UKC

Two chapter extracts from former Rock and Ice editor Francis Sanzaro's latest book, The Zen of Climbing, which places the climber's mind at the forefront of training and practice.

Is Climbing a Zen Sport?

Zen isn't about being relaxed, it's about being poised. In 2002, a watershed paper was published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. The paper was titled "Psychological Characteristics and Their Development in Olympic Champions." Subsequent studies have further refined the findings, but what they discovered in 2002 remains as true today as it did for ancient Stoics, Zen samurai, 9a+ climbers, and, of course, Olympic athletes.

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It just so happens that I finished reading this book on the plane home from Kalymnos yesterday. It is absolutely excellent. Indeed, it may be the single most insightful book about climbing ever written - reading it and beginning the (life-long) effort of internalising what it has to teach may be the single best thing any climber could do. Seriously.

I'm glad you posted this glowing review. I read the excerpt, got inspired, bought a copy, then worried it was going to be a load of new age tosh. Looking forward to reading the full thing now!

In terms of confidence … well, you will learn that confidence is one of the most overrated mental components in top performers.

Confidence in movement is very important however

Anyone else struggling to buy this book using the link in the article? It adds to basket, but every time I hit checkout it just jumps back to the website homepage.

Yeah that was my big worry too - but it is absolutely a new-age-bollocks free zone. 

What follows is a very different perspective on Zen coming from a philosophical and religious angle, not a sport performance one. Please take what is useful and leave what it not.

I’m unsure of how this article is not a “leverage Zen for the goal of climbing harder”. Which is fine however I would question it being sold as such and going ‘deep’ into Zen. Fundamentally any single-pointed attention gained through climbing is ‘wrong mindfulness’ from any Buddhist perspective. This is because it does not teach morality and wisdom. Without these single pointed attention can never be transformative. Zen is not just a state of mind but a spiritual path. Yes there are zen Samurai and martial artists but these activities are a form of spiritual self-discipline. There are a means to an end not the end itself. If the goal of our climbing is truly single-pointed attention then the climbing element becomes meaningless as we can achieve this much more simply (and with less damage to the planet) through through meditation. If the goal is not to do the route then why climb at all? For Buddhist’s life is not value agnostic. Zen samurai were such because it was a necessity, there is no necessity in climbing. Murderers can kill with single-pointed attention. What makes mindfulness valuable is its role in the Buddhist spiritual path, the only way we can go ‘deep’ into Zen is to practice this path for ourselves as a whole. Not by extracting elements of it to improve our performance at our hobby. 

Do you believe there is no wisdom to be found in thinking about the way we approach and interact with our climbing practice? 

Thanks. But all far too complicated for me 

I thought climbing was all about grabbing jugs (or pinch grips, or finger jams) and pulling up and over 

Yep same problem for me. 

Thanks Martin. Looks like it is working now. 

Probably better to read the book as a whole rather than just an extract before passing judgement. The book as a whole does not fall foul of the worries you rightly raise. 

Is it easier to stay zen while climbing sport or trad ?

Possibly of interest

https://diaryofapunter.substack.com/p/zen-and-the-art-of-rock-climbing