Unconventional Athletes Issue 5

www.unconventionalathletes.com
What does the adrenalin rush feel
like when you jump before and after?
Do you feel fear before you jump?
How beautiful is it up there? What does
it feel like when you are free falling, do
you smile, laugh, etc.!
These questions require long answers!
throw myself off one object several
times, in a short space of time (such
as at BASE jumping events) my focus
moves more towards packing and
weather conditions. The jump is less
of a “dive into the unknown” and
therefore more giggles etc.
Fear keeps us alive. When you're scared
before a jump, you have a respect that
demands you to check everything so as
to be able to do the jump safely.
Many young people entering the sport
today are “fearless” and that leads to
recklessness, and we all know where
that ends up!
The Chinese proverb “Courage is not the
absence of fear but the strength to
overcome it” is one I find appropriate
here. Anyone who has conquered a fear,
or done something to overcome such;
will know the feeling it gives you. I
think this euphoric feeling is
exacerbated by the fact that your whole
life you are told not to go near the
edge, it’s not safe. Flying is dangerous,
etc etc. Yet since the dawn of time man
has looked to the sky, and in today’s
world that goal is attainable.
All jumps create an indescribable feeling
of clarity, freedom, control, yet lack of
control, understanding, fear and
empowerment all at once. It’s the
ultimate sensation of time slowing down,
where milliseconds become seconds and
seconds become minutes. Your mind
becomes so sharp and aware, you see and
understand things that should not be
possible.
Smiling/laughing…..?
Funnily enough, on most extremely
technical jumps, the camera shows that
in freefall, I do get this very stern
and concentrated look on my face. Under
canopy I then switch to a more relaxed,
yet still concentrated look (it’s not over
‘til you land). Sometimes I’ll have a bit of
a chuckle or maybe if I’m wearing a
camera I’ll goof it. I guess like any
perfectionist, when concentrating on
their “game”, will have more of a focused
look than a smile. Having said that, if I
Do you train your mind-set?
I was always fascinated with
meditation. I’ve been on some
retreats, and courses to learn/train
such; but my chaotic lifestyle and
constant travelling through multiple
time zones, means my body clock is so
out of whack, I don’t have the luxury of a
5am meditation, exercise and smoothie
routine. Instead, I meditate where and
when I can (and feel like), on a flight,
long road trips, in bed before sleep etc.
Are there any exercises you do
pre-jumping that help you stay strong
for the jump and in physical control.
Similar to above, I don’t have time (or
any interest) in going to a gym and
running like a rat on a treadmill. I
simply mould my choices to suit my
lifestyle. I never take a lift or an
escalator when I can take the stairs. I
don’t drive to the shop if I can walk. I
don’t spend ages driving around the
shopping centre car park trying to get a
parking spot close to the entrance, on
the contrary; parking as far as possible
means not only more walking, but
carrying your shopping a further
distance. BASE jumping also requires
exercise. How else does one get to the
top of Austria’s tallest building (whilst
still under construction) before a jump -
60 floors! There are almost no cliffs
that you can drive up to. Although the
cliff face might be 700 vertical metres,
it’s a several hour hike, and if the
weather turns bad, it's several hours
back down again. If I see a bar/soccer
goal/tree, I’ll smash out a quick 15 odd
chin-ups. Out in nature with some time
to enjoy the sunset, I’ll pump out a
quick 30 push-ups, handstand push-ups
and sit-ups until it hurts or it’s time
to move on. If I’m visiting a mate who
does yoga, I’ll join him. Or maybe I meet
my mates at the local rock-climbing
wall or gym. All exercises I do are
using bodyweight, so they can be done
PHOTOGRAPH BY - Marcelo Blanco
http://andesxtremo.com/
ISSUE 5 VOLUME 1 Page 18