Reddit mentions: The best sports psychology books

We found 66 Reddit comments discussing the best sports psychology books. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 13 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

2. Zen and the Art of Disc Golf

Zen and the Art of Disc Golf
Specs:
Height8 Inches
Length5.25 Inches
Number of items1
Weight0.318 Pounds
Width0.3 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

3. The Sport Psych Handbook

    Features:
  • Author(s): Shane Murphy
  • Published: 10-18-2004
  • SHK01106
The Sport Psych Handbook
Specs:
Height10 Inches
Length7 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateOctober 2004
Weight1.69976404002 Pounds
Width0.864 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

4. One Touch At A Time: Psychological Aspects Of Fencing

    Features:
  • Used Book in Good Condition
One Touch At A Time: Psychological Aspects Of Fencing
Specs:
Height8.5 Inches
Length5.5 Inches
Number of items1
Weight1.11 Pounds
Width0.76 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

6. The Inner Game of Tennis

The Inner Game of Tennis
Specs:
Number of items1
Weight1 Pounds
▼ Read Reddit mentions

7. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology

    Features:
  • HERSCHEL COLLECTION: Click on our brand logo at the top of the page to explore the full collection from Herschel Supply.
  • DURABLE DESIGN: A timeless silhouette inspired by the classic mountaineering style. Sturdy polyester and nylon fabric, made for all adventures. Signature striped liner, drawcord closure and magnet-fastened straps with metal pin buckles. Finished with Herschel’s classic woven label. Spacious, versatile and tech-friendly, the Herschel Little America is suited for both your everyday commutes and your airplane carry-ons.
  • MEN/WOMEN/UNISEX: The Herschel Little America Backpack was made for everyone. Use it for your commute, the school week, a business trip, or a weekend adventure.
  • 25L CAPACITY: 19.25” high and 11. 25” wide. From your passport to your heavy textbooks, there’s plenty of space to fit everything you need for school, work or travel.
  • COMFORTABLE CARRYING: Padded, contoured shoulder straps and breathable air mesh back padding, designed for a more supportive and comfortable commute to work or school. The Herschel Little America also makes for the perfect airplane carry-on.
  • EASY TO ORGANIZE: Multiple compartments for keeping your essentials in place. Front pocket with key clip and hidden zipper, offering anti-theft protection. Tech-safe sleeve is padded and lined with fleece, fits laptops up to 15”. An internal media pocket is the ideal fit for your smartphone, and the additional headphone port is perfect for an on-the-go playlist.
Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Specs:
Height11 Inches
Length8.5 Inches
Number of items1
Width1.75 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

8. Sports Psychology For Dummies

    Features:
  • John Wiley Sons
Sports Psychology For Dummies
Specs:
Height9.098407 Inches
Length7.299198 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateSeptember 2010
Weight1.41977696728 Pounds
Width0.901573 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

10. In Pursuit of Excellence - 4th Edition

    Features:
  • Author(s): Terry Orlick
  • Published: 9-26-2007
  • SHK01102
In Pursuit of Excellence - 4th Edition
Specs:
Height10 Inches
Length7 Inches
Number of items1
Weight1.5 Pounds
Width0.75 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

