Dave MacLeod ’s book, Make or Break , is a definitive guide on managing and preventing climbing injuries, framed by the idea that injuries—not just physical limits—ultimately dictate a climber's success. The Core Story: Injuries as Information

Dave MacLeod offers a different hero archetype: the climber who’s still sending hard at 50, 60, 70. The one who walked away from a thousand small injuries to avoid the one big break.

1. Buy the ebook or paperback (obvious, but hear me out)

If you're interested in learning more from "Make or Break," you can access a free PDF version of the book through various online sources. Here are a few options:

• Injury self-diagnosis flowcharts – Unique to this book, not found online.
• Progressive rehab routines – From fingerboard rehab to campus boarding post-injury.
• Psychological frameworks – How to distinguish “protective fear” from “irrational fear.”
• Long-term athlete development – MacLeod argues that most injuries come from training blind spots, not accidents.

• Biomechanics of climbing injuries
• Rehabilitation protocols (tested on himself)
• Mental strategies to manage fear of re-injury
• Case studies of top climbers who failed or succeeded

If you are considering the full book, it is highly regarded for bridging the gap between academic sports medicine and practical climbing technique. www.saferclimbing.org

MacLeod is a world-class climber and a doctor. His chapter on finger anatomy should be required reading for anyone who’s ever pulled on a crimp.

Climbers of all skill levels, from beginners to professionals, who want to understand injury mechanics. Key Philosophy: