Coaching Climbing: A Complete Program for Coaching Youth Climbing for High Performance and Safety

by Michelle Hurni

This book is for climbing coaches and teachers and parents of young climbers. It presents an integrated approach to coaching, focusing on individualized evaluation and training of climbers as the key to improving performance and maintaining safety and enthusiasm. It includes exercises for working on movement, training for competitions, sensible physical conditioning, and injury prevention. This is the first comprehensive resource for coaching the fastest-growing sport in the United States today.

Genres: Climbing

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Zendegi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that is mainly directed to parents with children climbers, who themselves are mostly unfamiliar with climbing. Hurni also states that this is for climbing coaches, but the rudimentary coverage of climbing makes it feel like it was really meant for those new to climbing and already acting as coaches. It covers types of climbing, supporting kids, training, exercises and games for different types of training, stretching, climbing outside, competitions, and getting sponsorship.

For me, a part time climbing instructor and someone who is trying to progress in my own climbing, the most value was in the chapters regarding training and the fun games to keep climbers engaged. It was also fun to see some of the last two decade's best climbers photographed as children.

Some of the advice on injury treatment and stretching is a bit outdated for this older book. It was probably good when it was published, but there are much better and more up-to-date climbing instruction and training books available today.