Rock Climbing: The Ultimate Guide

(Hardback)

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This book provides the ultimate guide to rock climbing in the United States, suitable for climbers and nonclimbers alike, covering the technical and physical aspects of the sport as well as the mental challenges involved. Rock Climbing: The Ultimate Guide covers the history of rock climbing in the United States from its origins to the present day, documenting the importance and vitality of the popular sport. The chapters address topics such as the technicalities of the equipment and clothing, training methods, key places and events where the sport takes place, the different types of rock that climbers challenge themselves on, past and present rock climbing heroes who inspire today's climbers, and the evolution of the sport over the yearsfor example, in terms of climbers' sporting achievements and its growing global appeal. The book also covers the sport from an unprecedented perspective that only the authoran experienced climber and social scientistcould provide, discussing the meaning of extreme sports in our culture, issues of gender, why climbing can serve an individual focused on personal achievement and satisfy those seeking to be part of a community, and how climbers come to terms with the inherent risks of the sport.

Author Bio

Victoria Robinson, PhD, is reader in sociology at the University of Sheffield, UK. Her research interests are extreme sport, rock climbing in particular; gender and sexualities; and men and masculinities. Her published works include Everyday Masculinities: Male Identity and Rock Climbing; Heterosexualities: From Theory to Practices; and Maculinities in Transition. She is also coeditor, with D. Richardson, of the series Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences. She received her doctorate at the University of Manchester, UK.