11. Mental Mana - Mastering The Mental Game Of Magic: The Gathering

    Features:
  • VOICE CONTROL: The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb Candle works with Alexa for voice control (Philips Hue Hub required, Alexa smart device and hue hub sold separately). For the full Hue experience and to take advantage of voice activation purchase the Philips Hue Hub (Model: 458471). Search "Philips Hue Hub" or "B016H0QZ7I" to find this product on Amazon.
  • SCHEDULE YOUR OWN CUSTOM LIGHTING SCENES: With wireless control on your smartphone or tablet, choose the perfect smart light setting for any mood or activity such as reading or relaxing, concentrating, or energizing. This is the perfect way to personalize your smart home.
  • MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY: Requiring the Philips Hue Hub (sold separately) for the full hue smart lighting experience, this E12 LED smart light is designed to fit candelabra lamps in nightlights, chandeliers, and more.
  • EASY INSTALLATIN: Install the smart light as you would install an ordinary bulb, pairing it with the Philips Hue Hub. Install your Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Candle easily into your smart home.
  • EXPAND YOUR ECOSYSTEM: Easily expand your smart lighting system with Hue accessories (sold separately), such as a Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, or Hue Motion Sensor. Pair it for home automation with your existing smart home devices like Nest or SmartThings system.
Mental Mana - Mastering The Mental Game Of Magic: The Gathering
Specs:
Release dateJanuary 2018
Weight2.866009406 Pounds
▼ Read Reddit mentions

13. Anatomy of a Pull Shot: Advanced Foosball Techniques

Anatomy of a Pull Shot: Advanced Foosball Techniques
Specs:
Height8.5 Inches
Length5.5 Inches
Number of items1
Weight0.52029093832 Pounds
Width0.29 Inches
▼ Read Reddit mentions

🎓 Reddit experts on sports psychology books

The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where sports psychology books are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Total score: 95
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 8
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 6
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 2
Total score: 5
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 4
Number of comments: 3
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 4
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 3
Number of comments: 1
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 2
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 2
Number of comments: 2
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 1
Number of comments: 1
Relevant subreddits: 1

idea-bulb Interested in what Redditors like? Check out our Shuffle feature

Shuffle: random products popular on Reddit

Top Reddit comments about Sports Psychology:

u/jbnj451 · 1 pointr/climbing

Here are the best resources I've found. I will say this though: Find a solid climbing mentor to teach you all the safety basics (belaying, knots, anchors, etc.). I've only been climbing a little over a year, and I've seen some of the dumbest/craziest stuff outside already. It's good to read books and watch videos, but always have someone who knows that they're doing to check and double check that you're safe. Ask lots of questions--you only have one life and you don't want to die (or kill/hurt someone) from a dumb mistake that could be prevented.

u/exlaxbros · 6 pointsr/AdvancedFitness

I coach HS men's lacrosse and college men's rowing

My major was sport psych, so I learned a lot of useful tools in the classroom but also found it really helpful to read about other people who actually applied stuff in the real world. Even if our situations aren't the same and it's not 100% applicable, I like to read about successful coaches just to see what I can pick up from them.

Textbook: Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. It's cheap and really useful as just what it sounds like--laying a foundation.

Textbook: Sport Psych Handbook. Also cheap and useful, lot of good information.

Pick up something by John Wooden and read it. You don't have to believe 100% of what he says, but every coach should know some basics of positive coaching and sport psych, plus just having it as a piece of cultural literacy.

When the Game Stands Tall was a great book about a coach who took a program from nothing to The Streak. Haven't seen the movie.

Education of a Coach by David Halberstam, a fantastic sports writer, about Bill Belichick. Biographical and written with a lot of input from Bill himself.

If you have anything you're particularly interested in, let me know and I can maybe provide some more specific recommendations. Regardless of what sport/age you coach, the above are all good and useful books.

u/BugsRucker · 1 pointr/billiards

you learn more from losing than you do from winning.

always try to play against someone better than you.

that way you can set your own standard for your level of play and always maintain it and work on improving it one little piece at a time.

i find that when playing people i can always win against makes it too easy to play sloppy. i lose focus, use less than ideal mechanics, take more risks, have poor shot selection, and the WORST is i hit the balls too hard.

not only that but having a good day and playing 'even' with (or playing better than!) someone that should beat you feels so good.

on the other hand, if you're having a good day and shooting particularly well you can feel bad or even a little guilty for whopping on someone you could beat even on one of your bad days.

all the already mentioned stuff is great too, you will find some of it helps and some of it doesn't but it's all good advice mentioned above.

for my off the wall suggestion i will recommend a 40 something year old book about tennis. :) yea im serious lol

