A lot of people find extreme sports to be stupid.  For example, why would one climb a rock without

rope when ropes are easily available?  Or why would one go “skateboarding” on high altitudes when there is a lot of space on the ground?

For people getting into extreme sports, it is the satisfaction of succeeding in fields that few dare go that gives then reason to face danger.  Extreme sports stretch the limits of conventional sports and turn them into adrenalin-pumping adventure.

One of the best examples to illustrate the above thinking is barefoot skiing.  We all know that are there exist specialized equipment called ski.  A pair of ski facilitates smooth navigation while protecting the feet.

Barefoot skiing involves a person being towed by a motorboat running at high speed – barefoot.  To push it further extreme, barefoot skiing is done with a boat that is required to run at speeds higher that regular skiing!  This sport can be very painful.

This sport can be traced in the Cypress Gardens in Florida, USA.  Some people claim that the first recorded person to go skiing barefoot was Dick Pope Jr. on March 6, 1947 although there are other claims that it was A.G. Hancock who hold the first record.  Many new techniques were invented in the next decade beginning with two-ski jump out in the early 50s and the beach start and deep water start in the middle to last parts of the decade.  Randy Babe totally revolutionalized the sport in 1960 with the invention of backwards barefooting.

Not to be outdone, the Australians also contributed to the sport with Johnson as one of the main founders.  He performed the first tumble-turns behind the boat.  They developed the technique called barefoot jumping.  In March 1960, Australia held the first national competitions with 38 barefoot skiers joining.  The first world championships took place in Canberra, the nation’s capital in November 1978.  Fifty four wild skiers from 10 countries around the world met and showcased their exceptional skills.  The Australians, of course, took the limelight with new techniques and maneuvers never before witnessed in history of barefoot skiing.  Australians Brett Wing and Colleen Wilkinson grabbed the men and women championships titles respectively.

Falling is one of the dangerous accidents that can happen in barefoot skiing.  Having a wind knocked out, a technical term in the sport, is one of the most common kinds of fall.  Although this is usually not serious and does not cause long-tern injury, this can be very painful for the skier.  A more serious fall is called “the scorpion fall” where the skier flops over as he enters the water almost the back of his head with his very own hills.  Spinal injury, which is very debilitating, can be ensured.

More and more competitions on barefoot skiing are taking place around the world as more and more clubs are springing up.  Again, the question:  Why do people get into these kinds of dangerous extreme sports?  When one of the pioneers in climbing Mt. Everest was asked why he was doing such dangerous endeavor, his answer was summarized in three words:  “Because it’s there”.

A common but relatively difficult trick in skimboarding is doing a 360.  It is done by riding on wide open space, crouching low and balancing on the center of the board, then spinning the body with the board at 360 degrees.

One of the sport’s most famous names, Patrick LeBuhn, has innovated several tricks and maneuvers.  One of these is called the Wrap.  This is done by throwing the board to the ocean and hydroplaning out to the wave.  The skimmer then shifts his weight to wrap around the wave and he gets propelled to the shore.

This sport traces it roots dating back to 1929 in the famous Laguna Beach of California.  Because Laguna Beach is one of the world’s most famous beaches and playground of the rich and famous, skimboarding easily picked up to be a world wide sensation.

Despite the dangers of skimboarding, many people, especially the younger generation, get into the sport because of the thrill that can be derived and also because of the low cost of this sport.  Except if one skims in exclusive and high class beaches, the only price to pay for the sport is the skimboard itself and the rental of the boat, if there is any.  Other gears for skimboard include apparel and protective gears that be easily bought online.  There are many DVDs on sale that is solely focus on skimboarding – events, athletes and techniques.

There are many competitions for skimboarding.  Some of these contests in the United States are Bogue Banks Skim Bash in North Carolina and the West Coast Championships in Laguna Beach, California.

Around the world, the competitions include the International Portuguese Championships in Sta. Cruz, Portugal; International French Championships in Seignosse, France and Panama City Spring Break Skim Jam in Panama City.

