What is your attitude to extreme sports

Why Do People Indulge In Extreme And Dangerous Sports?

Participating in extreme sports creates a feeling of being in ‘flow’, which is very similar to the rush that monks experience while meditating, or when artists are in the process of creating.

What do you think of the following video:

Did you watch it calmly and say, “Wow, I should try that on my next trip to Spain”, or did you cringe through every second and clutch the edge of the table every time this guy took a dive?

Cliff diving is a sport. It’s dangerous to say, but some people describe it as the “World’s Least Complicated Adventure Sport”. The sport requires no equipment, no harness, and no particular type of clothing… nothing! All you need is your willingness to jump.

Although it’s not complicated, the sport has led to death and life-threatening injuries for those who are not careful. Even so, people keep going back to jump from greater and greater heights.

A man diving from a cliff (Photo Credit : Christian Giaffrey/Shutterstock)

These days, for many of us, adventure sports are something that we indulge in every other weekend. Rappelling, skateboarding, cliff diving, rock climbing, paragliding and other similar sports are no longer uncommon.

However, what makes some people eager and more than ready to try these sports, while others shudder at the thought of even putting on a harness?

Researchers say that some people have a ‘sensation-seeking personality’, which is why some of us are more likely to indulge in these ‘extreme’ sports, if you will, than others.

Recommended Video for you:

What is a Sensation-Seeking Personality?

Marvin Zuckermann, a professor at McGill University, was one of the first to answer this question.

Zuckermann created a laboratory where people spent hours deprived of their senses. He was intrigued by some armies throughout history who tortured captives by depriving them of their senses. Zuckerman created a dark room where the participants could see nothing and only hear static. They could only leave the room to eat or use the washroom.

The result of the experiment was straightforward, or so he thought. Some people sat for hours upon hours without complaining, while others got restless. He believed that those who got restless more easily were the ones who were sensation seekers. Basically, they wanted (or even needed) external stimuli in order to keep them sane. Those who sat for hours were people who didn’t seek external sensations.

Unexpectedly, he couldn’t have been more wrong.

This is a sensory deprivation tank used for therapeutic purposes. A modern version of Zuckermann’s sensory deprivation room. (Photo Credit : MilanMarkovic78/Shutterstock)

Hearing about the research he was doing, many people began to sign up for it. He described the people who came as “the long hair, motorcycle jacket-wearing, free spirited” types. He meant that they were non-conformists, the “unconventional lot” back in the 1970s.

You see, some people who had participated earlier had reported that they experienced some hallucinations during the process. Thus, a lot of people signed up for the experience because it was something new and different. Zuckerman then postulated that sensation seeking is not just about restlessness, but rather the need to experience something new, unique and exciting.

Sensation Seeking Scale

Based on these findings, he created the Sensation-Seeking Scale, and from the scores on the scale, he theorized that those who were low in sensation-seeking liked to stick to the familiar, while those who scored high actively looked for more challenging forms of engagement.

The scale has 44 questions presented in the form of a 5-point Likert scale. The final report provides a score for each of the four components. To be called a sensation seeker, you do not have to have a high score in each component. The scores can vary, as will your definition of being a sensation/thrill/adventure seeker.

What are the four components?

Zuckerman stated that sensation-seeking had four main components that defined the characteristic in someone’s personality:

Thrill/Adventure Seeking

What’s the tallest building in the world? Do you know the number of arrests that have been made for ‘Base Jumping’ off the One World Trade Center or the Burj Khalifa?

This is an image from the annual Base Jump even at KL Towers, Malaysia taken in September 2011 (Photo Credit : Muslianshah Masrie/Shutterstock)

A lot of thrill seekers turn a blind eye to the risks involved, as they are willing to risk enormous amounts of money, their health and life just to feel that unparalleled excitement. They look for things that are adventurous.

Researchers show that as a result of this factor, many entrepreneurs can also be sensation seekers. They take on risks—either calculated or unknown—because they enjoy the reward and believe the risk to be worth it. Men tend to score higher than women in this component.

Experience Seeking

Sweden is home to an unusual and one-of-a-kind museum called ‘The Disgusting Food Museum’. The museum is home to some of the most peculiar dishes from around the world; they might be disgusting to some of us, but they’re a delicacy to others. People flock to this place to try out their maggot-riddled cheese, coffee made from coffee beans excreted by a civet, and wine made with an infusion of baby mice.

This brings us to another aspect of sensation-seeking: novelty-seeking, which is an openness to try new experiences. So, sensation seekers are not just driven by thrills, but are also on the lookout for new and unique experiences.

Wine made from infused baby mice can be found at the Disgusting Food Museum (Photo Credit : Amakuha/Wikimedia Commons)

Disinhibition

We’ve all heard Nike’s famous catch phrase ‘Just Do It’. Those who score high in disinhibition do just that. They excel in the ability to let loose and be spontaneous. They act without thinking about the consequences of anything. They don’t ask questions, they don’t overthink, they are impulsive, and they act on their thoughts the minute they appear.

The motto that people high in the ‘Disinhinbition’ category operate under. (Photo Credit : pio3/Shutterstock)

Boredom Susceptibility

If you remember Zuckermann’s research, there were people who were able to calmly tolerate the sensory deprivation, and those who could not. That says a lot about their tolerance of boredom. Many of us get lost in our own thoughts and are content with the world of our own minds. However, there are also those who get bored easily and grow irritated if there is nothing exciting them. Most sensation seekers tend to avoid doing the same thing twice. Or, they will suddenly stop doing something that they absolutely adored doing, simply because they got bored of it. The ability to tolerate a lack of external stimulus is called boredom susceptibility.

Is it Nature or Nurture?

Apparently, 60% of sensation-seeking is biological, and the rest depends on the environment we are surrounded by.

When presented with a stress response, brains of high sensation seekers show more activity, while those of low sensation seekers show a reduction in the firing of neurons, and thus cortical activity. Biochemically, high-level sensation seekers have a lower level of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase, which plays a major role in the regulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (the happy hormone).

Adventure sports increase one’s dopamine rush (Photo Credit : Aleutie/Shutterstock)

Returning to our environment, overprotective parents may deter children from exploring, thus creating children who are not very keen on such daring activities. That being said, some children may also actively defy their parents and explore more than what generations before them did. Parents who are themselves adventurous can create environments that are quite stimulating for their children.

What do they get out of it?

I remember when I was a kid and would have running races on my street. There were times when I was running so fast that I would feel lifted up in the air, almost like I was floating. I loved being afloat like that, so I’d continue to run even faster, if I could. It was just me and the air whooshing by, no ground below, just the finish line in front… everything else would cease to exist. I couldn’t put a name on this sensation back then, but I’ve since read about what I was feeling—the experience of being in ‘flow’ state.

Sensation-seeking maybe a personality trait, but all those who indulge in it seem to experience a state of ‘flow’. Flow, according to positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is the feeling of being ‘in the zone’. He says that being in flow is like being completely involved in a task, being so engrossed that one does not hear or think about anything else; being in flow means being completely cut off from the world and oneself, simply living in the moment and experiencing what is happening.

Vampire Or Bat Suit Diver? (Photo Credit : Rick Neves/Shutterstock)

This feeling of flow is something that monks achieve after persistent and dedicated meditation; this is the same feeling that many adventure lovers describe. It is the sensation of being present in the moment, experiencing deeply and authentically; this is what makes these sensation seekers go back to these dangerous sports over and over again.

So, while extreme sports are risky, they seem to have many benefits in the long run, even making people more resilient to stress! Such individuals are also able to work out and keep themselves healthy in novel and exciting ways. It helps to boost confidence and also become part of a community that shares the same interests, thereby simultaneously increasing their social interaction skills.

Timmy O’Neill, an adventurist, says ‘Analysis is Paralysis’. In the case of extreme sports, it truly is, as there is usually no going back. Once a decision is made, you can’t stop midway; you have to learn to see things through to the end, or learn when it is time to let go. These qualities are considered quite important in human functioning. Those who seek sensations such as these seem to value joy, excitement and the quality of flow, so they indulge in these sports!

A simple version of the Sensation-Seeking Scale can be found on Dr Ken’s Website.

Can you recollect why some people like to indulge in risky adventures?

The reasons why you´ll become addicted to extreme sports. Dare yourself!

The list of extreme sports is long and there are significant differences amongst them, but they all have something in common: practicing them will make you feel full of energy, powerful and almost invincible. They´ll help you push your limits, get rid of fear, improve ourselves and reach new goals. They are, without a doubt, a different way to get to know oneself better and to find a deep well-being.

After experiencing this change in your body, another reaction occurs: endorphins, another hormone related to happiness, appear. This has a powerful analgesic effect and generates a feeling of well-being and joy.

All this makes people to feel «hooked» to experience these sensations that risky sports produce and to increasingly feel the need of more and new stimuli. This is also because the body gets accustomed to these feelings and it becomes necessary to rise the level of «risk» to reach certain states of excitement.

In addition to the mentioned ones, extreme sports generate another series of benefits:

Practicing extreme sports can be scary, especially at the beginning. However, there´s nothing like losing fear and daring yourself to try. These are some of the activities that you can start with:

Psicobloc

If you already have experience climbing, psicobloc is the next step for you: it consists of climbing walls of rock that rise directly from the sea and then dive on to it. It requires strength, technique and knowing how to swim very well to return to the shore. The best part about this sport is that you don´t need a lot of material: you just have to bring your climbing shoes and a sealed bag for magnesium well isolated from the water. It´s become a very famous practice in the Balearic Islands.

