margo Hayes, Alex Megos, and Anna Stӧhr, to name but a few, and of course your Sensei himself – Jerry.
I see more and more young climbers who are dedicated to training, and more climbing walls are providing additional specialist training facilities and coaching. I think this book will appeal to them, if they connect with the Buddhist saying “When the student is ready the teacher will appear”. Well, luckily, Jerry is here, your personal coach and cheerleader, provided you are ready to make the kind of commitment and focus that he brought to his world class years. The kind of person who will pick up and run with the disciplined approach he sets out will probably be the kind of person who will take training and improvement as an obsession and ambition anyway, and be capable of brutal self-reflection, but even the punters and bumblies of this world could choose to latch on to and apply just one or more component of his mental training programme. At the very least, you can imitate the top climbers of the day by using the prefix “super-“ at every opportunity – super-epic, super-beautiful, be super-fine-tuned, but don’t let being super-frustrated get you down. I know I’m going to get super-motivated to talk this way from now on, and I’ve already written it into my goals on the relevant pages.
The book is pleasingly tactile, like a Murakami hardback, a welcome trend for lovers of physical books, and it has an original and funky design. The style is reminiscent of a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy workbook, with spaces to fill in your doubts, your positive thoughts and diary of progress, a pocket at the back for extra notes and a loop for your pen (sadly not provided, but if you can’t source a pen, the rest is going to be too much for you anyway). One small disappointment (apart from the absence of a free pen) is that there are too many typos and grammatical glitches, which detracts from the otherwise attractive and stylish presentation. This is a highly readable book about improving your climbing by attending to the “inner game”. It does not descend into impenetrable psychobabble, and Moffatt has done a very good job of maintaining a practical synthesis of what it takes to be an elite climber.
October 14, 2020
Jerry Moffatt is a British climber, and was on the forefront of the climbing scene during the 80s and 90s. His achievements include the first 8a+ and 8c+ sport routes, and the first 8b boulder problem. He also won on the international climbing competition circuit.
This book is great, and was a real eye opener to me. It is about the mental aspects of succeeding in climbing, and in that sense its content applies to all climbing sub-disciplines. However, I believe that its lessons also apply to other athletic endeavours, and probably in the end to any goal or ambition one might reach for in wider life.
Its focus is on the mental element of climbing. There are many parts to this; examples of topics covered include the importance of clear goals, visualisation, self-image/self-talk, dealing with negative feelings and failure, and importantly building a base of unconscious competence and then trusting your unconscious and your body in the moment when the time comes.
The structure and presentation of the book are modern and effective, although slightly marred by some typos which is a shame in such a nicely presented book. Each point is introduced with an explanation and examples, and bolstered by personal accounts from Moffatt. There is also a rich seam of contributions from well known and top end contemporary climbers, including Adam Ondra, Alex Honnold, Margo Hayes, and others. Interestingly and tellingly, their reflections and personal perspectives align with what Moffatt is saying in his book. There are also some exercises and practical recommendations given at various points in the book.
As someone who does sometimes struggle with fear and self doubt when climbing, despite realising that a lot of the issue is in my head, I can now see a vast gap between my own internal mental state when climbing when compared with people climbing at the top end. And although I am not climbing anywhere near that elite level (nor will I ever be), I believe that the same processes would work for my own humble purposes, e.g. an aspiration to consistently and solidly climb E1/5.10 on trad.
For those already familiar with sports psychology, there may not be much new here, but it is wonderful to have so much reflection from a high performer laid out in an accessible, open, and structured fashion. This is definitely a book to read more than once and reflect upon as you try to integrate it into your training and approach, whether it be for climbing or other areas. Recommended.
This book is great, and was a real eye opener to me. It is about the mental aspects of succeeding in climbing, and in that sense its content applies to all climbing sub-disciplines. However, I believe that its lessons also apply to other athletic endeavours, and probably in the end to any goal or ambition one might reach for in wider life.
Its focus is on the mental element of climbing. There are many parts to this; examples of topics covered include the importance of clear goals, visualisation, self-image/self-talk, dealing with negative feelings and failure, and importantly building a base of unconscious competence and then trusting your unconscious and your body in the moment when the time comes.
The structure and presentation of the book are modern and effective, although slightly marred by some typos which is a shame in such a nicely presented book. Each point is introduced with an explanation and examples, and bolstered by personal accounts from Moffatt. There is also a rich seam of contributions from well known and top end contemporary climbers, including Adam Ondra, Alex Honnold, Margo Hayes, and others. Interestingly and tellingly, their reflections and personal perspectives align with what Moffatt is saying in his book. There are also some exercises and practical recommendations given at various points in the book.
As someone who does sometimes struggle with fear and self doubt when climbing, despite realising that a lot of the issue is in my head, I can now see a vast gap between my own internal mental state when climbing when compared with people climbing at the top end. And although I am not climbing anywhere near that elite level (nor will I ever be), I believe that the same processes would work for my own humble purposes, e.g. an aspiration to consistently and solidly climb E1/5.10 on trad.
For those already familiar with sports psychology, there may not be much new here, but it is wonderful to have so much reflection from a high performer laid out in an accessible, open, and structured fashion. This is definitely a book to read more than once and reflect upon as you try to integrate it into your training and approach, whether it be for climbing or other areas. Recommended.
December 24, 2019
I almost bypassed this book at first, unconvinced that yet another book on mental training for climbing would have anything new to offer. Thank goodness I didn’t; Mastermind is an incredible and unique training manual and I’ve found much of the advice in it to be incredibly beneficial. It’s written almost as a journal, with blank sections left for you to fill in as you apply the advice to your own climbing. I loved the layout – there’s plenty of inspiring photos and lots of key quotes in bold to make it really accessible to read, and the titled journaling sections help ensure that you apply the advice specifically to your own climbing and take it on board.
It’s full of practical advice for dealing with the fears and self-doubt that everyone struggles with occasionally. Sometimes books from professional climbers can feel a bit too far removed from the ‘average’ climber to offer much help, but I found Mastermind to be incredibly down to earth. Moffatt’s suggestions are easy to understand and apply, and he gives plenty of examples of how each of these techniques have helped him. He doesn’t just talk about times when it has worked for him, but also about times when he hasn’t used these strategies and how he could have performed better if he had changed his mental approach. There’s also lots of input from other climbers which I found really valuable; it’s encouraging to see that even climbers like Ondra or Megos have bad climbing days, and really helpful to see the strategies they use to deal with this. All the advice from such a range of climbers means that whatever you’re struggling with, there’ll be at least one account here you can identify with. I’ve started to work on using different types of visualisation more after reading this and have already seen my climbing improve thanks to using it.
I’d really recommend this to anyone looking to improve their headgame in climbing or any other sport, regardless of what level you’re currently at. It’s helped to make me feel super psyched despite a very wet winter, and I’m excited to employ more of these techniques over the next few months.
It’s full of practical advice for dealing with the fears and self-doubt that everyone struggles with occasionally. Sometimes books from professional climbers can feel a bit too far removed from the ‘average’ climber to offer much help, but I found Mastermind to be incredibly down to earth. Moffatt’s suggestions are easy to understand and apply, and he gives plenty of examples of how each of these techniques have helped him. He doesn’t just talk about times when it has worked for him, but also about times when he hasn’t used these strategies and how he could have performed better if he had changed his mental approach. There’s also lots of input from other climbers which I found really valuable; it’s encouraging to see that even climbers like Ondra or Megos have bad climbing days, and really helpful to see the strategies they use to deal with this. All the advice from such a range of climbers means that whatever you’re struggling with, there’ll be at least one account here you can identify with. I’ve started to work on using different types of visualisation more after reading this and have already seen my climbing improve thanks to using it.
