{"id":48107,"date":"2016-03-10T07:15:05","date_gmt":"2016-03-10T12:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=48107"},"modified":"2021-11-18T07:02:10","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T12:02:10","slug":"extreme-sports-base-jumping-cave-diving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/extreme-sports-base-jumping-cave-diving\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Extreme Sports You Can Try on Your Own Terms"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"7<\/p>\n

Humans are natural thrill-seekers, but some increasingly popular sports are redefining what it means to be extreme<\/a>. Daredevil athletes are pushing unimaginable boundaries as they propel their bodies against gravity and through air, water and ice in ways nature never intended.<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t say \u201cNot for me!\u201d just yet. There are ways to experience some of the adrenaline rush \u2014\u00a0and discover new adventures \u2014\u00a0without risking your life. Here\u2019s our guide to pushing yourself out of your comfort zone without all of the danger.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Endorphins and the Truth About Why Exercise Makes You Happy<\/a><\/p>\n

7 Extreme Sports You Can Try Without Regrets <\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"7
Photo courtesy of Telluride Helitrax<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Heli-Skiing
\n<\/strong>Sick of waiting in lift lines when you hit the slopes<\/a>? Imagine being dropped by a helicopter on untouched snow. \u201cHeli-skiing is a powder lovers\u2019 dream,\u201d explains Greg Malver of Telluride Helitrax in Colorado. \u201cYou\u2019re skiing in some of the most beautiful terrain in the backcountry where you don\u2019t see anyone else.\u201d Yet skiing in remote areas that aren\u2019t maintained by resort workers or patrolled by rescue personnel is particularly risky. You could set off an avalanche or be injured in an accident with little access to help.<\/p>\n

Try it:<\/strong> Pick a company that offers heli-skiing with guides who know the terrain and can plan a trip suitable for intermediate skiers. To minimize the chance of an avalanche, Helitrax\u2019s guides pick areas that aren\u2019t so steep, depending on snow conditions. \u201cWe ski on terrain where the steepness is between a double blue square and a black diamond,\u201d he says, adding that you have to be comfortable with deep soft snow that\u2019s not groomed or packed. \u201cStill, a strong adventuresome attitude can compensate for lack of finesse.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Exercises to Get Ski and Snowboard Ready<\/a><\/p>\n

\"7
Photo courtesy of All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Whitewater Rafting
\n<\/strong>Whitewater rafting is exhilarating, but there\u2019s a lot that can go wrong when you\u2019re hurtling down rushing river rapids on a rubber boat. The raft can flip, or you can fall out and hit a rock or get your foot trapped in debris and drown.<\/p>\n

But navigating even the wilder runs is a relatively safe sport, if you go with a group led by experienced guides, says Scott Armstrong of All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting. \u201cIt\u2019s perceived as risky, but there aren\u2019t a lot of injuries or deaths. Even in fast-moving water, such as Class 4 or 5 rapids, we have a lead boat with guides and a bunch of boats that work together to rescue swimmers.\u201d (Thankfully, it\u2019s not likely that you\u2019ll fall off the raft.)<\/p>\n

Try it:<\/strong> Armstrong suggests getting your feet and bum wet on a calmer Class 3 rapid (they\u2019re ranked from 1 to 5, according to degree of difficulty). Planning your trip during the spring rush, when the water levels are higher, can make you more likely to float over rocks and debris if you do <\/em>fall out, too. And even though falling off isn\u2019t likely, you\u2019ll want to be confident of your swimming skills<\/a> \u2014 just in case.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 6 Tips to Improve Your Swimming Right Now<\/a><\/p>\n

\"7
Photo by\u00a0Enshahdi<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. BASE Jumping
\n<\/strong>BASE stands for Building, Antenna, Span and Earth \u2014 and it doesn\u2019t get any more extreme than jumping from one of the four options, equipped with only a wingsuit<\/a> and rapidly deploying parachutes. That\u2019s because unlike skydiving, there\u2019s a much shorter window to experience the thrill of the fall and hope your chute activates in time. The sport is so dangerous that the National Park Service has outlawed BASE jumping<\/a> in its parks. (Climber Dean Potter<\/a> and his partner died this summer after illegally jumping from 3,500-feet high Taft Point in Yosemite Valley, a popular spot.)<\/p>\n

Try it:<\/strong> If you want to feel what it\u2019s like to fly, try skydiving first. Since most jumps are done in tandem with an experienced instructor, it\u2019s a safer way to gain the skills you need to progress to BASE jumping. One BASE jumping school requires you to have mastered 300 jumps before you\u2019re eligible to sign up for a course.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 25 Athletes Redefining \u2018Extreme\u2019 on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