Surfing

Glide on the waves of the sea on your board and enjoy the feeling of adrenaline. Surfing is one of the most exciting and fun sports to practice, especially during summer. Anyone can try it although it is recommended to take some classes at the beginning to learn how to stand up on the board and learn how the currents work. In the north of Spain you will find the best waves in the country, although almost any beach will be good for beginners.

Canyoning

If you prefer mountain to beach, you can also try canyoning: one of the most complete extreme sports as it combines different activities such as rappelling, hiking or jumping on a river. Anyone can try this sport accompanied by an expert guide who describes the route and how to proceed in each case. It´s mandatory to carry the basic safety equipment consisting of a helmet, wetsuit, ropes and harnesses. The most fun part are the jumps and the natural slides that form in the river.

Skydiving

This is probably one of the extreme sports that scares the most ahead of practicing it for the first time. It´s not strange, as jumping off an airplane requires much value. Nonetheless, the feeling of adrenaline when practicing this activity is so strong that when you finally touch the ground you´ll feel an enormous dose of happiness and excitement.

Volcano Boarding

Similar to practicing sandboarding (it’s like snowboarding but on a sand dune), volcano boarding consists of sliding down the hillside of a volcano between the ashes. The risk, in this case, consists of doing this near a volcano.

Nicaragua is the preferred country for this practice, where you´ll be able to slide down by the slope of the Cerro Negro volcano at about 80 kilometers per hour. Remember to do it sitting on a wooden board and wearing the mandatory protections.

Slacklining

Slacklining consists of maintaining balance, while walking and jumping on a thin rope. This rope is usually placed barely one meter from the ground, but it can also be several meters higher. The higher up, the more emotion and the more vertigo you´ll feel, and the more challenging it´ll become. That´s why people have been seen practicing slacklining over the void in mountains or even between large buildings. In this sport concentration and balance are fundamental, so make sure to focus on this and start by practicing at small heights.

Pros and cons of extreme sports

Like any other activity, extreme sports are not devoid of their advantages and disadvantages.

I’m a rock climber myself and for quite some time I feel that this type of sports activity has a lot of pros, but also a few cons. Let’s figure out what disadvantages you have to face and what positive action you can feel in extreme sports activities.

Pros of extreme sports

Now almost everyone goes to some kind of sports section, and every person, locksmith or director, strives for self-realization and self-improvement. As for me, this is a great trend in society, which is reflected in the popularity of extreme sports.

And here are the main benefits of extreme sports, whether it’s mountain climbing or jumping on the Pogo Stick.

Physical development. Any extreme sport requires you to be in great physical shape. And if you don’t have it, then intense exercise will quickly force you to start building your own body. Of course, depending on the direction of training, different muscle groups will receive different loads, but, in general, the body will be provided with a share of activity. By the way, most adults lack physical development nowadays (thanks to quarantine and various “sitting” jobs).

Psycho-emotional health. While playing sports, you will get rid of negativity, and if you find yourself in pleasant, cheerful company, you will receive a constant charge of positive emotions. Agree that all problems recede when you rush in a zorb ball at high speed from a slope or hang on a high rock, afraid to move so as not to lose balance. Speaking of balance. You will learn to feel your own body much better.

Constant change. This is not monotonous, cyclically repeated fitness, new emotions are always waiting for you here. New tracks, new people, new locations, and, of course, adventures.

New achievements. The accomplishments that you manage to achieve in this completely new and unknown direction are truly inspiring. You recently learned to stand on a snowboard, and just a year later you are already skiing in the mountains somewhere on the other side of the world. And that’s great. Even insignificant improvements, plus pumping skills, which are added after each workout, bring joy.

Confidence in your strength. The bar of one’s capabilities rises much higher than the usual level. You will know for sure that practically nothing is impossible: it is enough just to make effort and the result will not take long. This confidence carries over from sports to everyday life.

Addictive. If usually, the same sloth person like me needed to force himself to go to training, then extreme sports will push you to improve yourself, that’s just my “thing”, I love it. You experience emotions that can be compared to gambling games with fear to lose and celebration of the win. The triumph wins. And you want to experience these emotions over and over again.

Outdoor activity. Many extreme sports include trips to natural terrain or spending time in nature. This is a huge plus for those who sit in a stuffy city.

Those who practice extreme sports generally have excellent health. The cardiovascular and respiratory system is especially strongly tempered. But the advantages listed above do not negate the presence of certain disadvantages.

