Sebazz1 2 #76 December 30, 2003 "frying bacon naked" Um... extremely silly there Kev... Anyone ever try "Extreme Relaxation?" I hear it's fun... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freekflyguy 0 #77 December 30, 2003 QuoteYou sound jealous. Not at all. I am fortunate to be in a position where the sport I love is my job. I dont believe that the sport itself is extreme, although there are extreme branches of it. My argument is that skydiving is a safe sport so cannot by definition be classed as extreme. The steps we take reduce the risks to an acceptable level, if they didnt we would loose far more people than we do. One of the most satisfying aspects of my job is debriefing a student after their first jump. They are so hyped and excited because in the majority of cases they have done something they thought they would not be able to do. Throughout training you get all the usual questions "what happens if my canopy doesnt open" etc. etc. etc. After 4 or 5 jumps they begin to realise that the sport is safe, that the parachute will open and that they arent going to plummet to their deaths and they begin to enjoy it even more as some of the fear subsides(knowledge dispels fear). That enjoyment is always a joy to see. There is however a culture of jumpers in this sport who think that because they jump out of planes they are extreme. They talk the talk, wear the clothes and live the life, but in my experience the true extremists rarely fit in to the above stereotype. BuzzIt's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cindee 0 #78 December 30, 2003 QuoteAfter 4 or 5 jumps they begin to realise that the sport is safe, that the parachute will open and that they arent going to plummet to their deaths On my first jump, my instructor wore a t-shirt that said" warning, skydiving is a high risk activity that may cause serious injury or death". I guess not all instructors think that this sport is safe.__________________________________________________ "If happy little bluebirds fly above the rainbow, why oh why can't I?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelel01 1 #79 December 30, 2003 So, in order to be extreme, you have to be a freak. Conformists be damned! If you drive a minivan, live in suburbia, and have a normal haircut, you're not extreme. Never mind the fact that you jump out of airplanes. Now I get it. One more thing . . . you seem to possibly be deluded into the thinking that skydiving is completely safe unless you make it "extreme" by swooping or doing birdman. Well, it's not-- you can do everything right, play it completely safe, and you can still die. Just wanted to make sure that you know that. Kelly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 235 #80 December 30, 2003 I think I've made myself clear: http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=689672;#689672 And to my thread someone linked Maddox out."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ifics 0 #81 December 30, 2003 QuoteOk. Let me rephrase. What I am trying to say is that these "skateboard kids" are badass. They do some crazy shit. Most people would jump out of a plane way before they would do any of the stuff that these guys do. I wasnt trying to say that skydivers arent as talented as these "kids" but I wanted them to get more credit than they were given in the previous post. I give mad credit to the "kids" that skate, that shit is MEGA hard and the ones that are really good are amazing (Rodney Mullen being one of my favorites). Skydiving and skating are apples and oranges, both take years to perfect and both take a LOT of skill to make it look easy. I give mad credit to both, but I would rather watch skydiving Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TitaniumLegs 8 #82 December 30, 2003 QuoteYou lose your life by jumping out of the airplane. You do an extraordinary thing in that you take steps to save it seconds before you die. If you do nothing, you bounce. That's not true. If I do nothing, my cypress will save me... (>o|-< If you don't believe me, ask me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freekflyguy 0 #83 December 30, 2003 QuoteQuoteYou lose your life by jumping out of the airplane. You do an extraordinary thing in that you take steps to save it seconds before you die. If you do nothing, you bounce. That's not true. If I do nothing, my cypress will save me... One of the measure some of use take to reduce the riskBuzzIt's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TitaniumLegs 8 #84 December 31, 2003 Or we could make it more extreme: Extreme Intentional CYPRES Saves... jump with your hands cuffed! (>o|-< If you don't believe me, ask me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whatever 0 #85 December 31, 2003 QuoteOf course its extreme. People get maimed and killed every weekend. and of course that makes it cool.... QuoteWe go to funerals to mourn the loss of our friends. This is not the type of activity that "normal people" do. unfortunately that's true, we do lose too many friends through our love for this thing (why would you do something this risky if you didn't love it?) as for normal, what's normal? and why can't skydivers be normal people too? I sincerely hope you're not implying some sort of superiority over the 'normal' people who choose not to skydive.... Quote How here's the problem, if I turn on the TV, I see shows about "extreme sports", and one of those "extreme sports" is kids riding their BMX bikes up and down little hills. That is NOT an exreme sport. Likewise, I'll often turn on an "extreme sports" tv show and see a bunch of kids riding their skateboards up and down hills. Likewise, that is NOT an extreme sport. who cares what an extreme sport is? what's in a name? QuoteAs you might guess, I hold the marketing of "extreme" in a bit of contempt. I'm a bit annoyed at people who contribute to it, because most of the it is decidedly not. again, who cares? just ignore the whole thing if it gives you that much grief.... QuoteThat said, skydiving definately is, and if anyone of us want to take that as our label, we deserve it. I, like some other folk, voted that it isn't. Why do we 'deserve' it? what makes us *so* cool? QuoteI'm pissed at the kids on skateboards, not those who try to jump safely. why be pissed at the skaters? what have they ever done to you? I skated a lot as a kid and let me tell you that your average 12 stair handrail is far more scary than any skydive (or other parachute jump) that I've done. It is also MUCH harder. I can only speak from my own experience on this, but skydiving isn't that hard and there's very little middle ground in it's injuries: you're either fine or broken or dead. You don't pay your dues in flesh and pain to get better, like some other sports require, one of which is skateboarding. I'm not saying that everything in skydiving is easy, a lot of what some skydivers do is mindblowing and they are super talented, but any more so than a skater who busts a McTwist on a 12ft ramp? Give the kids some credit, they have the attitudes that make most skydivers skydivers. If you don't believe me, just offer some the cash and opportunity to take up skydiving and watch them fly! QuoteI can't fathom the idea that skydiving is not the "Big E." as you put it. There are few sports that are riskier, there are few sports that kill so many of its participants. sadly this is mostly due to preventable accidents now, a symptom of the 'extreme is cool' phenomenon.... the fatality rate in skydiving is not a badge of braveness and extreme coolness to be worn proudly, it's a burden of shame we have to bear until we can rid ourselves of it (probably by education, although anyone's guess how is probably as good as mine) extreme ironing - now there's a sport truly worthy of the title extreme..... (edited for stoopid typos) soon to be gone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivexxl 0 #86 December 31, 2003 QuoteQuoteI have seen some incredible talent in the air as well... I still whole-heartedly disagree... Explain. I am interested. That's like saying a figure skater has less talent than a rock climber... they are too different. Spend enough time around the sport and you will see amazing things. I have put in 900+ jumps and become a pretty good flyer, only to see people do things that amaze me and take my breath away. They are leaps beyond my skill. Blog Clicky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #87 December 31, 2003 I did Bobsled (2 & 4 man) a Skeleton for 6 years and when the guys on the team heard that I took up Skydiving they al were like whoa man that awesome, I got try it. That's a good indication that jumping in itself is the "Grand Daddy" of Extreme Sports. p.s. the "extreme crap is the perception of T.V. viewers around the World._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elfanie 0 #88 December 31, 2003 My definition of "Extreme"... means "on the outer edge of what most people would engage in". So...is skydiving an extreme sport? Yes...it is on the outer edge of what most people would engage in. Is riding a big canopy softly down to earth extreme skydiving? No..because it's not on the outer edge of what most skydivers would engage in. so it appears to me that people are talking about two different things.. one is...is skydiving an extreme sport? (yes) the other is...are there extreme skydivers? (yes) are all skydivers extreme? No...but they are all engaging in an extreme sport. Anything can be "extreme"....skydiving, in and of itself, is an extreme sport (because it's being compared to other sports). however, not all skydivers are extreme when compared to other skydivers. depends on what your basis of comparison is. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #89 December 31, 2003 The possible answers you give have really nothing to do with the original question: Quote Is Skydiving an Extreme sport? Well, duh! Every single skydive has but 2 possible outcomes. You live, or you die. The rest is just details. You don't get any more extreme than that, regardless of type or size of canopy.It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivexxl 0 #90 December 31, 2003 Quote Anything can be "extreme"....skydiving, in and of itself, is an extreme sport (because it's being compared to other sports). however, not all skydivers are extreme when compared to other skydivers. depends on what your basis of comparison is. [clapping]Very well put...[/clapping] Blog Clicky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #91 December 31, 2003 QuoteDefine extreme. Better yet, how about I tell you how the word extreme began being used in this context and why I hate it. For a real definition of the word, consult a dictionary. There are many sports such as surfing, skateboarding, BMX, motocross, etc that have existed for decades on their own accord, long before sports were described as "eXtReMe!!!