I’d really recommend this to anyone looking to improve their headgame in climbing or any other sport, regardless of what level you’re currently at. It’s helped to make me feel super psyched despite a very wet winter, and I’m excited to employ more of these techniques over the next few months.
February 13, 2020
Part motivational guide, part journal and part picture book, Mastermind by Jerry Moffatt is a must read for any climber wanting to step up to that next level. The book is presented in a quirky layout with blank pages left to write your own notes and observations.
The book comprises two sections. The first and the majority of the book is given over to the words of Moffatt where he gives his teachings on such subjects as; mind control, motivation, conscious and unconscious thought, pressure and choking. There are 30+ of these short and easy to follow chapters. Each chapter is punctuated with good quality pictures and quotes of “wisdom” from Bruce Lee, Adam Ondra and a plethora of other climbers at the top of their game.
Section 2 of the book starts with a quote from Muhammad Ali, “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” There follows 18 inspirational stories from the likes of Adam Ondra, Anna Stöhr, Alex Megos, Chris Sharma, Pete Whittaker, Mayan Smith-Gobat and a dozen others.
Whilst aimed primarily at the climber the advice given could equally be used by anyone aspiring to new goals. The chapter on Confidence ends with the words “If by reading this book I can just help you build your confidence and nothing else, this will have a very positive impact on your climbing. Confidence is such an important factor in all sport.”
This is a book that I will put back on the shelf for a while but periodically will pick up to read specific chapters.
The book comprises two sections. The first and the majority of the book is given over to the words of Moffatt where he gives his teachings on such subjects as; mind control, motivation, conscious and unconscious thought, pressure and choking. There are 30+ of these short and easy to follow chapters. Each chapter is punctuated with good quality pictures and quotes of “wisdom” from Bruce Lee, Adam Ondra and a plethora of other climbers at the top of their game.
Section 2 of the book starts with a quote from Muhammad Ali, “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” There follows 18 inspirational stories from the likes of Adam Ondra, Anna Stöhr, Alex Megos, Chris Sharma, Pete Whittaker, Mayan Smith-Gobat and a dozen others.
Whilst aimed primarily at the climber the advice given could equally be used by anyone aspiring to new goals. The chapter on Confidence ends with the words “If by reading this book I can just help you build your confidence and nothing else, this will have a very positive impact on your climbing. Confidence is such an important factor in all sport.”
This is a book that I will put back on the shelf for a while but periodically will pick up to read specific chapters.
April 18, 2020
An interesting and useful insight into mental training for all level of climbers
My background:
I have been climbing for around 10 years, but I have never really read anything on mental training for climbing before.
Content:
The book is very easy to read, I read through it in a handful of sessions. Ideas and techniques are clearly explained, and supported by anecdotes and experiences from both the author and other top performing international climbers.
The advice and techniques presented in the book are very useful and thought provoking, and whilst it is aimed primarily at climbers, it does have parallels for many other sports and situations in life. For those interested in mental training, and I would suggest anyone looking to push their performance should be, I recommend reading and referring back to this book.
Aesthetics:
An interesting looking book, which looks more like a diary than a training book. Looks like it is built to last, and can be taken to the crag/wall/gym, which the author suggests it should be. There are numerous inspiring photos, some quirky illustrations highlighting major points, and the whole book is presented in a different style to what I expected. The mode of presentation changes something that could be quite dense reading, into a pleasure to read.
My background:
I have been climbing for around 10 years, but I have never really read anything on mental training for climbing before.
Content:
The book is very easy to read, I read through it in a handful of sessions. Ideas and techniques are clearly explained, and supported by anecdotes and experiences from both the author and other top performing international climbers.
The advice and techniques presented in the book are very useful and thought provoking, and whilst it is aimed primarily at climbers, it does have parallels for many other sports and situations in life. For those interested in mental training, and I would suggest anyone looking to push their performance should be, I recommend reading and referring back to this book.
