What is Reddit's opinion of Vertical Mind: Psychological Approaches for Optimal Rock Climbing by Don McGrath and Jeff Elison (2014) Paperback?

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Comments saying 100% rest on rest days assume you're working more than just your fingers on workout days, but you haven't specified whether you're doing anything else. I kept up very light hangboarding (Eva Lopez's IntHangs program Mon/Wed/Fri) on 40mm edges through the Sydney lockdown last year and even that was enough to keep my fingers in shape, but I completely neglected my core and I have regrets.

It's hard to do footwork technique off the wall, BUT core strength and hip mobility will remove the main physiological barriers to good footwork once you get back to it. You can add core to your hangboard days and do light mobility/stretching on your rest days so you're still recovering but at least it feels like you're doing something.

If you have TRX bands or similar, then this core workout takes less than 6 minutes and will produce results. I made a usable set out of old packing straps and PVC pipe offcuts, it's not pretty but it does the job :)

For mobility days you can look up hip-opening beginner yoga routines on YouTube, do some light stretching of whatever's feeling tight on the day (be sure to warm up for a few minutes first), self-massage with a foam roller or tennis/lacrosse ball, or whatever. Don't go overboard - these are still recovery days first and foremost - but even little bits of effort will add up over time.

As for fear of falling, Vertical Mind has strategies you can implement immediately, and then once you're back on the wall incorporate Clip-Drop training to your first two or three warm-up climbs on every session. It's not an instant fix but it does work, just take it slow and steady with small incremental steps.

100% agree. This book was much more palatable.