The Inner Game of Tennis is only 140 pages and $5.49 and talks about how tennis players (also a sport of 1 vs 1) get so much done in their head so fast to hit a ball to a specific spot with this angle and that speed with some spin..... all without overthinking it and all without letting your mind get in the way... just let it happen. it's a good read and can be totally applied to shooting pool. it was recommended to me from one of the old timers at a pool hall a some years ago.

u/DSettahr · 1 pointr/PacificCrestTrail

The Book Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis is about the AT, but it has some good information about the pros and cons of hiking with a partner, as well as what is necessary to make it work, that are applicable to any long trail. It covers the topic better than any other "how to" book of long distance hiking I've looked at does.

Another set of books that is also AT specific but still probably relevant are the Barefoot Sister's duology of books about yo-yoing the AT together- Southbound and Walking Home. They definitely had some blowups/fights along the way (some of which ended in tears), and the books are surprisingly honest in their descriptions of this psychologically difficult aspect of thru-hiking.

There is no guarantee that you guys are going to be compatible thru-hiking partners. And even if you are, it is still going to take willingness and effort from both of you to make it happen successfully. And even then, you're probably still going to have a couple of (potentially nasty) disagreements along the way. I agree with the others that working up to a thru-hike through some (relatively) shorter hikes that still require you to spend a lot of time with your SO is a good idea.

But don't just discount the idea because it is difficult or because you find major obstacles along the way to making it happen- being able to do something like this with your SO is a great way to become even closer with that person.

u/70sBig · 3 pointsr/weightroom
  1. It's hard to pin it down and I pull stuff from so many people. Dr. Kilgore is very good at teaching physiology and stimulating people to put ideas to paper or practice. Rippetoe is very good for strength lifting mechanics, basic anatomy, and teaching those things to beginners. Pendlay is very good at teaching the Olympic lifts and knows a great deal about programming. If he didn't love coaching weightlifting so much, we'd be talking more about him for general strength and probably powerlifting. I poopoo my bachelor's degree, but the applied anatomy (we called it "biophysical foundations of human movement") and biomechanics were integral in shaping my mindset for analyzing movement mechanics. "The Trailguide to the Body, 3rd Ed." is my most used book.

  2. Experience. I'm a practitioner who helps people get stronger, heal injuries, and perform. Studies in this "field" are hardly scientific and usually borderline retarded.

  3. I read a few AMA's to get an idea of what to expect and see how they went. The only entertaining one was Jamie Lewis because he's half insane (scat porn?). When I wrote the bio, I had just read his AMA, hence the reference.

  4. That question is entirely too involved to be answered here. It would be individual specific, but I'd address it during and out of training. I'd employ progressive relaxation with visualization (I do this with Chris pretty regularly the month before a meet).
    This was my undergrad textbook and is does a really good job of covering the basics (including talking about psychological skills training). Just like strength, psychological training isn't a cookie cutter approach, though.
u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/climbing

Every single climber should read the Rock Warrior's Way. It will change how you view not only climbing but your whole life.

I mention this because it is relevant to this "my arms are too short" topic and similar things that come up in the climbing community ("I can't crimp hard enough. This hold is too small. If only my shoes fit better. I wish I could train more. I wish I wasn't pumped. Etc etc..."). This book teaches you how to overcome these types of mental obstacles. It's a fantastic read. Good luck, climb hard.

Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Rock-Warriors-Way-Training/dp/0974011215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332230261&sr=8-1

u/BrittB1974 · 3 pointsr/discgolf

You can most certainly talk yourself out of a good throw. You need to find a way to relax and stay relaxed. If you're young it can be especially difficult, but you have to be mentally strong if you ever want to be truly competitive. Read this https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Disc-Golf-Patrick-McCormick/dp/1502779331 and have half a brownie before the round.

u/justabaldguy · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I CAN ENTER! I'm brand new. PLUS, I just closed my OWN contest! Hooray! So, maybe this book (would prefer the paperback for ease in carrying it about) or from the music side, I still need one more Daft Punk album to complete the collection.

