|
rockie
Sep 30, 2007, 9:37 AM
Post #1 of 22
(10168 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Anyone attended any rock warriors way courses?
Is reading the book as good as attending a course?
Any feedback of having read the book/ or attended any of the courses would be appreciated, thanks 
And where in Canada do these courses run?
|
|
|
|
|
saxfiend
Oct 5, 2007, 8:31 PM
Post #2 of 22
(10116 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 31, 2004
Posts: 1208
|
I've attended two of Arno's courses: the two-day Warrior's Way course and a climbing movement course. I think these courses are phenomenal; I feel like I've made some major leaps in my climbing as a result of taking them.
Reading the book is good, but attending a course is better, at least in my experience. A lot of things in the book made more sense to me after taking the WW course.
If you want to find out where and when the courses are offered, check Arno's web site: http://www.warriorsway.com/
JL
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 6, 2007, 4:26 AM
Post #3 of 22
(10108 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Thank you for your feedback, much appreciated..
I will do that 
|
|
|
|
|
microbarn
Oct 6, 2007, 11:45 AM
Post #4 of 22
(10105 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 12, 2004
Posts: 5920
|
I read the book. Then I took his 1 day course. Then I read the book again.
Definitely try to ready the book first. Then, definitely take the course.
The course is really great, and reading the book will allow you to get more out of the course. You will already know much of the motivation, atmosphere, and thinking that he is promoting. Therefore, you will be able to work towards that more quickly.
I got way more out of the course then I did out of the book. I look forward to a time when I can afford to take a two day course with him.
|
|
|
|
|
microbarn
Oct 6, 2007, 11:49 AM
Post #5 of 22
(10103 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 12, 2004
Posts: 5920
|
Also as a general note, I highly recommend taking his course with a friend. I had huge trust issues with the random belayers that attend the course. Some of them were not as good as I would hope, and then since I got scared of the one belayer, I was overly wary of the others. It was an additional mental block that I would rather not have dealt with.
|
|
|
|
|
saxfiend
Oct 6, 2007, 1:11 PM
Post #6 of 22
(10098 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 31, 2004
Posts: 1208
|
microbarn wrote: Also as a general note, I highly recommend taking his course with a friend. I had huge trust issues with the random belayers that attend the course.
JL
|
|
|
|
|
arnoilgner
Oct 6, 2007, 9:05 PM
Post #7 of 22
(10091 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 8, 2003
Posts: 366
|
hi rockie,
an example story of how this worked out for me is this:
for years i've been reading dan millman's books, like way of the peaceful warrior, but just couldn't bring myself to attend his workshops. finally, last year i did attend a week long seminar with him. the contact you have in taking a course and experientially applying the material is way more beneficial than simply reading a book. books are great and can set the stage for actual training but the coaching and training you get from someone is invaluable.
-
one of the main aspects of the warriors way is taking action. if you don't know how to take that action you cannot apply the material as well, or it will take a lot longer. an example: in the mental fitness courses i have an exercise called continuous climbing. when students begin doing it they climb based on what they think continuous climbing is. i usually need to speed them up a little. when i do that it tends to make their climbing inefficient and a general mental anxiousness surrounds the experience. so, the first thing their mind wants to do is dismiss the exercise as not working. they forget that this is mental training. by me having them climb faster than their mind is used to it shakes up what makes their mind comfortable. therefore their mind judges the exercise as bad when in fact doing it allowed them to trust their body more to do the climbing instead of their mind. then, with practice they will be able to climb more continuously in an efficient manner.
this is just one example of how difficult mental training can be and the importance of a coach.
-
by the way, i have a canadian from vancouver coming down to tennessee for my 3-day mental/movement course that i'm teaching at foster alls (tn) in december. if you can get a cheap plane ticket then i can pick you up at the nashville (bna) airport.
arno
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 7, 2007, 5:37 AM
Post #8 of 22
(10078 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Hello,
thanks for all the feedback; you lost me a little though, are you the main person that wrote the book and teaches the warriors way courses?
I agree totally with going on courses not purely learning from a book, some where I come from are ignorant to that fact, believing in climbing from teaching themselves purely from a book, whereas I don't, books are good for reflection, but you can't measure how safe you are at e.g. fitting placements from just reading a book and then going climbing without any courses; that's my personal view and I am so sticking to it.
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 7, 2007, 5:38 AM
Post #9 of 22
(10078 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
And thanks sax and micro; valid points noted
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 7, 2007, 5:45 AM
Post #10 of 22
(10077 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
And climbing partners where I now live are hard to come by, not least as I find most have no get up and go to proactively commit to climbing with you on a weekly basis; unlike back home over the pond where I am from where it was ever so easy, you could post a request out in the morning and have 5 climbing partners by the evening, it was THAT easy.
I kind of give up.. I think the US may have more get up and go types so maybe I should focus on that more.
|
|
|
|
|
arnoilgner
Oct 7, 2007, 3:48 PM
Post #11 of 22
(10064 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 8, 2003
Posts: 366
|
your comment: "you lost me a little though, are you the main person that wrote the book and teaches the warriors way courses?"