Countries where skimboarding is popular include Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Namibia, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Venezuela, Italy, Japan and the Virgin Islands.

A wakeboard looks like a ski.  The bend in a wakeboard from tail to tip is called a rocker which comes in two types: continuous and three-stage.  The continuous rocker is smooth and the three-stage rocker has distinct bend points

The length of a wakeboard varies according to manufacturers and the style of riding.  Smaller wakeboards are good for fast spinning and neat landing while larger sizes are preferred for smoother and slower rides.  On the other hand, the width of a wakeboard determines the affect how high it sits on the water.

Athletes in this sport need to be in perfect physical shape and sharp mental condition.  This sport can be extremely dangerous as the athlete is being dragged by the boat across the water.  Several trick and maneuvers make this sport exciting to wild enthusiasts.  Some of the maneuvers include Railey,  Fakie or switch, witch air raley, Butter slide, Surface 360,Tantrum, Backroll, Frontroll, Boardslide, Half-cab, Tootsie Roll, Blind Judge, Scarecrow, Bel Air, Air Krypt, Hoochie Glide and Whirlybird.

The sport has drawn the attention of many organizations for the danger it entails.  Hence, athletes are always advised to exert the greatest effort for safety.  Constant practice should be done before engaging in more pressured activities like in competitions.  Beginners should gradually perform tricks from easy to difficult.

Wakeboarding is one of the competitions of the popular X Games show. The latest winner has been Parks Bonifay of Flordia.  Some of the popular athletes in wakeboarding include Tara Hamilton, Zane Schwenk, Dallas Friday, Danny Harf, Scott Byerly, Darren Shapiro and Shaun Murray.

Wakeboarding is a world wide enterprise with million dollar revenues in advertising and merchandise.  Many popular products ranging from t-shirts to equipment are for sale.  Some of the countries that have active wakeboarding competitions include the United States, Canada, Italy, England, France, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Some camps are offered for aspiring wakeboarders.  In the United States, the camps include Westside Watersports in Arizona, Discovery Bay Wakeboard Center in California, New England Wakeboard School in Connecticut, Gator Bait Wakeboard School in Florida, Raging Buffalo Wakeboard School in Illinois and  Strawberry Lake Ski and Wakeboard School in Michigan.  There are also a lot of clubs and organization for wakeboarding enthusiasts.  Most of these clubs require a minimal fee for membership.

The internet offers many resources on wakeboarding.  One can find gear reviews, events announcements, new development and techniques from the pros.  Some of the gears and equipment can be bought online and shipped within a few days.  Many online stores offer cheaper price.

Whitewater rafting, before it evolved into an extreme sport, was originally intended to be an important means of transportation for those living near bodies of water.  The first known journal on rafting expedition was that of Lieutenant John Fremont of the US army in 1842 on his journey in the Platte River.  His raft was designed by Horace H. Day and it used four independent rubber cloth tubes.  Rafting become started to gain popularity in the 1960s when rafting companies were being established and routes like in the Grand Canyon were made.  The Munich Olympic Games in the 1970s included rafting in its events.  More and more rivers in the world opened rafting activities in the 1980s.  Some of these rivers were in Africa and South America. The Barcelona Games in 1992 and the Atlanta Games in 1996 signaled the world wide sensation of rafting.  Another prominent event that included rafting was of the Summer Olympic Games hosted by Ocoee River in Tennessee Valley.  In 1997, the International Federation of Rafting was instituted.  The first Official International Championship took place in 1999.

Whitewater rafting is dangerous sport so safety measures should be taken very taken very seriously.  Many accidents have happened in the past because the gears used were not considered very carefully.  Rafts should be made of strong and flexible materials and should be thoroughly checked for weak points before embarking on a trip.  For beginners, there should be at least two professional whitewater rafters to accompany them.  It is also imperative the participants know first aid because unexpected accidents can happen.  A rafting hitting a stone and capsize can injure people.  The strong current can make it very hard for people to do rescue and operations.

