Have you tried jumping off the last few steps of a staircase? Balancing on a park fence? Climbing a really tall tree? We’ve all indulged these mind-numbing activities as kids, but over years of ‘growing up’, lethargy and fear set in. For others, it’s simply an act of leaving ‘childish’ things behind. What gets left behind in the process is the ability to challenge, to take risks – important life skills. And then we wonder about work-life balance, about getting stuck in the rut. The contribution of sports towards a healthy mind and body is no unknown fact. It sharpens focus, develops conflict-resolution skills, and builds self-esteem, among others. Here’s a look at a sport that combines the essence of mental balance with physical balance. Meet the youngest of alternate sports in the adrenaline junkie community – Slacklining.
Slacklining is the art of walking or balancing on a length of flat webbing, one to two inches wide, suspended from two anchors such as pillars or trees. The sport has subsequently evolved into waterlining, highlining, tricklining, urbanlining, and slackyoga. Highlining, featured here, is basically slacklining at an elevation dozens or even several hundred feet above the ground.
Watch here, one of India’s first Highline projects, beautifully executed by Bhupesh Patil and Samar Farooqui near Nasik. With 80 ft of air beneath these ballsy walkers, they send the 22m line (which is only 50mm wide), battling fear and mind numbing wind exposure. Farooqui can be credited as the pioneer of slacklining in India, bringing visibility to the sport through festivals and events.
An incredible thing about this sport is that it doesn’t need much gear. A good line and two solid anchor points to set it up, and you’re all set. For a quick review of the Slick Slack by Project Rockface, one of the few easily available slacklines in India, click here.
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