Slacklining Are you ready for a new challenge

Slacklining Are you ready for a new challenge considering trend sport?

General facts • Trendy kind of sport • Something in common with tightrope acts in a circus • Slacklining= balance on slackline • Sportler: composition of balance concentration coordination

General facts • Good training for other kinds of sport e. g. climbing, skiing, etc. • Only balancing> try tricks or jumps

History Yosemite national park • Relatively new kind of sport • Before becoming a single kind of sport, climbers just used it for practising • USA: start: 1980 s in Yosemite Nationalpark • Main idea: climbers also train during bad weather > another possibility: rope on a car park • Europe: 70 s and 80 s climbers also balanced on a rope ( independent actions)

Characteristics • Line between two points • Really moves> depends on the user‘s weight • Slackline: very dynamic, have to pay attention > do not fall down • Do not look like a tightroper> do not very elegant • Even out the balance with legs

• Comparison between and circus • slackline Professional slackliners = artists , although a lot of things in common, differences, too

• Circus • For audience • Very elegant • Strict rope > easier to walk on it • Slackliner • On their own and for their own • Trying tricks > result knowledge of the possibibilities during this sport • Very dynamic > moving > very hard to have a good balance

Material • • Not very much > most important: slackline Width: 25 mm Biggest width: easiest > is not so flexible Materials: different traits > challenge = same tricks on ropes with different widths

Right material > put up right • Two points > good distance, e. g. 2 trees • Protection by using some stuff before putting line • Not difficult > easy for everybody > sport for everybody

Kinds of slacklines • Different difficulties • Everybody: choose the right one for themselves

lowline • • For beginners Length: 10 -12 m Height: 30 -70 cm Because of very low height > not dangerous • Can balance during walking + standing > try little tricks • Underground: very soft > reduce/avoid injuries

Longlines/highlines • Length: 20 m (just for walking+ balancing) • Length: 100 m > special challenge • Slackliners: very calm and concentrated • Reason: line start moving > cannot stop • Highlines: breathtaking heights, e. g. between cliffs • Very difficult for mind and body • Special line for your safety

Waterlines • Special underground (over water) • Good in summer > new tricks: do not work out > just fall in water > before doing this: have to check water depth • Also over rivers: weird > reason: move, are not at only one place

Darklines • Without light > really big challenge • Due to injuries, really good safety necessary • Just for professionals

Criticism • Some environmentalists: not good for trees which are needed • Difficult topic • Slackliners: really careful, protection > no damage • Since a lot of people have done it > is forbidden in some public parks • Opinion most people: not true • Trees not endangered if good protection Good protection Result: be not concerned about the trees

The end Julie Rausche

Sources of information • Text: wikipedia; slacklinen. de • Pictures: google (e. g. Köln Nachrichten; slackfest. de; wikipedia)