\"7<\/a>
Photo by\u00a0John Kotsifas<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Cave Diving
\n<\/strong>If you loved to explore caves as a kid, cave diving gives you the chance to admire fascinating geologic formations while swimming through crystal blue waters. It\u2019s riskier than regular scuba diving, though, because you can get stuck in a cave and run out of air. \u201cYou can get lost if you don\u2019t see the exit or turned the wrong way,\u201d explains Kurt Huber of Blue Grotto Diving Resorts in Williston, Florida. \u201cOr you panic and kick up silt and can\u2019t see where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Try it: <\/strong>Don\u2019t be scared off. You can start with cavern diving. That\u2019s a limited cave dive in which you dive with a group guided by a rope that reaches only 120 feet inside. \u201cIt\u2019s less dangerous because you can still see daylight coming through the exit,\u201d says Huber. If you\u2019re a fan, you can work on getting certified to dive deeper.<\/p>\n

\"7<\/a>
Photo by\u00a0Paul Bratcher<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Free Solo Rock Climbing
\n<\/strong>If you think rock climbing thousands of feet in the air supported by harnesses and ropes sounds petrifying enough, it\u2019s hard to understand why certain enthusiasts feel the need to push the envelope by climbing without any safety equipment at all \u2014 by themselves<\/em>. Extreme sports correspondent Michael Ybarra tried to explain the appeal in The Wall Street Journal<\/a>. \u201cPart of the attraction (and no little of the terror) of climbing is problem solving, figuring out what to do in a situation where there are no great options and no little peril in making a wrong move,\u201d he wrote. Sadly, he died a few years ago on the 12,000-foot Matterhorn Peak in California\u2019s Sierra Nevada Mountains.<\/p>\n

Try it: <\/strong>If you want to take up rock climbing, learn to love your gear and go with a guided group. Beginners can also build their strength with what\u2019s called \u201cbouldering.\u201d You\u2019ll climb without a rope \u2014\u00a0but you\u2019ll stay close to the ground, only going as high as you feel safe. Also, don\u2019t underestimate the fun of an indoor climbing gym<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Ice Climbing: The Hottest Winter Sport You Haven\u2019t Tried Yet<\/a><\/p>\n

\"7<\/a>
Photo by\u00a0Tom Walker<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. Big Wave Surfing
\n<\/strong>Wiping out in regular-sized surf can be terrifying. How about surfing down the face of a humungous wave several stories high? (Or falling<\/a> 40 feet from the top of a giant wave, as this surfer did in Hawaii and likened to \u201cjumping off a cliff.\u201d) There are just a few spots in the world where waves surface to 20 to 50 feet, and it takes incredible skill and talent to navigate them. \u201cEverything is magnified,\u201d explains Thwen Chaloemtiarana of Mavericks Surf Company, which is named for the famous big wave spot out of Half Moon Bay in California. \u201cWhen you\u2019re hit by a 30-foot wave, it\u2019s like being hit by avalanche. You could be in 20 feet of foam, and you can\u2019t get your head out to breathe. And when you fall from that distance, you hit the water hard. You could tear your arm out of its socket.\u201d<\/p>\n

Try it:<\/strong> His not-so-surprising advice: Master the small waves first<\/a>. \u201cYou\u2019ll get the same rush and thrill if you concentrate on progressing,\u201d says Chaloemtiarana. You\u2019ll always want to get your lungs ready by taking a breath-holding course<\/a>. (Surfing star Tom Whitaker reportedly could hold his for five minutes and 25 seconds!) But don\u2019t worry, there\u2019s still plenty of tubular fun to be had surfing six-footers.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 4 Workouts to Get You In Surfing Shape<\/a><\/p>\n

\"7
Photo by Faith Dickey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7. High-Lining
\n<\/strong>If walking on a tethered line between two buildings, rocks or trees sounds dangerous, that\u2019s because it is. \u201cYou have to be able to catch the line if you fall off and climb back<\/a> up. If you set up the line incorrectly or don\u2019t use a harness, you can die,\u201d explains Jerry Miszewski of slackline outfitter Balance Community<\/a>. (Check out this video<\/a> of one harness-less high-liner recovering from a fall near Lost Arrow Spire in Yosemite National Park.)<\/p>\n

When done safely, the mental challenge is invigorating, claims Miszewski, who\u2019s high-lined all over the world. \u201cYou have to be completely focused, so it forces you to have a clear mind. You also have a view from a unique vantage point where no one else has been.”<\/p>\n

Try it:<\/strong> You don\u2019t have to go way up in the air to get a hint of the thrill. Start by balancing on a slackline suspended a foot or two off the ground. You\u2019ll know you\u2019re ready to elevate your game when you can walk the length of the line without falling off and easily switch from sitting to standing positions. \u201cWhen you get comfortable with the fact that you are high up, you can actually enjoy it,\u201d says Miszewski. \u201cAfter a while the adrenaline goes away, but your heart still pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re an adrenaline junkie or prefer life in the slow lane, these seven extreme sports are worth trying (and way safer) with a few modifications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[289,103,141,142,128,341,361,100],"class_list":["post-48107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-exercise","tag-motivation","tag-sports","tag-surfing","tag-swimming","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2fitness-trends","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48107\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}