Are Fly Jumpers an extreme sport?
Posted by zocalo on March 10, 2009
Exciting many across the planet is one of the most recent extreme sports to grace the athletic community: jumping stilts. The sport is presently gaining support across the globe as one of the most advanced and adventurous activities one can perform. Also known as powerbocking after its creator, Alexander Bock, these adjustable stilts allow the user to perform fast-paced and incredible acts of jumping and running.
Many compare the actions to those of people who traverse urban constructs by streaking and vaulting. For the uniformed, this new activity is simply like fads such as Frisbee golf and handball. But to the sophisticated user, these inventions allow an individual to perform some of the most impressive feats of aerobatics ever seen. Although there are a number of professional types, the most popular companies are those that are geared towards the hobbyist.
Flying Locust, Skyrunner, Powerriser and 7 League Boots are a few of the most popular companies marketing cost-effective models. Because there is still copyright issues from the original invention by Alexander Bock, many of these companies either pay fees to the creator or are viewed as illegal in many countries. The pattern of the jumping stilts includes a foot pad that features a snowboard-style fastener to hold the user’s foot in place. This pad is placed on top a foot-plate that is attached to a fiberglass leaf spring.
By using their own weight, a jumping stilt-user can leap and maneuver nearly 3.5 feet off the ground and run up to 20 mph. The length between steps is also an awe-inspiring 9 feet. The invention makes good use of the human energy that is normally not utilized on a daily basis. As individuals walk, the foot is lifted by muscle strength and falls back down because of gravity. This makes the spring use that energy and forces the body back up into the air. Jumping stilts are created from strong metal springs that enhance a person’s human muscle strength. They include strong plastic buckle straps for safety and comfort and feature adjustable height to fit a variety of leg lengths.
In regards to health benefits, jumping stilts allow for a strong cardiovascular workout and assists in increased leg strength. These inventions represent the ultimate in speed and strength for those curious about extreme sports. By allowing its users to perform impressive athletic feats, many of the world’s extreme athletes have become interested in the device. Racing at incredible velocities and leaping and hurdling higher than humanly possible have made every one who enjoys adventure to take notice. They have been featured in commercials, concerts and halftime shows in sports. A small core of people have also begun to work in a professional and semi-professional way at sporting events all around the world. Jumping stilts have become one of the newest extreme sports on the planet.
