human physical endeavour (one for fblm)
Discussion
wc98 said:
clonmult said:
Tries to run it a little closer, a little closer and then SPLAT.
The videos are awesome, but I feel that ultra distance athletes - those running the MDS, Wadi, tour de france, the atlantic row etc are pushing human limits further than anyone else.
(I've got mates who have run the MDS, one has tried the Wadi, another has done the Atlantic - I'm quicker than him over 100k, but no way am I rowing thousands of miles)
not necessarily . there are people that have been taking part in the riskier elements of base jumping for over twenty years. in terms of outright physical and mental endurance the events you mention are indeed tremendous feats . they all have the option to stop once the event begins and it is a different mental pressure than that of certain death if you make a mistake, in base proxy tracking if you stop mid event it usually means the person is dead.The videos are awesome, but I feel that ultra distance athletes - those running the MDS, Wadi, tour de france, the atlantic row etc are pushing human limits further than anyone else.
(I've got mates who have run the MDS, one has tried the Wadi, another has done the Atlantic - I'm quicker than him over 100k, but no way am I rowing thousands of miles)
in free climbing even alex honnold has options on his huge solos despite currently being in a class of one.
without a doubt it is subjective but i personally feel that the commitment required to step off the edge knowing you absolutely have to generate the speed and lift to fly your body or you are dead before the line even begins is beyond the mental commitment of any other activity humans take part in. many of those exits do not have the option of using the parachute early should something go wrong and it is obviously not an option while flying the line.
the spatial awareness and judgement required in that three dimensional environment is leagues above say a tt racer on the iom course. the people doing this stuff have long past the thrill seeking element imo. just jumping off a bridge, building or cliff with a parachute is hardcore in itself, the people like the bloke in the above film are actually creating a huge technical challenge for themselves and there are literally only a handful of people physically and mentally capable of proxy tracking at that level.
one thing is for sure though, human physical endeavour certainly seems to know no bounds and that has to be a good thing.
Knowledge and skill dispel fear. Those lemming type folk did not just take it upon themselves and jump off a cliff and fly nape of the earth at first attempt. There is years of skydiving, base jumping and ever riskier flights to get the the stage where they are putting videos on facebook. Knowing that you have the knowledge and skill to study the slope and how that fits within the glide profile of your suit and the knowledge of you skill to understand how much control authority one has of the trajectory.
An ultra athlete can stop whenever they choose, the fact that they choose not to is indicative of the mental strength`of the individual. Couple that mental strength with a physical make up which is efficient and robust demonstrates what the human species is capable of.
stevesingo said:
It could be argued that the person who can stop whenever they feel like it, but chooses not to could have greater mental strength than someone who has self preservation at the top of their to do list.
Knowledge and skill dispel fear. Those lemming type folk did not just take it upon themselves and jump off a cliff and fly nape of the earth at first attempt. There is years of skydiving, base jumping and ever riskier flights to get the the stage where they are putting videos on facebook. Knowing that you have the knowledge and skill to study the slope and how that fits within the glide profile of your suit and the knowledge of you skill to understand how much control authority one has of the trajectory.
An ultra athlete can stop whenever they choose, the fact that they choose not to is indicative of the mental strength`of the individual. Couple that mental strength with a physical make up which is efficient and robust demonstrates what the human species is capable of.
yep, no argument from me. as said it is subjective. been some good replies and links related to the topic so glad i posted it in here.Knowledge and skill dispel fear. Those lemming type folk did not just take it upon themselves and jump off a cliff and fly nape of the earth at first attempt. There is years of skydiving, base jumping and ever riskier flights to get the the stage where they are putting videos on facebook. Knowing that you have the knowledge and skill to study the slope and how that fits within the glide profile of your suit and the knowledge of you skill to understand how much control authority one has of the trajectory.
An ultra athlete can stop whenever they choose, the fact that they choose not to is indicative of the mental strength`of the individual. Couple that mental strength with a physical make up which is efficient and robust demonstrates what the human species is capable of.
wc98 said:
not necessarily . there are people that have been taking part in the riskier elements of base jumping for over twenty years. in terms of outright physical and mental endurance the events you mention are indeed tremendous feats . they all have the option to stop once the event begins and it is a different mental pressure than that of certain death if you make a mistake, in base proxy tracking if you stop mid event it usually means the person is dead.
in free climbing even alex honnold has options on his huge solos despite currently being in a class of one.
without a doubt it is subjective but i personally feel that the commitment required to step off the edge knowing you absolutely have to generate the speed and lift to fly your body or you are dead before the line even begins is beyond the mental commitment of any other activity humans take part in. many of those exits do not have the option of using the parachute early should something go wrong and it is obviously not an option while flying the line.
the spatial awareness and judgement required in that three dimensional environment is leagues above say a tt racer on the iom course. the people doing this stuff have long past the thrill seeking element imo. just jumping off a bridge, building or cliff with a parachute is hardcore in itself, the people like the bloke in the above film are actually creating a huge technical challenge for themselves and there are literally only a handful of people physically and mentally capable of proxy tracking at that level.
one thing is for sure though, human physical endeavour certainly seems to know no bounds and that has to be a good thing.
I've just run a search on that guy on the 'tubein free climbing even alex honnold has options on his huge solos despite currently being in a class of one.
without a doubt it is subjective but i personally feel that the commitment required to step off the edge knowing you absolutely have to generate the speed and lift to fly your body or you are dead before the line even begins is beyond the mental commitment of any other activity humans take part in. many of those exits do not have the option of using the parachute early should something go wrong and it is obviously not an option while flying the line.
the spatial awareness and judgement required in that three dimensional environment is leagues above say a tt racer on the iom course. the people doing this stuff have long past the thrill seeking element imo. just jumping off a bridge, building or cliff with a parachute is hardcore in itself, the people like the bloke in the above film are actually creating a huge technical challenge for themselves and there are literally only a handful of people physically and mentally capable of proxy tracking at that level.
one thing is for sure though, human physical endeavour certainly seems to know no bounds and that has to be a good thing.
This guy is in a similar league in the "no margin for error" stakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH_O0Qz3KJE.
Re: Alex Honnold, the film "alone on the wall" although a few years old now, gives an interesting insight into his mental state before and during a climb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH_O0Qz3KJE.
Re: Alex Honnold, the film "alone on the wall" although a few years old now, gives an interesting insight into his mental state before and during a climb.
This is my definition of ultimate physical endeavour:
Henry Worsley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Worsley_(explo...
Wiki: Attempting to be the first person to cross Antarctica on foot, unassisted and unsupported, he crossed more than 900 miles and was forced, by exhaustion and ill health, to call for help 30 miles from his journey's intended end. Rescued and flown to a hospital in Punta Arenas, in the Patagonia region of southern Chile, he was given a diagnosis of peritonitis, and died. He was 55.
Henry Worsley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Worsley_(explo...
Wiki: Attempting to be the first person to cross Antarctica on foot, unassisted and unsupported, he crossed more than 900 miles and was forced, by exhaustion and ill health, to call for help 30 miles from his journey's intended end. Rescued and flown to a hospital in Punta Arenas, in the Patagonia region of southern Chile, he was given a diagnosis of peritonitis, and died. He was 55.
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