5 Extreme Summer Sports For Adrenaline Junkies

Summer is one of the most beautiful times of year to bring your exercise routine outside, hiking, walking, swimming, you name it. But what about if normal exercise isn’t enough for you? Summertime also sets a great, sunny stage for adrenaline junkies to find new thrilling fitness opportunities. Five of our favorite extreme sports to try this summer are:

1. ZORBING

We’ll start with perhaps the coolest of them all – zorbing! Have you heard of this crazy activity? It essentially involves a brave (and whacky) person being rolled down a huge hill in a padded bubble! Others describe it as a human hamster ball. The several-foot-wide balls are insulated with a thick layer of air between the inner bubble and the outer shell which absorbs shock to help prevent injury while people are hurled around inside the balls. Some designs feature a system of harnesses to keep people in place while they are rolled down hillsides, while other models feature zorb balls that are filled with water allowing a person to free-slide around inside while the ball rolls around. It sure looks like fun to us! But it isn’t ALL fun and games – like most extreme sports, there have been several injuries and even a couple deaths from Zorb ball mishaps, so sport wisely!

2. KITE SURFING 

Kite surfing marries air sports with water sports for a perfect combination of extreme. The kite surfer stands on a surfboard-like structure and either holds onto, or is harnessed into a kite-like contraption that is aerodynamically designed to propel them forward via wind resistance. Sometimes you can catch a fair bit of height and do a trick or two before landing back on the water.

3. WHITE WATER RAFTING 

You’ve likely heard of this extreme sport, but have you tried it? Not for the faint of heart, you and several other vessel-mates will go barreling over gushing rapids in a specially designed raft, working together to battle the current and stay afloat. There will be a guide or two heading the mission to try to keep things under control, but it is still quite a dangerous sport – so make sure you are wearing all necessary safety gear, learn the water route before hand and choose a reputable service!

4. ZIPLINING 

Ziplining is one of the most simultaneously exhilarating, terrifying and beautiful activities you can undertake. You get to sail across the world on a thin line, surveying beautiful summer scenery while feeling adrenaline pumping through your veins. Some lines are designed for a fast-paced shock while others make for a slower, more leisurely ride across. Again, not to sound like a broken record but this can be a potentially deadly activity if done under the wrong circumstances. Don’t ride an unlicensed line, only those which are licenced and reputable. Ensure you have your harness secured and all your safety gear including brake-mittens.

5. TUBING 

Tubing may sound tame, but it is actually so much fun and can be quite exhilarating! Special, durable tubes are towed behind speedboats so tube riders will hit waves at high speeds, sometimes getting bumped off the tubes if they aren’t holding on tight enough. To add an extra level of extreme, try tubing on the ocean (but be sure to wear good quality life jackets and work out some emergency signals you can display to the boaters before hand). Also, ensure there is a second person on the boat acting as a lookout who can let the driver know if you fall into the ocean.

*Disclaimer – DocChat does not endorse dangerous sports – participate at your own risk. Please sport responsibly, shop around first and look for places with operating licences, excellent safety measures and esteemed reputations.