@!@!@". I called them (and still do) progressive sports. It wasn't until the 90's when ESPN started the "eXtreme games" that the word began being thrown around as it is today. Myself and the other participants of the sports I was active in at the time (skating and BMX) found the word and the public's use of it laughable... it was painfully obvious the word was intended as a marketing ploy and nothing less. Within months after the inception of the X games, you could buy extreme tacos, extreme dinosaurs, and extreme clothing. Everything you need to make the average gen X (get it?) couch potato feel like an athlete and belong to another trend. So where's the poll option for "I would never use that word, in that context, in the same sentence as skydiving"? About the biggest kicker ever was when I was reading a review of some skateboarding video game, and the writer criticized the sport of skateboarding for "being responsible for the birth of the extreme culture". I sent him a nice long letter explaining the difference between skateboarding and ESPN, and pointing out that skateboarding did not simply spring into existence several years ago like ESPN's contests.www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiverRick 0 #92 December 31, 2003 QuoteQuoteYou lose your life by jumping out of the airplane. You do an extraordinary thing in that you take steps to save it seconds before you die. If you do nothing, you bounce. That's not true. If I do nothing, my cypress will save me... Or not. never pull low......unless you are Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TitaniumLegs 8 #93 December 31, 2003 Sure it will. I read it on rec.skydiving. (>o|-< If you don't believe me, ask me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beej 0 #94 December 31, 2003 Quoteand I feel that I'm at a much greater risk while holding a 340 lb barbell over my chest than I am skydiving. However, whilst forcing that last rep on the bench, you know damn well you have not 'got to get it right-or you will bounce in 10 seconds'... ---------------------------------------------------- If the shit fits - wear it (blues brothers)-- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elfanie 0 #95 December 31, 2003 Quote There are many sports such as surfing, skateboarding, BMX, motocross, etc that have existed for decades on their own accord, long before sports were described as "eXtReMe!!!@!@!@". I don't see these sports as being touted as "extreme"... I see some of the activity that some of those engaging in these sports are being called "extreme". Lets take skateboarding... Skateboarding isn't classifies as extreme...my 8 year old son can play with a skateboard, and nobody would say he's engaging in an extreme sport. Now, within the sport you can have extremist..ANY sport. So if you take someone who is a competition skateboarder who is doing flips and loops and tunnels and the really (IMO) impressive maneuvers and things that take years to learn and perfect....that is an extreme skateboarder, because that skateboarder is on the extreme of what a skateboarder can/will do. doesn't make skateboarding extreme...and people aren't claiming skateboarding is extreme. again, I think it depends on what you're looking at (skateboarding? or competition skateboarding?) and what your basis of comparison is. Driving isn't an extreme sport...but NASCAR might be considered extreme. Horseback riding isn't an extreme sport...but bronco riding might be considered extreme... etc. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #96 December 31, 2003 Skydiving is almost as dangerous as extreme bagel-eating. You munch a dry bagel the wrong way and somebody's gonna get hurt.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elfanie 0 #97 December 31, 2003 QuoteSkydiving is almost as dangerous as extreme bagel-eating. You munch a dry bagel the wrong way and somebody's gonna get hurt. LOL Have you ever actually watched some of the extreme eating? Seriously!! I'm talking....15 cups of mayo in 4 minutes.. or 9 hundred hotdogs in 5 minutes. It's...nauseatingly fascinating!! Like a horrible train wreck.. the things those people cram down their gullets... BLECH! -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #98 December 31, 2003 I think that because we skydive it changes our perception compared to people that dont skydive. Now while skydiving is not as dangerous as it was back in the "round" days... there is still a risk, be is small or big. Wether or not it is extreme is up to the individuals perception and/or/not the publics view of said extreeme sportLeroy ..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #99 December 31, 2003 QuoteNow while skydiving is not as dangerous as it was back in the "round" days... Um, Leroy, yea, it is. As i posted earlier, there are still 2 possible outcomes to every jump. You live, or you die. The rest is just details. We have faster, bigger planes. We have modernized equipment, including 3 ring releases and piggy back containers. That's all good, but it doesn't take away from the fact that it is a 100% fatal sport, unless you get some kind of intervention between the plane and the ground. That's dangerous, and extreme.It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #100 December 31, 2003 Quoteor 9 hundred hotdogs in 5 minutes. Seriously? www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