-
yes, that's me.
arno
|
|
|
|
|
clmbrdancer
Oct 7, 2007, 10:46 PM
Post #12 of 22
(10052 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 15, 2003
Posts: 80
|
Taking Arno's course and reading his book would be a good combo. I read his book several years ago and recently re-read it. Its helped my climbing and other outdoor pursuits, as well as my ability to move through life calmly and with awareness.
We (The U of TN Knoxville Outdoor Program) hosted Arno a year ago to teach a half day clinic to about 10 of our students on our indoor wall. He's a good teacher and provided useful feedback to our climbers, even with that large of a group. Though how much information the students retained, I don't know. Tis the benefit of having the book and taking the course.
Some of Arno's ideas will create a mental discomfort, fyi, as you work on forming new habits and thought processes.
Cheers,
Brad
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 8, 2007, 4:06 AM
Post #13 of 22
(10041 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Re: yes, that's me.
arno
Well that's interesting to know.
Not sure I will make the december course, and anyway I need to read your book first don't I
Is the weather warm in Tenessee in December?
Get to see Dolly Parton in concert there do you? 
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 8, 2007, 4:08 AM
Post #14 of 22
(10040 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
and thanks for your feedback too Brad
BTW that's a cowboy hat you are wearing in your profile pic, not a climbing hat (it won't protect your head)
|
|
|
|
|
arnoilgner
Oct 8, 2007, 5:45 PM
Post #15 of 22
(10016 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 8, 2003
Posts: 366
|
december is a little cooler (fortunately). we can climb year round here in the southeast. there are usually only a couple weeks where it is too cold, raining, snowing and that usually happens in late January and February.
arno
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 8, 2007, 8:07 PM
Post #16 of 22
(10002 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Well that's good to know, maybe I should fly down there then when I want to go climbing.
What kind of rock is it? granite, limestone?
And what is the name of the climbing area there.. so I can google it?
|
|
|
|
|
arnoilgner
Oct 8, 2007, 11:20 PM
Post #18 of 22
(9990 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 8, 2003
Posts: 366
|
rock: hard sandstone
climbing areas: foster falls (where the course is taught); other areas are tennessee wall, obed, sunset rock, horse pens 40...
flying down: i can pick you up at the nashville (BNA) airport and you can ride with me to the crag. this will keep your expenses down for hotel and rental car.
arno
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 9, 2007, 6:57 AM
Post #19 of 22
(9982 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Oh no, not that dreaded sandstone type rock 
Still I was getting used to the holds that I am told were good practice for sandstone climbing (in the UK), before I moved over, and was told I should climb it if I don't like it, to get used to it.
As for your course.. I feel a holiday coming on, still whether that will be end of the year or beginning of next I've yet to find out myself, here I have to accumulate leave, and it hasn't yet kicked in.
Is the other chap above arno's post yelling at me? didn't realise the pic was bouldering. The weather sounds good there. I like the weather up here too, just not for outdoor climbing this time of year when rainy season.
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 9, 2007, 7:59 AM
Post #20 of 22
(9978 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Hey Arno,
thank you so much for your offer, I will definately take you up on that one, airport to crag it is.
I am trying to entice my best friend from the UK over here for good too. He knows it makes sense.
He is a climber too, and lived in Switzerland for 10 years living and working before returning to the UK. So hopefully he will be over here soon, and I can drag his skinny little butt down there with me too! 
|
|
|
|
|
saxfiend
Oct 9, 2007, 10:43 AM
Post #21 of 22
(9974 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 31, 2004
Posts: 1208
|
Rockie -- I wasn't yelling at you. Just having a little fun. I found the mental picture of someone wearing a helmet while bouldering kind of amusing.
As to the "dreaded sandstone," I wonder if you're thinking of gritstone in the UK or the soft sandstone out west. Our sandstone down here is of the bullet-hard variety, and it isn't rough texture like I assume gritstone must be. I think you'll enjoy Foster Falls.
JL
|
|
|
|
|
rockie
Oct 9, 2007, 6:55 PM
Post #22 of 22
(9951 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 1130
|
Hi Saxfiend, no worries, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T YELLING AT ME!
but thought I'd check incase I'd unintentionally offended. I have a cheeky sense of humour incase you hadn't noticed. I'm unsure if we wear helmets for bouldering in the UK either.
Didn't realise there were varieties of sandstone. I know the sandstone we have in the South of UK, is that rounded smooth stuff; at harrisons. Admittedly, I prefer what you can grip onto and what holds you.
In the North of England we have gritstone. In fact we have every kind of rock for climbing in the whole of the UK. Check out: http://www.ukclimbing.com/databases/crags/bookinfo.html?id=25
Talking of gritstone;
my friend in the UK just returned from the Peak district and led an E1/HVS, our 5.10a over here, said the top end had little protection so he was bricking himself on that part (the crux obviously), that's more than I'd have done.
Yes they do tend to cut themselves a bit on that stuff, I heard alot about that when the club I was in returned from climbing up there one weekend.
(This post was edited by rockie on Oct 9, 2007, 7:58 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