Aesthetics:
An interesting looking book, which looks more like a diary than a training book. Looks like it is built to last, and can be taken to the crag/wall/gym, which the author suggests it should be. There are numerous inspiring photos, some quirky illustrations highlighting major points, and the whole book is presented in a different style to what I expected. The mode of presentation changes something that could be quite dense reading, into a pleasure to read.
April 7, 2022
I think the main issue in order to rate this book by Jerry Moffatt is if it actually delivers... Somehow it does. It's a beautiful book with nice pictures and all the strong climbers of the world have their sayings. It's divided in many chapters each assessing a typical issue one might encounter on his way to sending new personal records.
On the other hand I think it misses some scientific and sports psychologic background, it sounds more like a collection of individual stories put together, frankly I'm not sure experience beats science when it comes to mental coaching. But, one has to bear in mind that this is about climbing, which is still a niche and not really know or 'touched by' in the scientific world, probably because their is no money behind.
So, to conclude, maybe let's compare it to The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training for Climbers and the works of Eric Horst, then I'd say I was feeling more empowered by RWW and felt better coaching with Eric Horsts books. Hence, 3.5 stars!!
On the other hand I think it misses some scientific and sports psychologic background, it sounds more like a collection of individual stories put together, frankly I'm not sure experience beats science when it comes to mental coaching. But, one has to bear in mind that this is about climbing, which is still a niche and not really know or 'touched by' in the scientific world, probably because their is no money behind.
So, to conclude, maybe let's compare it to The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training for Climbers and the works of Eric Horst, then I'd say I was feeling more empowered by RWW and felt better coaching with Eric Horsts books. Hence, 3.5 stars!!
March 28, 2023
I bought this book for my daughter which is (in my humble opinion) a great competition climber but who has a problem with stress and pressure.
Since I'm a climber myself, I started reading the book and I noticed that the tips and lessons in this book can be applied to the every day stress as well.
I started using some of the tips at work and realised my daily job became a lot less stressful (or so it feels).
I then started to apply the tips on my climbing (I'm still an amateur) but in the week I've read the book and started to use the tips this week in my climbing sessions, I realise that this will help me progress beyond my current max level.
Great book, inspired by stories and quotes of the greatest climbers in history (and present).
The book is an easy read with quotes and examples which explains the theory for every chapter.
I already bought a second version of the book so my daughter and I could each have our own copy in which we can add notes/remarks which are obviously personal thought on what topic really helps us out.
I would recommend this book even for non climbers, for people dealing with stressy moments on a daily basis or persons who play competitions in other sports besides climbing.
Since I'm a climber myself, I started reading the book and I noticed that the tips and lessons in this book can be applied to the every day stress as well.
I started using some of the tips at work and realised my daily job became a lot less stressful (or so it feels).
I then started to apply the tips on my climbing (I'm still an amateur) but in the week I've read the book and started to use the tips this week in my climbing sessions, I realise that this will help me progress beyond my current max level.
Great book, inspired by stories and quotes of the greatest climbers in history (and present).
The book is an easy read with quotes and examples which explains the theory for every chapter.
I already bought a second version of the book so my daughter and I could each have our own copy in which we can add notes/remarks which are obviously personal thought on what topic really helps us out.
I would recommend this book even for non climbers, for people dealing with stressy moments on a daily basis or persons who play competitions in other sports besides climbing.
August 15, 2022
I’ve been struggling with my head game for a couple of months (mostly fear of being above quickdraws) so thought I would give this book a go.
Aesthetically this is a really cool book with a mix of illustrations, quotes and photographs. The book format is a bit like a journal with sections for the reader to fill in with goals, motivations etc.
The chapters are quite short, with each focusing on a different mental aspect e.g unconscious thoughts, self-image, visualisation which helps to keep focus and also allows a quick dip in and out.
The second section of the book e.g Margo Hayes, Pete Whittaker (of Wide Boyz fame) and Adam Ondra. It was really interesting to read about their own struggles.
