The New Wave of Extreme Sports

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Extreme sports are not mainstream right now. However, they are getting there and will be huge one day soon, especially as more and more people are looking for the adrenaline rush and thrill that comes with this lifestyle. Beyond the thrill, extreme sports participation is about living fast while trying not to die young.

extreme sports

As 2021 kicks off, we take a look at some of the new disciplines that are popping up in the world of extreme sports that will be worth your time and money if you decide to put some skin in the game on sites like bet-or.com. Those who think that extreme sports are just about thrill-seeking will be surprised to know that there are great health benefits associated with super intense levels of activity.

Skyaking

Skyaking is basically skydiving from a plane, but with the added touch of doing it while sitting in a kayak. Guiding a parachuting kayak is one thing, but controlling the boat as it freefalls through the air is where the real adrenaline pump begins. As the kayak falls off the plane, you have to guide it using your paddle before repeating the exercise after opening the parachute.

Heli-snowboarding

How and where people come up with these ideas is not entirely known to us, but the sport’s fun and creativity factor cannot be denied. Heli-snowboarding is one of such novelty taking the extreme sports world by storm, even though heli-skiing has been around for a hot minute. To give you an idea of how extreme it is, heli-snowboarding is officially banned in Europe. However, the US, New Zealand, and Canada are still welcoming enthusiasts of the sport.

How does it work? Well, a helicopter carries the snowboarder and drops him/her off on a piece of still untouched mountain, and the fun begins downhill.

Cheese Rolling

The name sounds very harmless and quite fun, but cheese rolling is not for the faint of heart. Popular in the hills of Gloucester, England, cheese rolling has been around since the 15th century. The game is simple, a big piece of cheese is sent rolling downhill, and the engaged parties chase after it. Taking control of the cheese requires tackling, grabbing, or using a spear on the chunk of tasty cheese, but then running at neck break speed downhill is not the safest thing now, is it? You would be surprised at how often it ends in more injuries than can be counted.

Bouldering

Bouldering is a more extreme form (if that could be possible) of rock climbing, where a harness is not used, but rather a safety mat is placed to break the climber’s fall. The height to make is more or less 20 ft. Popularised in the US, the sport will be making an appearance in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

Coasteering

Last but not least, this list would not be complete without a new wave that involves a medley of sorts, which is what coasteering is. Cooked up on the coast of Wales, the sport combines rock climbing, swimming, and navigation in one extreme test of guts and fitness. The exercise’s goal is to explore the seashore of the coastline by foot and water, using swimming skills and climbing ability.