There are many tour companies offering rafting for recreation as well as extreme action sport.  These companies though charge insurance fee that are slightly higher than regular outdoor activities like mountain climbing or hiking.  Many clubs and organization accept total beginners.  Joining clubs can be a great opportunity to learn from the pros.

In North American, the popular Whitewater rafting destinations include Hudson River near Lake George in New York, Snake River near Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Tieton River near Naches and Washington.

The Bujagali Falls on the Nile, the Tana River and the Zambezi River are favorite locations in Africa.

The Hokitika River in New Zealand, Yoshino River in Japan, Tully River in Queensland, Australia, Chico River, Kalinga in the Philippines, Ganga in India and the Kiulu River, in Sabah, Malaysia are top spots in Asia and Oceania.

The Soca River in Slovenia, Tara River in Montenegro, Enns River in Austria, Sjoa River in Norway are Europe’s best Whitewater rafting places.

1.    To get out of the drab and ordinary.  This is not to say that other sports do not spark excitement and fun.  Sure, mountain climbing, skiing, hiking and racing are interesting sports.  But rock climbing takes one to challenges that are less regulated by organized bodies.  Rock climbing takes place in remote places beyond the organized, ordinary locations of traditional sports.  The thrill of ascending giant pieces of rocks on ropes and harness is simply irreplaceable.
2.    To test one’s physical limit – rock climbers need to be in perfect shape.  Ascending those steep rock formations need strength and endurance way beyond the amount needed for, say, motor racing.  Getting into rock climbing means that one needs to have intensive exercise and proper diet.  One needs to carry his whole body mass up a huge rock with gravity pulling down.  Plus the extreme weather conditions the climber is totally exposed to can be hard to sustain for the physically weak.
3.    To test one’s mental capacity – sure, the demands of rock climbing  do not parallel to that of rocket science.  The climber should be mentally keen because his life depends on how to face the danger that awaits during the climb.  The techniques in climbing are not randomly created – they are a specific set of scientific discoveries.  One needs to analyze every step taken to ascend.  One needs to know the science behind strength and endurance.
4.    This is not an expensive sport – the gears and equipment may cost initially. But compared to other sports that need expensive equipment like ski, glider, cars or motor bikes, the basic gear for rock climbing are far less inexpensive.  Occasionally, one needs to change to change shoes – but it isn’t a common undertaking?
5.    To get new insight – being on top can totally change one’s views on many things.  One can develop love for the environment with the surrounding natural wonders.  This activity can open the eyes of the climber to the beauty of the world.  The serenity of the top can be a perfect time to meditate and reflect on things that matter most.  It is hard to meditate in noisy places like the city.
6.    To test one’s character – Climbing and finishing to the top requires persistence, patience, endurance and will power. These things are very important in everyday living.  Rock climbing can help develop these characters.  If they rock climber go with other people, he can also learn about team work and cooperation.
7.    To relieve stress – this may sound contradictory owing the highly physical nature of the activity.  But according to experts, stress can be relieved in many ways especially when doing things that one enjoys.
8.    It is a popular sport – more and more people are getting into rock climbing.  Several national and international competitions for rock climbing exist.  These competitions offer large amounts of money for prized and the chance to be famous around the world.

The types of skiing include Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Biathlon, Cross-country skiing, Artificial Dry Ski Slope skiing, Disabled alpine skiing, Night skiing, peed skiing, Ski mountaineering.

Through time and through the efforts of adrenalin-rush seeker, skiing further evolved into extreme skiing.  Extreme Skiing in now a very popular sport where death-defying athletes around the world ski in the most risky places and conditions.  Some of the places where extreme skiing is done is one mountain slopes as steep as 45 degrees.  It is now considered to be one of the toughest sports in the world, pushing athletes to the limits of their physical capability, endurance and will power.