Cons of extreme sports

Injuries are commonplace. Each sport has its own “risk zones”. Someone constantly stretches their muscles, and someone scratches their knees on the asphalt. Serious injuries are also common. However, in extreme sports, you learn to ignore pain. So, this is kind of a plus and a minus at the same time.

Time. Classes are time-consuming, though, like any other hobby. If you don’t plan anything special in sports, but just do it for yourself, then 2-3 lessons per week will be enough. But if you want to participate in some, albeit amateur, competitions, then you will have to do four or more times.

Heavy loads. At the initial stages of training, an unprepared body can actively resist. There are two options for the development of events: either continue training (if there is no health risk, of course), or abandon this venture.

Deadly danger. Most extreme sports are life-threatening. And this is proved by statistics. Base jumping is deservedly considered the most dangerous; about 1 out of 30 athletes die here.

The high cost of equipment. Here you won’t get by with a pair of sneakers and sweatpants: you will have to fork out for professional equipment and related products. And they are not cheap. But you can’t save here either: your life and safety will depend on this equipment.

Constant questions. Relatives, especially at first, will be very worried about your safety. And if you are also a girl, then there will be twice as many questions.

As you can see, there are also a lot of cons in extreme sports.

When deciding whether or not to engage in extreme sports, you need to weigh all the benefits and risks. Yes, you can get hurt, but if you follow all the precautions and do something that does not involve significant risks, you will be safe.

Remember that taking risks will give you a lot of unforgettable emotions. With them, you can decorate your grey everyday life and turn into a completely different, risky, and successful person.

Writing essay extreme sport

Some people think that doing sport especially extreme kinds is good not only for men’s body, but it helps to build character too. However, the others claim that risky sports are not right idea for people’s health.

Просмотр содержимого документа
«Writing essay extreme sport»

Some people think that doing sport especially extreme kinds is good not only for men’s body, but it helps to build character too. However, the others claim that risky sports are not right idea for people’s health.

As for me, nowadays, it is popular among young people but I am against keening on extreme sports. The first thing that needs to be said is these sorts of activities are very dangerous for men’s health and emotional mention. Someone can hurt him or herself or may get serious injuries or even lose their lives. Secondly, extreme kinds of sport need not only physical strength but they need a great number of money. At present special gear is very expensive, not everyone can allow having it.

On the contrary, the percent of people, who consider that doing ordinary sports is not such gripping and breathtaking as extreme sports. That people get the adrenaline and pleasure from following kinds of sports: bungee jumping, mountain climbing, parachuting or scuba diving.

I disagree with this point of view, because extreme sport lovers risk their lives despite magical experience and changing in life routine.

In conclusion, I should say that extreme sports are not for the faint-hearted. You must think carefully before doing something risky.

IELTS UNLOCKED

Samples, tips, and tricks to beat the IELTS Test

Band 9 Essays: Agree or Disagree – Extreme Sports

TOPIC – Some people believe that extreme sports should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

617072.TIF

» data-medium-file=»https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=»https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=676″ src=»https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=676″ alt=»617072.TIF» srcset=»https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=676 676w, https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=1352 1352w, https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=150 150w, https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=300 300w, https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=768 768w, https://ieltsunlocked.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/extreme-sports.jpg?w=1024 1024w» sizes=»(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px» />

Extreme sports, by their nature, can lead to serious injury or even death. However, despite the risks that they contain, people should certainly not be prohibited from participating in them.

The main problem with banning extreme sports is that all sports possess a level of risk. Anyone who has participated in a sport has probably experienced or seen some kind of injury. Even in ‘safe’ sports, like tennis or badminton, players can experience serious injuries that require surgery and may lead to life long problems. Of course, no one seriously talks about banning these sports. If a person knows the dangers and takes suitable precautions, they should be free to enjoy whatever sport they like.

This leads to the next point, which is how do we decide what sports should be banned? If a skydiver’s parachute fails to open then they will almost certainly die, but fewer skydiving has fewer deaths than American football, so should we ban that sport? Again the main point is that safety should come first, and it is problematic to try and work out which sports are ‘dangerous’ and which are ‘safe’, or safe enough.

Of course, sports that lead to almost certain death or that endanger the lives of people who are not taking part should not be tolerated, but this is a general rule for all of life and society. The fact is that no extreme sports are that dangerous and people who take part in them are aware of the risks and are prepared to accept them in order to experience the excitement of living life on the edge. If these people did not have a way to express this desire, they would find another way whether it was legal or not.

Generally speaking, something should only be banned if there is a compelling reason. In the case of extreme sports, it is too difficult to say what is extreme and what is safe, so it is much better to allow people to make informed decisions about what activities they wish to take part in. (343 words)