Adventure Sports: Bungee Jumping
Bungee jumping is an adventurous sport where the participant jumps from a great height while he is connected to a large rubber rope. The jump can be made from the top of a tall building, bridge or crane. To bring in more adrenalin rush, jump can be made from a moving object like helicopter or a hot air balloon.
Bungee word was developed in 1930, which meant rubber eraser. The idea originated from dwellers of the Pentecost Island, who used to tie vines to their ankles and jumped from tall wooden platforms. The vine was substituted by elastic cord. Members of the Dangerous Sports club made the first official bungee jumping on April 1, 1979 from the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. Initially they were arrested, but later on they appeared on television and jumped from many places including hot air balloon and mobile cranes, in 1982.
A J Hackett of New Zealand did the first commercial bungee jumping in 1986, from Auckland’s Greenhithe Bridge. After that he made numerous jumps from famous monuments like the Eiffel Tower. The first bungee jumping site was laid in Queenstown, New Zealand, on the Kawarau Bridge.
The rubber rope absorbs the complete energy of the fall and when the rope snaps back, the jumper flies in the upward direction. The process of oscillation continues until all energy is utilized. The rubber rope is covered with cloth and has hooks on both the end. It is a specially designed braided shock cord. A tough outer cover encloses many latex strands. The function of the tough outer cover is to provide durability. Some consider using unbraided cords without the tough outer cover, which delivers a longer and softer bounce. Commercial operators are forced to use body harness to ensure safety in case of accidents.
Variations to traditionally bungee jumping are catapult, twin tower, bungee running and bungee trampoline. In catapult, the jumper is placed on the ground and the cord is stretched, usually with the help of a crane, and then the jumper is released and he goes shooting up in the air. Twin towers employs two oblique cords. Bungee running, as the name suggests involves running and not jumping. The rope is attached to the participant and he runs as far as possible on an inflatable surface. The point maximum reached is marked with the help of a Velcro-backed marker, after which the runner gets pulled back to his initial position. Two or more people are involved in this and it is more like a running competition. Bungee Trampoline has a mix of bungee and trampolining. The body is fitted into a harness attached to a trampoline, which in turn is attached to a bungee. When the participant begins to jump he goes higher than a normal trampoline would.
Bungee jumping has been incorporated in many movies and video albums. The most famous of all is the James Bond movie, Golden Eye, which was released in 1995. The movie opens with Bond jumping from a dam in Russia. The jump was no special effect and was genuine.
Like other sports, bungee jumping has its share of possible injuries. The reason for most of them is human error, along with failure of safety harness, miscalculation of elasticity of the rope and improper connection of the cord. Possible injuries are body entangling with the rope, rope burn, dislocations, eye trauma, uterine prolapsed, back injury, pinched fingers and bruises. Jumper’s age, weight, experience, and location should be reviewed before the jump, as a safety measure.
Bungee Jumping With a Girl
Bungee Jumping: A Fun Activity For Children And Adults
One not in the know would visualize a person aged between 17 to 30, buff and physically fit, as the one who frequents bungy jumping locations and engages in this one of a kind adventure sport. Contrary to most beliefs, bungy jumping is available to all ages. The main criteria for one to engage in this extreme sport, is that they meet the physical and health requirements. Simple logic would imply that children are not regular bungee jumpers, but then there are some isolated and special instances. The same goes for senior people. No one is too old, just probably not physically fit. This statement comes to truth as the oldest bungee jump ever recorded was a 96 year old man by the name of Mohr Keet.
Young children are not completely restricted as other forms of bungy jumping are available to them. Over the years since its discovery, bungy jumping has evolved into different kinds of activities mostly stemming from its main concept. Bungee trampoline is one of the inspired variations that is readily available to children from age 5.
It really doesn’t take that much to enjoy this sport. Whatever age you are, in whatever profession, social status, the first thing you have to consider before planning to do a jump is your current health standing. Next thing to consider is cost. Prices start off at $60 and go up to as high as $200 depending on the location and adventure package.
What also makes this sport great and easy for anyone to take part in is the little amount of training that is involved, apart from standard safety briefings, there is not much skill to it. You just stand on the platform and jump off with a cord attached to your ankles.
Bungee jumping is fun for all ages because of the adrenaline rush that is not easily duplicated. With the anxious climb, to the nerve wracking stand at the ledge, it is almost too scary of a feat to not want to do it! To onlookers, it seems to defy all logic and sense of being safe. Hurling yourself in an open free fall from 120 feet off a ledge, seems pretty insane and nothing that people in their right mind would actually consider doing.
But that’s just it! It’s the thrill of doing something you know is safe and extreme at the same time! The exhilarating feeling that bungee jumping gives is way beyond any age. Young or old, you will surely enjoy this one of a kind adrenalin rush and will surely come back for more!
Extreme Sports
From balloon flights to bungee jumping, limbo skating to volcano boarding, here are seven sports only the most extreme athletes would dare try.1. Cliff DivingIf you’re brave enough to see past the rough rocks, cliff diving offers the thrill of a lifetime. It is usually done in calmer waters and requires an extraordinary amount of courage and self-confidence, not to mention an immense ability to make decisions very quickly.2. Train SurfingTrain surfing is extremely dangerous and has resulted in many deaths around the world, especially in places like India and South Africa. In 1989 alone 150 Brazilian kids died doing the sport. The Germans repopularized it in the 90s and it quickly became associated with graffiti culture.3. Sky DivingSkydiving began in 1797 when Andre-Jacques Garnerin successfully parachuted out of a hot air balloon. It is now done as a recreational activity, where participants jump from as high as 15,000 feet, freefalling for the first minute. It is also done as a competitive sport, and often required of military people as well as firefighters.4. Hot Air BallooningThe thrill of watching the ground beneath you disappear as a burning fire pulls you up into the clouds is unparallel. With a mind of their own, the winds will carry you for a scenic ride where you can overlook lakes, rivers, and forests, even deserts if you choose. For a calmer ride go before dawn or after dusk.5. Limbo SkatingIt’s all the rage in India right now. Limbo skating requires an enormous amount of flexibility, balance and strength. Never heard of it? It is the sport of roller-skating beneath parked cars, which means getting very low down, in the splits. In 2008 six-year-old Aniket Chindak skated under 57 cars in 45 seconds!6. Bungee JumpingBungee jumping is a thrilling activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. Structures can be fixed such as a bridge or building or they can be moving, such as a hot air balloon. Often people do this sitting on a chair, blindfolded, or with a bucket over their head. Brave Australians who found this wasn’t thrilling enough, now bungee jump into crocodile infested waters.7. Volcano BoardingIf you’re feeling fazed by every thrill you’ve tried then maybe it’s time to head down to the foothills of Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro mountain for a ride down an active volcano. With nothing but a jumpsuit, kneepads and a helmet to protect them, these extreme athletes speed down 2,380 feet volcanoes as fast as 50 miles per hour on a plywood board.Wow! There’s no shortage of adrenaline listed here. For all of you thrill-seekers, you’ve got your work cut out for you!