Thanks in advance! :-D

u/squishy_boots · 13 pointsr/climbing

Rather than claiming to know the answers to your personal problems, I'll point you to two resources that have helped me greatly:

  • The Rock Warriors Way: This book deems it self as "Mental training for climbers", but it is so much more than that. As you mention, "climbing forces these sorts of lessons upon us all" and this book acknowledges that, walking you through the borderline spiritual journey of the author and providing great lessons for the reader
  • 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes: This is a training book that avoids quantitive goals (like, 3 sets of X followed by a 4 minute break) and talks instead of a number of the physical/technique/psychological problems we all commonly face in improving as climbers. It opened my mind to new approaches to escaping self-carved ruts in my training.

    Hope these help.
u/skaff3n · 4 pointsr/discgolf

My advice is to enjoy what you are doing. The results will follow.

I used to get so mad after my first missed shot because I knew I wasn't going to set some new personal record. What that did was make me dislike playing the rest of the round - all I could think about was how I fucked up and won't be able to beat some old score.

Focus on being "present" and Slow down.

I could ramble on and on about this, but someone has done a better job. Check out this book or audiobook ( I like the audio version, b/c I can play it on the way to the course ). If it's not feasible for you to buy it, DM me and I will send it to you for free via Audible.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Disc-Golf-Patrick-McCormick/dp/1502779331

​

u/azdak · 1 pointr/climbing

The Rock Warrior's Way describes a great technique for getting over a fear of lead falls that you can apply to this.

Basically, clip into an autobelay, Climb 5 feet up, and fall. Then climb 7 feet up and fall. Then climb 10 feet up and fall. etc etc.

It's all about building trust in the mechanical system. You don't trust it now because you're not used to it. Once you build up familiarity with the feeling of the system working perfectly as intended, you won't have that feat of the unknown when you're high up and feeling like you're gonna fall.

u/WorldClassCactus · 5 pointsr/climbing

I've observed these self-defeating behaviors from all kinds of people who climb a very wide variety of grades... notably an almost-5.12-climbing friend of mine. The frustration threshold at which a negative attitude emerges varies for different people, and can totally shut down anyone's progress.

Unfortunately, my experience has been that you can't help these people much. I don't know if there is a way to convince someone to keep climbing, improve and overcome... they have to want it for themselves. I think part of the motivation comes from confidence - a conviction that they could become really good if they kept trying, but a genuine form of that only comes from within.

If you push her to do specific exercises, she will likely have a negative reaction to it. So I'd say only be her coach if she specifically seeks out coaching. Maybe the best thing for you to do is have fun with this person and try to make climbing enjoyable to her. Sadly, no shortcuts. Essentially she will take steps to improve on her own when she wants to.

Check out arno ilgner's rock warrior's way, though it might not be that useful to an early beginner.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Rock-Warriors-Way-Training/dp/0974011215

u/lostlogic · 5 pointsr/relationship_advice

Focus on yourself. If she doesn't want to be with you, it's probably (whether she can see it or not) something about you. Most likely it's your own insecurity that she can sense; women don't want to be with someone who isn't OK without them. You need to learn to stop thinking about whether you are good enough for her or not and learn to think about your own value and about what skills you have in your skillset that will help you be a better, stronger, happier lover in the future. If you do that, something amazing will happen; you will stop needing her to come back in order to be OK. Then she will either come back or she won't and you'll be able to step forward in your life regardless of what she does. Remember: the only thing you can control is yourself.

I highly recommend the book "The Rock Warriors Way" by Arno Ilgner ( http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262293194&sr=8-1 ) --
it's somewhat oriented toward those who climb rocks, but I think that the philosophical principles within apply universally.

u/Jabra · 3 pointsr/Fencing

Get formal training. It has improved my coaching tremendously and I would not be able the think of any other way to achieve my current level.