I think the lightbulb moment for me in this book is how Jerry describes the 1989 Leeds World Cup - the journey to get there and the skills and techniques he adopted. For me, I found the visualisation section of the book really helpful and talks about three different visualisation techniques with some insight from Alex Honnold.
I think this book is a great addition to the bookshelf of any climber with tips and exercises that can be applied no matter what grade you climb.
Aesthetically this is a really cool book with a mix of illustrations, quotes and photographs. The book format is a bit like a journal with sections for the reader to fill in with goals, motivations etc.
The chapters are quite short, with each focusing on a different mental aspect e.g unconscious thoughts, self-image, visualisation which helps to keep focus and also allows a quick dip in and out.
The second section of the book e.g Margo Hayes, Pete Whittaker (of Wide Boyz fame) and Adam Ondra. It was really interesting to read about their own struggles.
I think the lightbulb moment for me in this book is how Jerry describes the 1989 Leeds World Cup - the journey to get there and the skills and techniques he adopted. For me, I found the visualisation section of the book really helpful and talks about three different visualisation techniques with some insight from Alex Honnold.
I think this book is a great addition to the bookshelf of any climber with tips and exercises that can be applied no matter what grade you climb.
August 7, 2018
A great book about how to perform well under pressure... by accident this pressure reveals itself while you're climbing.
Jerry describes how to mentally approach all elements of climbing: starting from training, going through numerous failures and finally sending your dream routes. For each phase he proposes some practical tips on how to improve.
In essence this book is about performing well when stakes are high. Jerry solely focuses on climbing, but you can extract more from it and apply those principles to other areas of your life (work life, public speaking etc.).
By the way, Mastermind is excellently produced - I highly recommend printed version.
Jerry describes how to mentally approach all elements of climbing: starting from training, going through numerous failures and finally sending your dream routes. For each phase he proposes some practical tips on how to improve.
In essence this book is about performing well when stakes are high. Jerry solely focuses on climbing, but you can extract more from it and apply those principles to other areas of your life (work life, public speaking etc.).
By the way, Mastermind is excellently produced - I highly recommend printed version.
October 29, 2020
This is a really worthwhile book for anyone who wants to understand more about the mental side of climbing. No matter what discipline you are focused on, there will be something of benefit here. The layout is great but the lack of attention to detail with regard to grammar, spelling and fact checking (grades wrong, incorrect use of grading systems, capital letters etc) irritated me at times. The book reads like it has been translated from the German at times which is odd as presumably Jerry will have written in English. These quibbles aside, if you can ignore them there is plenty to learn here that will stand you in good stead when thinking about your climbing performance.
October 23, 2024
Yo práctico escalada y un amigo me quiso prestar este libro que un inicio no me llamó tanto la atención debido a que solo lo tenía en inglés, pero debo decir que me sorprendió, realmente no fue difícil entender las historias de todos los involucrados en esta recopilación de experiencias relacionadas a la escalada en un aspecto más psicológico, si eres alguien que recién está empezando con la escalada, te recomiendo leer este libro para motivarte, sobre todo en ingles ya que te permite practicarlo a la perfección, 4/5 ⭐
January 10, 2022
The book was ok. It has an interesting design and features citations from popular climbers which I liked. There were also blank pages inside for the reader to reflect and note down his/her own experiences, goals etc. I felt like the content was pretty stretched out though and somewhat repetitive. If you already read books about optimism, self awareness, self development etc., there is not much new in here, just applied to climbing specifically.
March 30, 2018
A very well produced book. Reading this book in physical form is a pleasure.
The book covers the mental side of climbing. How should a climber deal with all the failure that comes with high-level climbing? How do you decide what to prioritize?
It is a good book about potential mental issues that can hold back or push climbers towards their best performance.
The book covers the mental side of climbing. How should a climber deal with all the failure that comes with high-level climbing? How do you decide what to prioritize?
It is a good book about potential mental issues that can hold back or push climbers towards their best performance.
June 4, 2023
One of my favorite climbing books I have read, mostly due to the credibility of the sources. Nearly half the book is advice from famous climbers such as Adam Ondra, Margo Hayes, Pete Whittaker, Jimmy Webb, and many more. I was fascinated by how much their mindsets had in common. I also found many things to be surprising, in a good way though. Great compendium of climbing mentality knowledge.
August 26, 2022
It's ultimately a mindset book and the practices can be applied to all areas of your life. It just happens to have amazing examples from amazing climbers and gorgeous layout and illustration. Definitely deserves a 5/5
May 21, 2025
A superb deep dive into the mental game of climbing, grounded in cognitive psychology and performance science. The book translates complex concepts into digestible guidance and practical tools you can apply directly. Also offers excellent insights from top performers in the sport.
April 11, 2023
Really did not like the format of the book, but there’s a lot of valuable stuff in here. I’ll be coming back to read again
February 1, 2024
Naja. Leider für "Sportkletterer"
August 25, 2024
A little slow for me to get into but I enjoyed the tips and stories. Definitely some nuggets of wisdom in there.
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October 7, 2020Mastermind: Mental Training For Climbers
Now for something completely different…something not easily achieved in the world of publishing and climbing books in particular.
Jerry Moffatt needs no introduction as self professed best climber of his generation but this book is definitely something different. It’s a small, black book more akin to a diary or work book and it’s one that’s designed to be used. There’s space for notes, lists and even a diary like loop to retain a pencil or pen.
It’s an interactive book, ideas for mental training, examples of what worked for Jerry but also with examples from top current climbers such as Alex Honnold, Adam Ondra and Chris Sharma. Subjects covered include “visualization”, “talking yourself up” and “state of mind.” There are lots of interesting anecdotes and examples primarily from climbers but also other sports including golf. Much of the book is devoted to how to train the mind but equally, perhaps more interesting are the series of chapters by leading exponents. Thus Leo Houlding writes about “The Dinosaur’s Spine, NE Ridge of Ulvetanna,” Steve McClure has a chapter on “Strawberries” and Ben Moon wries about his ascent of “Rainshadow”, a 9a when he was 49. Lots of inspiring stories from a cross section of the world’s elite climbers
Whilst primarily aimed at climbers operating at the higher grades, anyone will benefit from this book which is itself a great read and source of information. I love the slightly quirky design with diagrams and almost cartoon like drawings and sketches interspersed with photos of the climbers in action.
Another highly recommended book especially if you enjoyed Jerry’s biography, “Revelations.” In fact, it’d be nice if Vertebrate produced a specially bound and cased version of the two books…hint, hint.
Now for something completely different…something not easily achieved in the world of publishing and climbing books in particular.
Jerry Moffatt needs no introduction as self professed best climber of his generation but this book is definitely something different. It’s a small, black book more akin to a diary or work book and it’s one that’s designed to be used. There’s space for notes, lists and even a diary like loop to retain a pencil or pen.
It’s an interactive book, ideas for mental training, examples of what worked for Jerry but also with examples from top current climbers such as Alex Honnold, Adam Ondra and Chris Sharma. Subjects covered include “visualization”, “talking yourself up” and “state of mind.” There are lots of interesting anecdotes and examples primarily from climbers but also other sports including golf. Much of the book is devoted to how to train the mind but equally, perhaps more interesting are the series of chapters by leading exponents. Thus Leo Houlding writes about “The Dinosaur’s Spine, NE Ridge of Ulvetanna,” Steve McClure has a chapter on “Strawberries” and Ben Moon wries about his ascent of “Rainshadow”, a 9a when he was 49. Lots of inspiring stories from a cross section of the world’s elite climbers
Whilst primarily aimed at climbers operating at the higher grades, anyone will benefit from this book which is itself a great read and source of information. I love the slightly quirky design with diagrams and almost cartoon like drawings and sketches interspersed with photos of the climbers in action.
