Project #1 Padlet: Extreme Sports by Denise Nicole Masli

Adventurer / Endurance Sports + Spirituality / Boundaries

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:07:34 UTC

Source 1: The Strangers Podcast - The Schmidts

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:08:11 UTC

The Schmidts introduces the listener to Sequoia, whose brother and father died participating in extreme sports, and investigates her unique family dynamic. Throughout Sequoia's childhood, her father Marty was often absent, which placed her in foster care through much of her youth, pushing her towards unhealthy coping mechanisms (The Schmidts). It becomes unclear where Marty's priorities lay; although it is clear that he loves his children, it also seems that he would much rather spend time obsessively climbing mountains than taking care of them. He seems to use climbing mountains as a coping mechanism for being an unfit father. After the death of her brother and father in a climbing incident, she felt "bitter towards [her] father for getting [her] brother killed," but also upset that she could not mend her relationship (The Schmidts). Because their lives were cut short, she felt as if there was so much more to explore in her relationships, especially with her frequently absent father. However, Sequoia was able to turn her life around, producing a successful company and foundation in remembrance of her brother. She began to regular engage in extreme sports herself later in life as a means of better understanding her late brother and father, and to cope with her day to day life.

Visualization

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:08:45 UTC

Rock climber Alex Honnold is shown climbing El Capitan without any ropes (free soloing), an impressive feat even among other daring climbers. Despite death-defying circumstances, Honnold is able to stay calm and focus on the task at hand. Although any slipup means death, extreme sports athletes harness this adrenaline to accomplish amazing things.

Data/Statistic: Trend in US Deaths caused by Avalanches in Off-Piste Regions

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:09:09 UTC

The graph captures the change in US deaths caused by avalanches in off-piste regions of ski resorts from 1950 to 2023. Ski resorts prohibit skiers from being in off-piste areas due to the high risk of avalanches, but many extreme skiers, like Adam Roberts, often find ways to sneak past the ban. However, with the overall increasing trend in fatalities each year along with the rising mental health crisis in the US, a correlation between mental health and deaths caused by extreme sports is put into question.

Potential Research Question 1

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:09:36 UTC

extreme sports --> risking ones life --> Why are people drawn to extreme sports despite its inherent danger?

This source provides an alternative to what most people initially believe about extreme sports athletes. Although people may initially be inclined to assume people enjoy the thrill and adrenaline rush, most people do not necessarily do it for this reason. Many feel more at peace and close to the natural world participating in extreme sports. Accomplishing goals in an extreme sport gives a true sense of satisfaction, like nature has been conquered.

Potential Research Question 2: A Social Gain

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:10:01 UTC

extreme sports --> social gain/satisfaction --> What impact does the need for social gain have on extreme sport athletes?

This source gives an overview of 11 different incidents where taking a selfie ultimately resulted in a death. Although not all 11 incidents were related to partaking in extreme sports, the article includes a few events where death was caused by things like running with the bulls in Spain or climbing cliffs. Overall, this source gives real life examples that could potentially be further researched where partaking in an extreme activity just to take a picture to probably post on social media led to a death.

Source 4: Extreme Sports, A Positive Transformation in Courage and Humility

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:10:16 UTC

Published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, "Extreme Sports: A Positive Transformation in Courage and Humility" written by E. Brymer and L. G. Oades examines the idea of extreme sports, and how participating in these activities can powerfully impact your life in a positive way. Brymer and Oades define extreme sports as activities where the likely outcome of making a mistake is death. This report sheds light on the impacts that extreme sports have on participants, much of which being positive. "Kayaking has changed my life, it has taught me who I am. Going to rivers changes who you are in a positive way"(118). Most participants in this study seem to mutually agree that extreme sports summon a thrill inside of you that far outweighs the potential risks. "At the end of the day I had an epiphany because I did not die but I really enjoyed it, a whole environment that I never imagined existed was opened to me"(118).

Bibliography

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:12:22 UTC

“Alex Honnold: Pushing the Limits.” USCViterbi, 7 Feb. 2018, viterbigradadmission.usc.edu/2018/02/3700/. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

“Avalanche Accident Statistics.” Colorado Avalanche Information Center, CAIC, avalanche.state.co.us/accidents/statistics-and-reporting. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Brymer, E., and L.G. Oades. “Extreme Sports.” Journal of Humanistic Psychology, vol. 49, no. 1, 24 Oct. 2007, pp. 114–126, doi:10.1177/0022167808326199.