Many claim that extreme skiing originated in New Hampshire in the United States.  The Tuckerman Ravine, a favorite place for skiers because of its deep snow and rugged terrain, is said to be the birthplace of the sport.

There is also another claim that the French invented the sport with the term Le Ski Extreme in the 1970s.  One of the practitioners of extreme skiing is Sylvain Saudan, a Swiss national. He invented the windshield wiper turn in 1960.  Patrick Valencant and Anselme Baud, both from France, further gave extreme skiing a wider popularity in the 70s and 80s.

Like any sport, safety should be the greatest consideration.  Physical preparation is very vital for efficient skiing; anybody getting into extreme skiing should first seek medical check up from professionals.  For beginners, they should start with off-piste mountains with lesser obstacles, then, gradually aim for more challenging routes.  It is imperative that beginners should be accompanied by professionals – the choice of snow conditions, techniques in unique obstacles and advanced survival skills are things that are best left for the professionals.

Some turning techniques that are tweaked by extreme skiing to push limits include Stem techniques (Snowplough and Christie), Parallel turn, Carve turn, Telemark turn, Pivot turn, Jump turn.

The use of protective gears should be carefully monitored.  Conditions in the cold can be very uncomfortable and hard to control.  Some of these gears and equipment include fire retardant high-density foam, protective eye wear, wax, helmet, gloves and poles.

The key to an enjoyable and productive extreme skiing is practice.  Like in all aspects of our lives, practice makes things perfect.  There are many holiday packages that include extreme skiing for its activities.  This can be a perfect time to practice without the pressures of competitions.  There are also many clubs and organizations that teach beginners the secrets of the sport.  Hundreds of boot camps around the world are available for aspiring skiers.

There are also many reading materials to supplement the knowledge about the sport.  In the internet alone, thousands of websites feature extreme skiing techniques.  Learning from other people, specially the pros, can greatly enhance skiing skills.

Most extreme sports are taking the “conventional” sports and stretching the rules to the limits.  For example, mountain climbing is generally a safe and family oriented sport in that certain regulations are strictly imposed by the government agencies; but ice climbing and rock climbing are variations of mountain climbing that involves the participant in rugged conditions with limited equipment.

Extreme sports can be done in land, water and air.

Some extreme sports in land:

Paintball – is a war game where opponents try hit eliminate each other by hitting with bullets made of paintball.  Paintballs are spherical gelatin capsules that contains non-toxic and water-soluble substances which are dyed.

Bouldering – is like rock climbing without ropes.  Although the heights are more limited compared to rock climbing with ropes, this sport is dangerous because sharp edges of some boulders can cause the climber to lose grip.

Motocross – is participated in by rough riders who traverse difficult terrains on ultra high speeds.  The sport was traditional held on wet weather so the mud and dirt can add more challenge to the rider.  This sport is popularly shorted as MX or MotoX.

Some extreme sports in water:

Kneeboarding – is a sport where the athlete gets towed on a board by a speeding motorboat.  The buoyant board is usually convex and hydro-dynamically shaped.

Scuba diving – although many argue that this is “regular” sport because of strict regulations and licensing by organized groups, some categorize this among the extreme sport because of the danger that entails especially when diving in very deep waters.  Divers stay in water of varying depths and length of time carrying compressed air.  Scuba diving has very technical aspect and one needs to get a license in order to dive.

Kitesurfing -  is a sport where the kitesurfer stands on a board strapped to his feet and is dragged by a powerkite.  A powerkite is usually made of leading edge inflatable or foil.  Extra care should be observed because the kitesurfer’s body is the only thing that connects the board and the kite.

Some extreme sports in air:

Hang Gliding – in the sport, the pilot rides on a glider with wings typically made of fabric attached to an aluminum frame where he hangs on to.  His navigation is controlled by wind currents and gravity alone without the use of special electronic equipment except for communications and measurements of altitude.

Skydiving – is a sport where participants free fall at high altitudes and open their parachutes at certain lower altitudes only.