Another highly recommended book especially if you enjoyed Jerry’s biography, “Revelations.” In fact, it’d be nice if Vertebrate produced a specially bound and cased version of the two books…hint, hint.
April 22, 2020
Jerry's book is something that you might carry around with you in your climbing bag, along with your shoes and chalk. To pull it out and remind yourself why you are going to succeed on a certain climb or to focus your mind for a competition.
Jerry was the worlds best climber in the 80s across most disciplines, trad, bouldering, sport and competition climbing but he suffered with the pressure of performing at this elite level. This book or rather tool, talks about this and ways of improving your climbing mindset. In each section there are pages for you to make your own notes, to add your own feelings and targets, (handy pen holder and wallet) therefore this book is something that you would dip into and add notes to over time, if you are a boulderer looking to send your next project or for an up and coming competition.
Jerry has compiled all this in a way that is not too difficult to read and understand, with excellent interviews and paragraphs from some of the other worlds top climbers, Chris Shama, Adam Ondra but also includes other different sporting people who are again top in their field.
There are many good climbers today but to become really Great, you need to have both physical and mental control of your body, for those lacking the right mind tools, this book is worth having and to have in your bag to pull out and remind you, that you will succeed.
Jerry was the worlds best climber in the 80s across most disciplines, trad, bouldering, sport and competition climbing but he suffered with the pressure of performing at this elite level. This book or rather tool, talks about this and ways of improving your climbing mindset. In each section there are pages for you to make your own notes, to add your own feelings and targets, (handy pen holder and wallet) therefore this book is something that you would dip into and add notes to over time, if you are a boulderer looking to send your next project or for an up and coming competition.
Jerry has compiled all this in a way that is not too difficult to read and understand, with excellent interviews and paragraphs from some of the other worlds top climbers, Chris Shama, Adam Ondra but also includes other different sporting people who are again top in their field.
There are many good climbers today but to become really Great, you need to have both physical and mental control of your body, for those lacking the right mind tools, this book is worth having and to have in your bag to pull out and remind you, that you will succeed.
December 10, 2019
Jerry Moffat was in his day arguably the the best climber in the world - competition, sport and trad. This book is an attempt to distill his experience and motivation and pass it on to you.
The format is unusual, more of a journal style, with blank pages for you to fill in relevant sections if you wish. Included are many motivational paragraphs from some of the best climbers in the world today - these tie in nicely with the preceding text written by Gerry. The book is written about climbing obviously, however the tactics described could apply to most sports where focus and dedication are essential. The motivational sections and psychological tactics are nicely tied with experiences from Gerry and others, giving a nice link to real world situations.
I would say this book is best aimed at the climber seriously wishing to improve - the grade is irrelevant - it will require a bit of effort on the part of the reader to get the most from the book.
Overall, an excellent addition to the climbers arsenal of training and motivational books, and should sit on every dedicated climbers bookshelf.
The format is unusual, more of a journal style, with blank pages for you to fill in relevant sections if you wish. Included are many motivational paragraphs from some of the best climbers in the world today - these tie in nicely with the preceding text written by Gerry. The book is written about climbing obviously, however the tactics described could apply to most sports where focus and dedication are essential. The motivational sections and psychological tactics are nicely tied with experiences from Gerry and others, giving a nice link to real world situations.
I would say this book is best aimed at the climber seriously wishing to improve - the grade is irrelevant - it will require a bit of effort on the part of the reader to get the most from the book.
Overall, an excellent addition to the climbers arsenal of training and motivational books, and should sit on every dedicated climbers bookshelf.
October 8, 2020
I'm so psyched to climb!
Lovely combination of mental strategies and inspiring stories from a whole host of wads. I can't wait to pull onto rock whenever I've read a section.
Lovely combination of mental strategies and inspiring stories from a whole host of wads. I can't wait to pull onto rock whenever I've read a section.
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