Good books for a starting fencing coach are Szabo L. Fencing and the Master, Czajkowski Z. Understanding Fencing and Kogler A. One Touch at a Time.

u/middleclasshomeless · 1 pointr/Fitness

To improve in climbing you need sport specific training and weight loss.

The loss of ten pounds even when I am out of shape can drastically improve my climbing.

I highly recommend:
Training for Climbing

How to Climb 5.12
The Rock Warriors Way

I have heard that Dave Macleod's book
and Self Coached Climber
are also really good.

u/krovek42 · 8 pointsr/climbing

read The Rock Warrior's Way. It's really important to work on your internal dialogue that runs in your head while you climb. Instead of think things like "don't fall," you need to be thinking only of your next move. The thing that has helped me a lot is warming up a lot on easier leads and focusing on doing every move really efficiently. This has helped me plan and execute moves on harder climbs without wasting movement and energy.

with that being said, getting over the fear of falling also requires that you do it. Keep at it and keep going!

u/amazon-converter-bot · 1 pointr/FreeEBOOKS

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

u/totesmadoge · 3 pointsr/climbergirls

I don't know of any training programs geared toward just women. If you're really into a detailed training program, the Rock Climber's Training Manual is about as detailed as it could be. I've also used training techniques from How to Climb 5.12 and Rock Warrior's Way, which is more mental training than physical.

Slopers also tend to be hard for me. The key is really to pull directionally, so use your core to get your body close to the wall, then pull on the sloper toward your center of gravity. Don't try to grab it or crimp it with your fingers--you want as much skin on the hold as you can get.

As far as the shoes go, if you have a good amount of rubber left on the toes, keep using them! New shoes can give you a real mental boost if you want to get a new pair--maybe don't go too aggressive--maybe something like 5.10 anasazis or la sportiva miura lace ups.

u/Ronadon · 5 pointsr/climbing

I don't climb nearly as hard as you do but when I went through a similar thing I went to the gym a few times and made it a point not to TR anything. I only lead so as I warmed up and then climbed harder I was inevitably falling. After a few trips I felt really confident on my leads. I've never read this book but maybe it would help you if you haven't read it either http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011215/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323089648&sr=1-1

u/yea-bruh · 3 pointsr/climbing

If you haven't heard of it yet, I think you'd really enjoy the rock warrior's way. It's a wonderful book about how to focus and engage with fear in a methodical way. There's a follow-up of practical exercises in Espresso Lessons. Both these books put the whole thought process into the clearest words I've ever read or heard.

u/pineapple_wolf · 3 pointsr/climbergirls

Check out [The Rock Warrior’s Way](The Rock Warrior’s Way: Mental Training for Climbers https://www.amazon.com/dp/0974011215/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7wPADbGRK5CAN). It’s a great book that trains your mental game for climbing and it’s helped me a lot with that inner voice.

Also, for bouldering try and do some falls from certain sections of the wall that are in your control.

u/slopers · 2 pointsr/climbing

The Rock Warrior's Way was pretty mind blowing. It's not a book about a climbing adventure, it's more of a tool to conquer the mental side of climbing.

u/takes_joke_literally · 1 pointr/discgolf

This book will take 2 hours to read cover to cover.

The author recommends reading a chapter, playing a round or practicing, then reading another chapter, etc.

I like it.

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Disc-Golf-Patrick-McCormick/dp/1502779331

u/AnderperCooson · 4 pointsr/climbing

I don't know if you're going to find much on training mental aspects of climbing in a bouldering setting. For most people, fear of falling and trusting gear are the largest mental barriers. The gear side we can completely ignore, because there's essentially no gear you need to trust. The falling side is the same as falling with ropes--take falls to train falls. Start small, gradually get bigger. On the other hand, it seems like most people are far more comfortable taking falls bouldering than they are leading, so if mentality on the sharp end is your ultimate goal, you just need to tie in and take falls.