Skysurfing – is similar to skydiving but the participant wears surfing boards attached to their feet and performs acrobatic tricks like they do on line.  This sport needs intensive practices because the movements are not easy to control while on air.

Extreme sports are either variations or combination of two or more traditional or regular sports.

Extreme sports can take place on land, water and air.  An example of air extreme sport is Hang Gliding which is a variation of gliding and paragliding.  Hang gliding is very similar to paragliding such as foot launching and use of flexible wings. The rider uses less expensive materials usually made of aluminum frame and wings made of fabric.  This sport evolved from simply gliding on low performance kites on low hills to soaring thousands of feet high over wide distances for many hours.

Modern hang gliders have wings called Rogallo wing or delta wing.  It is made of nylon or Dacron fabric.  The design is similar to a parachute but the difference is that hang gliders are shaped like triangle with aluminum tubes dangling where the pilot hangs on to.

Launching a hang glider involves the pilot running the slope and getting air to move across the wing at about 40 kilometers per hour. The hang glider is lifted by the air movement over the wing surface.  Once on air, the movement of causes the glider to continually float while the opposing pull gravity moves it forward. The thermal lift, or the effect of hot air can also help in navigation.  Drag, the frictional force created by collision with air molecules, help speed up the hang glider.

The pilot needs several instruments for a safe and efficient flight.  The most basic and important of these instruments are the altimeter and variometer. The variometer is used for indicating vertical speed or the ascent and descent of the hang glider.  The altimeter is used to find distances about terrains, sea levels or other reference points by comparing air pressures. Other equipment needed are radio and global positioning system (GPS).

There are many hang gliding competitions around the world.  The Quest Air hosts The Rigid and Women’s World Championships annually.  Florida was the host state in 2006 while Texas will be hosting 2007’s.  Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (World Air Sports Federation – FAI), include hang gliding in the categories for World Air Games.  The FAI is the organization responsible for record keeping and standard setting for astronautics and aeronautics.  It was founded in 1905.

Some of the records regulated by the FAI within their designated classes include:  Straight distance, Straight distance to a declared goal, Out-and-return distance, Distance around a triangular course, Speed around triangular courses of 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 300 km, Speed over out-and-return courses of 100, 200 and 300 km and Gain of height.

Hang gliding can be an expensive sport.  Learning to fly can cost about $7000 – this is include buying all equipment at retail prices and fee for a certified school.  However, buying second-hand equipment can reduce to the cost by as much as $4000.

Rock Climbing

Rock Climbing involves climbing huge and dangerous boulders with or without the aid of ropes.  Rocks have ribs, holes, cracks, lumps and sharp edges that pose challenge to the climber.  Climbers must not confuse mountain climbing shoes with rock climbing shoes.

Wall Climbing

Wall Climbing can be considered a prelude and training for the more intensive and dangerous rock climbing.  There are changeable and non-changeable walls and the venue for wall climbing can be in cities like gymnasiums and even malls.  Wall climbing clubs provide training with experienced counselors.

How to be a good rock climber

One needs to have strength, lightness, speed, coordination, staying power and mental control in order to be a good rock climber.  Once out in the outdoors, the conditions are harsh and difficult.  Constant training is extremely important.  Physical exercise is needed to have strength and stamina.

A rock climber’s diet

Food is important in everything we do.  To have the perfect physical condition in this extremely physical sport, these food groups must be carefully planned in a diet:  (a) high protein sources like meat and fish; (b) cereals, potatoes and paste; (c) milk and dairy products; (d) fruits and vegetables.

Precautions

Climbers should pay extra attention to details in order to avoid injuries and death.  Several conditions should be should be carefully considered.  Hence, the climber should remember that:
o    The higher the altitude, the more dangerous the conditions become.  Those with weak physical conditions will experience breathing difficulties;
o    Knowledge of how muscles work is indispensable.  For instance, certain groups of muscles get the most neglect that when difficult conditions arise, they weaken and can cause the climber to fall.  Upper arms muscles tend to get overstressed because little support from the body goes to the fingers.  This can lead to numbness and eventual injury if the climber falls.
o    Elbows and shoulders are also most susceptible to overload if balance is not achieved.

Anybody attempting to go on rock climbing must undergo a thorough physical checkup by a professional.  He should start first with easier environments.  After periods of training with wall climbing, he should set out for smaller and easier rocks.  He should not go alone and should always be accompanied by a professional climber.   The authorities should be notified about the activity so that should accidents happen or the group gets lost, it will not take long before somebody starts a search.  The equipment should to be thoroughly checked making sure the ropes are still in shape.  It is a common practice among professional to have their ropes and other metal hangers x-rayed for possible internal cracks.

As a way to make the experience more worthwhile, climbers should not leave tracks that can harm the environment.  All plastic wrappers and other non-biodegradable wastes should not be thrown anywhere.  If the climb takes place in places that are mystical or have tribal groups, respect for customs and traditions should be strictly observed.

The Free Flow Tour focus on young aspirants, usually under 18 years old.  The contest is open to more than 100 entrants who register at the site.  The event is in “jam” format with celebrity judges in the panel.  The competitors are judged according to specific criteria as well as the crowd’s reactions.

The 2006 Free Flow Tour closing series was held in Portland, Orgeon was hosted at the Vans Invitational was considered a phenomenal success.  The first place titles were won by Mike Spinner (BMX Park) of Miami, Florida and David Loy CA (Skate Park) of Orange, California.  Mark Spinner made history with his never done before trick with his tailwhip 720.

Free Flow has become a world wild sensation as well with the champions gaining sponsorships deals. Mike Spinner again made an outstanding performance in New Zealand by puling a 1080, another first in history.  David Loy skated for JEEP advertisement that features Tony Hawk.

The Free Flow Tour is managed by NBC Universal and Live Nation.

The 2007 schedule is as shown below.  It may change but notice will given.

Dallas, TX Woodward Skate Park & Vert (2nd June )
Dallas, TX Woodward BMX Park & Vert (3rd June )
Atlantic Beach, FL Skatelab Skate Park (3rd June )
Philadelphia, PA Woodward Skate Park & Vert (10th June)
Atlanta, GA Woodward Skate Park (16th June)
Atlanta, GA Woodward BMX Park (17th  June)
Lake Elsinore, CA Alliance Skatepark Skate Park (24th June)
Chicago, IL Krush Skatepark Skate Park (30th June)
Petaluma, CA Ramp Ratz BMX Park (1st July)
Albuquerque, NM Alamosa Skate Park (7th July)
St. Louis, MO Woodward BMX Park & Vert (8th July)
St. Louis, MO Woodward Skate Park & Vert (14th July)
Joplin, MO Autumn Ramp Park BMX Park (15th July)
Encinitas, CA Ecke YMCA Skate Park (15th July)
Orange, CA VANS BMX Park & Vert (17th July)
Orange, CA VANS Skate Park & Vert (18th July)
Seattle, WA Skatebarn Skate Park (21st July)
Seattle, WA Skatebarn BMX Park (22nd July)
Nashville, TN 6th Ave Skate Park (28th July)
Philadelphia, PA Woodward BMX Park & Vert (29th July)
Golden Valley, MN 3rd Lair Skate Park (4th- 5th August)
Denver, CO Wooward BMX Park & Vert (5th August)
Hopkins, MN 3rd Lair Overpass BMX Park (11th August)
Denver, CO Woodward Skate Park & Vert (12th Aug)
Rye, NH Rye Airfield BMX Park (18th August)
Rye, NH Rye Airfield Skate Park (19th August)
Salt Lake City, UT Ogio Training Facility Skate Park (25th August)
Salt Lake City, UT Ogio Training Facility BMX Park (26th August)
Nashville, TN 6th Ave BMX Park (1st September)
Orlando, FL – Amway Arena BMX/Skate FINALS (17th – 21st October)