Ferry, David. “Why Do We Love Extreme Sports?” Outside Online, 12 May 2022, www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/why-do-we-love-extreme-sports/. Accessed 03 Feb. 2024.

Harding, Lizzy. “The Guy Who Stayed Out in the Cold: Wim Hof’s Extreme Approach to Human Potential.” Bookforum Magazine, 1865 Publications, 31 May 2022, www.bookforum.com/print/2902/wim-hof-s-extreme-approach-to-human-potential-24965. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Lovitt, Bryn. “Death by Selfie: 11 Disturbing Stories of Social Media Pics Gone Wrong.” Rolling Stone, 14 July 2016, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/death-by-selfie-11-disturbing-stories-of-social-media-pics-gone-wrong-15091/accidental-cliff-dive-28608/. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Solomon, Christopher. “The Boy Who Lived on Edges.” Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022, www.outsideonline.com/2287926/terror-way-beyond-falling. Accessed 02 Feb. 2024.

Thau, Lea. “The Schmidts Part 1.” Strangers. Sequoia Schmidt, Story Central. Story Central, https://www.storycentral.org/the-schmidts-part-1/.

Thau, Lea. “The Schmidts Part 2.” Strangers. Sequoia Schmidt, Story Central. Story Central, https://www.storycentral.org/the-schmidts-part-2/.

Source 2: The Boy Who Lived on Edges

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:13:28 UTC

By connecting mental health and athleticism to extreme sports, this source gives insight into Adam Robert's life and how his extreme engagement in and eventual death by skiing could have been a manifestation of Roberts's mental health challenges.

As a freeskier in the Northwest, Adam Roberts spent his childhood embedded in nature, taking an interest in skiing at just seven years old. Extreme skiing came to him naturally, but with this came a boost in his confidence. As time went on, the slopes Roberts skied down only got steeper and taller, truly testing his limits and athletic skills. To become an even better skier, Roberts resorted to overexercising and food, leading to the development of eating disorders and mental disorders. While trying to combat his way through mental challenges, Roberts turned to making impulsive decisions, like cheating on his girlfriend then showing up in her house afterwards (Solomon). When more than paved challenges were needed, Roberts began attempting to ski in blocked-off areas of resorts. During his last few skiing excursions, Roberts himself admitted "[the slope] looks sketchy," yet proceeded to ski downwards, and eventually, nature caught up to Roberts's recklessness and left him buried in the thing that used to bring him joy (Solomon). Especially after finding out "though Adam routinely carried such equipment, that day he had carried only a beacon [and] He had not switched it on," many speculate Roberts used the exact thing that brought him happiness to put an end to his suffering (Solomon).

Source 3: Wim Hof's Extreme Approach to Human Potential

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:15:16 UTC

This source explores the life and background of the famed motivational speaker, Wim Hoff and delves into his many impressive feats as well as his unique approach to extreme cold exposure. Wim Hoff also known as the “iceman” gained fame from his amazing triumphs, such as “climbing Mount Killionmonjaro shirtless, running half a marathon shirtless across ice and snow and running a full marathon across the Nambien desert without breaking for water”. (Harding 1) Hoff promotes the idea that enduring cold temperatures is not just a way to prove masculinity and strength, but instead is a pathway to a better life. With his numerous world records and extreme achievements, he promotes this approach through his business which provides expeditions where his participants can experience his extreme methods firsthand. These methods focus on mental training through intentional cold exposure and breathing exercises despite the scientific community's skeptical beliefs about the benefits of these techniques. Numerous accounts from people and media coverage often credit Hoff for saving many lives however his tragic life is constantly outshined by his adoration. He met and fell in love with Olaya, his first wife, while living in an abandoned orphanage. They had four children together, all of whom are involved in running his business today. In 1995, Olaya tragically took her own life by jumping from an eight-story building. In the aftermath of this devastating loss, Hof turned to cold exposure as a means to cope with his grief. This aspect of Hoffs life adds significant depth to the “anguished beginnings” (2) of his extreme methods. His story and practices have inspired many books as well as a television series called freeze the fear. Hof excitedly believes that once the scientific community catches up to his method, it will validate the truth he preaches. He hopes that this could empower the sick and suffering to heal themselves, thus defining his "mission." (3)

Podcast: Coping Mechanisms and Sports in Our Lives

dmasli — 2024-02-03 23:15:49 UTC