The Rock Warrior's Way and 9 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes are both great books for climbing mentality, but again, the focus will be on ropes, not bouldering.

u/BaphodZeeblebrox · 1 pointr/climbharder

Obligatory - Read "The Rock Warrior's Way" comment. (Seriously though, this is definitely addressed, and should pretty much be required reading for all climbers.)

http://warriorsway.com/products/

or via Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011215

u/ABQChristopher · 1 pointr/audiobooks

Zen and the Art of Disc Golf

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Disc-Golf-Patrick-McCormick/dp/1502779331

Perfect for a road trip, trying courses along the way.

u/Nicker05 · 2 pointsr/climbing

You can try The Rock Warrior's Way: Mental Training for Climbers by Arno Ilgner. (Here's the Amazon page). The instructors at my gym recommended it and my wife and I found it to be a helpful read to face these situations.

u/MastadonInfantry · 6 pointsr/bouldering

Good job. Check out this book if you want to work on your mental game
https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011215

u/Wertilq · 2 pointsr/Fencing

There is also the fencing based "One Touch at a time" for sports psychology based on fencing. It's quite good.

"Epee 2.5" also contains some sports-psychology, tactics and strategy from a fencing perspective.

u/mrnaughtyboy · 1 pointr/seduction

Just posted this in another sub-thread:

http://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?goal_orientation_goal_involvement_motivational_climate_sport_psychology&b=96&c=4

I have a book called "The Sports Psych Handbook", which I picked up at a used bookstore on a whim. Once I paged through it, it made me wish I would have looked into the subject sooner.

http://www.amazon.com/Sport-Psych-Handbook-Shane-Murphy/dp/0736049045/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371501353&sr=1-10&keywords=sports+psychology

The book is intended for coaches.

u/-DGES- · 3 pointsr/hiking

Mental Prep is a very important part of trail. This book helped me prepare for my through hike

https://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trials-Psychological-Successfully-Thru-Hiking-ebook/dp/B0074U5L58

u/ctb3 · 1 pointr/climbing

Read The Rock Warrior's Way This book changed my climbing overnight.

u/fourdoorshack · 2 pointsr/climbing

They are unproven. Try this instead.

u/TundraWolf_ · 10 pointsr/climbing

I'd highly recommend this: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011215

It talks at length about rational fear vs irrational fear.

You shouldn't be thinking about falling in a way that keeps you from climbing hard. You should worry about it enough to know that your leg isn't behind the rope, etc.

Trust the system, trust your belayer. Read the book.

u/Didg00 · 2 pointsr/foosball

If you want to develop a very fast pull shot for yourself, I wrote a book on Pull Shot shooting called "Anatomy of a Pull Shot". The book is for sale on Amazon. It has a sections on developing pull shot speed, accuracy, power, focus/concentration. It uses eye hand coordination and kinesthetic senses to train your shots. Amazon will let you look inside the book.

If you want to add a fake move first, try to practice setting up the ball in the pull shot starting position, then circle the ball clockwise, in a push shot type of motion. It seems wrong but when you move to your shot motion, you will naturally grab the ball to shoot your fast long pull shot. This will also develop your wrist muscles. Circle the ball clockwise several times then shoot a long pull shot immediately.

u/JawjeenerBrooke · 1 pointr/climbergirls

I once got told that the thing holding me back from climbing was that I didn't want it enough. Which pissed me off but I listened. I read 'The Rock Warrior's Way' (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Rock-Warriors-Way-Training/dp/0974011215) which was amazing, it literally gave me no fear. The downside was that in my no fear state I attempted a 5b trad grit route and fell way above my gear, twice, the second time my gear popped and I was inches from decking. Now I think a small amount of fear of heights is quite useful and I stopped reading the book....

u/notaresponsibleadult · 90 pointsr/climbing

Lead climbing should be scary when you start out. The fear is just your lizard brain trying to keep you from killing yourself. Your lizard brain doesn't understand that the equipment will keep you safe, it just sees a rope going from your waist down instead of up, and it freaks out. Your lizard brain is just trying to look out for you, but your rational brain knows better. You have to train your lizard brain to shut up. Doing that takes work. The only way to make lead climbing not scary is to train in falling.

