Workout
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an official who ensures that the rules are obeyed and followed
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Coach
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a system of rules, ideas, or beliefs
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Umpire
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an official who ensures that the rules are obeyed and followed
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Hit
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to strike with something
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Oppressive
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powerful, cruel, and unfair
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Framework
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а trainer
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Mainsteam
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to express formal support or approval for someone or something
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Obstacle
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something successful or impressive that is achieved after a lot of effort and hard work
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Victory
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belonging to or relating to a CV corporation
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Involve
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a chemical produced by your body when you are afraid, angry, or excited, which makes your heart beat faster
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Cliff
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to climb to the top of something that is high
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Scale
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a large area of rock or a mountain with a very steep side, often at the edge of the sea or a river
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Adrenaline
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an activity in which you win a battle, game election
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Corporate
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situation in which you win a battle, game, election
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Accomplishment
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something that makes it difficult to achieve something
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Endorse
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the most usual ideas or methods
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Extreme sports
For most of us, when we think of sports, we think of joining a volleyball
team, playing basketball at a neighborhood court,
or taking tennis lessons
at a local fitness club. But for some, sports mean something different:
skydiving from an airplane thousands of feet above ground, scaling a tall wall of ice, or snowboarding down the steepest of hills. Such sports are called “extreme sports.” Extreme sports are activities, mostly practiced by young people, that involve great speed or height, present a certain element of danger, and require specialized equipment, such as a surfboard,
airplane, or rock-climbing gear. They are generally not team sports. They are practiced by individuals who, rather than helping a team to victory, push themselves to
their own physical limits, defying personal and environmental obstacles to achieve a personal goal.
Extreme sports have always been considered part of counter-culture.
Disenfranchised youth were fed up with the
status quo. Traditional sports presented a narrow framework, with rules and regulations that seemed oppressive. Extreme sports gave people the opportunity to do what they wanted, how they wanted.
For example,
instead of going scuba diving, which places an emphasis on safety and the proper use of equipment, why not try “free-diving” which enables one to reach great underwater depths without the assistance of a breathing apparatus. Instead of jumping over hurdles in a track-and-field race, why not try “free running,” a sport in which participants incorporate natural obstacles, like a wall or a cliff, into their running, resulting in graceful stunts along with speed and agility?
Those who are not
prone to risk-taking might wonder what appeal these sports have. Psychologists say that some people actually crave the
adrenaline rush that comes from risk-taking
endeavors. Adrenaline is a substance the body produces when
a person is in a stressful, dangerous, or frightening situation. It results in an increased heart rate and
metabolism, and sweating. Psychologically, an adrenaline rush can produce a sense of euphoria that can actually be addictive, like a drug. Psychologists believe that these sports give people the feeling they are unstoppable and able to defy the odds. As a result, there is an incredible sense of accomplishment when a seemingly
insurmountable
feat is accomplished.
Extreme sports have experienced a great rise in popularity. The X Games, held every summer and winter, are the Olympics of extreme sports. They are
viewed by millions worldwide, and some of the athlete’s faces are the same faces you might see in Olympic events, like snowboarding or ski jumping. Fewer young people take up baseball, soccer, or American football in favor of sports like cave diving, kite surfing, or bungee jumping.
Because they have become so popular, extreme sports are big business, which many athletes
lament. What were once thought of as “fringe” activities
have new become mainstream ones. Corporations have realized that they can make a lot of money by buying expensive advertising time during the X Games or hiring a well-known athlete to endorse a product. Extreme sport fashion has also become a huge money-maker for corporations. Although there are no regulated
uniforms in extreme sports, the fashion world has influenced what the athletes wear. The loose, baggy clothing by big-name designers, along with the accessories such as sunglasses, hats, and gloves, are pricey, lending weight to the argument that extreme sports has “sold out” to corporate greed.
Although extreme sports may still be unknown to many, they will soon be a part of all of our lives. It is likely that we will soon see these sporting events broadcast as much as basketball or baseball games. Athletes will continue to push the limits of what we ever thought humanly possible, and the world will sit back and watch,
in admiration, amazement, or possibly horror.
