Climbing: Training for Peak Performance (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) [Paperback]

Clyde Soles (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mountaineers Outdoor Expert | Publication Date: November 2002

Dangling sweaty-palmed from a 3000-foot cliff for days on end, Jared Ogden taught himself to climb his first big wall by trial and error. Why should you have to do the same? The man who went on to free El Capitan and the Nose in less than twenty-four hours wants to jump-start your education. Whether you're a weekend warrior or a full-on wall addict, you'll learn the tools of the trade and how to use them; different leading and hauling scenarios and why some are better suited than others; multiple following set-ups for different terrain; how to choose your partners and routes; staying on route how to live on a wall; the steps involved in doing first ascents; big wall style and ethics; and more. Ogden will have you racked and ready for prime big wall climbing destinations in North America including Yosemite, Zion, Rocky Mountain, and the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Parks; the Alaskan Range; and the Bugaboos of British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you want to climb better, and feel better too, this book can help you along the path." -- neclimbs.com

"Of all the training books we’ve seen for climbing and extreme sports, this one reigns supreme" -- snewsnet.com, June 2003

The areas on nutrition, stretching, aerobics, and resistance training [are] useful and...definitely benefit outdoor recreationalists. -- Washington Trails

The comprehensive charts and training regimens bring the type of...thought to climbing that runners have sworn by for decades. -- Hooked on the Outdoors

About the Author

CLYDE SOLES is a writer-climber with varied experience in the field. He has summitted 8000-meter peaks and has written for magazines and authored several books, including The Outdoor Knots Book, Rock and Ice Gear, and Climbing: Expedition Planning, all published by The Mountaineers Books. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 1 edition (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089886898X
• ISBN-13: 978-0898868982
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #922,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Information, But Not Great, May 5, 2006

By 

Cactus Edd "Bibliophile" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Climbing: Training for Peak Performance (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) (Paperback)

I initially purchased this book without hesitation upon recognizing Clyde Soles' name and recalling his excellent work as the gear editor for "Rock and Ice." And while he has done an excellent job of amassing a wide variety of information and adjusting it to a climbers needs, none of the material presented is really that original or profound. The bottom line of this books is eat healthy, train both aerobically and anaerobically, and supplement your climbing with strength training. I would reccommend this book for someone new to climbing and looking to set the foundation for good health and climbing. More experienced climbers looking for an additional edge or those with a solid understanding of the principles of health and fitness, however, should look elsewhere.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soles fills Climbing Traing gap, June 11, 2003

By 

Jacky Doyle (Canberra, ACT Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Climbing: Training for Peak Performance (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) (Paperback)

After reading this book my first thought was I don't need to write the book on climbing training i had planned. As a sports physiologist, trainer and climber I had been disappointed by the lack of scientically sound and useful book on training for climbing, soles has filled this gap.

Whilst I don't agree with all of soles theories, these are minor differences due mainly to differnet interpretations of research.

As with all sports, climbing needs to much more extensive research into performance and training, but Soles has produced and excellent volume with current knowledge.

All in all an excellent book I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone interested in improving there climbing performance, no matter what your level of climber. An emminently readable and usefull book.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great training, Climb better, October 17, 2002

By 

Richard Wachtel - See all my reviews

This review is from: Climbing: Training for Peak Performance (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) (Paperback)

When I saw that Clyde Soles had another book out I bought it right away. I wasn't disappointed. This book covers training and nutrition in an easy to read but comprehensive manner. There are alot of books on training out there but none are specific to climbing like this one. I hate books that just rehash everything you already know--Not this book, you can tell the author has done his homework.

Highly recommended for any level of climber...Beginner to Hardman (or woman!)