There are safe falls, and there are dangerous falls. You can't trust yourself in the moment to figure out which is which, so it's always a good idea to figure out where any dangerous falls are before you get on a route. As soon as you start climbing, you're going to decide that every fall is a dangerous fall, so make up your mind on the ground. Try to see positions that you'd clip from, and what would happen if you were to fall while clipping - the worst case scenario. From the ground you can imagine the fall and rope stretch, and it won't look that bad. Once you're on the wall, it'll probably seem like a guaranteed ground fall, because your lizard brain is losing it's marbles. Anyway, in a gym, all falls after the first bolt or two are almost always safe (assuming you have a good belayer!). Even so I find it useful to image the different falls I could take.

The point of that last bit is to separate rational fear from irrational fear. I'm only going to focus on training away irrational fear, where you're scared but you wouldn't actually get hurt by a fall. You're at the gym, you've looked at a climb and decided it would actually be safe to fall anywhere. Now it's time to get on and fall.

If you're anything like I was when I first started lead climbing, you'll probably make a clip, then pause since you now feel "safe". There's the idea that each bolt is an island of safety in dangerous waters. I'm going to keep assuming that you think like I did when I was starting out because it seems common based on talking to friends learning to lead. Could be wrong though.

At this point you're going to ask yourself "do I have enough strength to reach the next bolt?" This is a bad mental state. You should be focusing on the next few moves, not where the bolts are. If you're unsure, you'll want to ask your belayer to take. Don't do it! Either keep climbing, or if you're feeling too scared, just let go. It'll pretty much be a top rope fall at this point. Asking the belayer to take is forbidden when you're training in falling. Your only options are to climb or let go.

Once you realize that small top rope falls are no big deal, start making a few moves above the bolt. You may also freeze up here. You'll wonder if you can make the next bolt, and want to downclimb to the previous one. Don't do it! When you downclimb, you're training yourself that falling a few moves above the bolt is somehow dangerous. Downclimbing is a very common, but very bad habit. Instead, just pause. Hold on a bit. If you can hold on, you're proving that you're not that tired, and you probably could have made more moves. Then let go and take a small fall.

Once you get used to doing that, try pausing again. This time, instead of just letting go, throw for the next hold, but don't try to catch it. The goal is to fall while moving from hold to hold, rather than just letting go.

Not so bad is it? So the next thing is try for the next hold, and this time try to actually catch it. If you do, repeat that and try to get the next hold. Continue until you fall (clipping bolts along the way, obviously). Falling while trying really hard to climb means that you're no longer being blocked by fear. Congrats! You're focusing on the individual moves, rather than the bolts and the falls. Now you should be able to lead close to your top roping grade.

Now those rules are simple, but that doesn't mean they're easy. There is fear at each step that takes practice to overcome. The point is to avoid making habits that will hurt your lead climbing. Even when you nail things one day, the fear can come back the next. Training your lead head is like training a muscle. It needs to be regularly exercised. Given time and consistent practice, it'll get strong though.

One other thing I want to mention is that you should really avoid top roping once you start leading. By top roping you're training yourself that leading is somehow more dangerous. A common pattern I see is where people want to top rope a hard climb before leading it. If the falls are safe, what's the point? You're just reinforcing that lead climbing is scary. If you treat lead climbing like something to work your way up to, it'll stay scary. The point is to make it routine.

When I first started lead climbing, my friend lent me this book, which really helped https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011215. It seemed a bit cheesy at first, but it contains a lot of wisdom.

Good luck!