Blog

Community Rowing in Boston [Aerial Videography]

Fellow Nerve Rush adventurer Eugene Muzykin takes to the skies with his DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter in a fun video for Community Rowing in Boston, MA. Community Rowing was able to sneak in some last-minute rowing practice on the Charles River before the world’s largest rowing event, the Head of the Charles regatta. Held each year in Boston, 2014 was the 50th annual regatta!

We’re bullish on the UAV space, particularly when it comes to action sports videography. If you haven’t seen Danny MacAskill’s The Ridge yet, you’ll know what I mean.

29 October, 2014
30 of the World’s Most Extreme Athletes

There is a major difference between an athlete and an extreme athlete.

Athletes simply push their minds and bodies to great lengths for sport, for fun, or perhaps to maintain their health. Extreme athletes push their minds and bodies to the farthest possible limit of human ability while simultaneously risking their lives. Extreme athletes are who we look to when trying to understand and measure what is humanly possible. They serve as self-appointed test subjects, leaving most of the average population watching (and studying) in awe from afar.

Extreme athletes continue to take on death-defying feats again and again, chasing the adrenaline rush like drug addicts. They are truly a different breed. To honor the most extreme of extreme athletes, we put together a list of 30, which spans across six major categories: sky, snow, race, water, climb, and wheels.

SKY

In the aftermath of WWII, groups of Army Airborne Soldiers began jumping out of planes for fun using military surplus gear. Since those days, skydiving as a sport has grown into full-fledged sport and evolved to incorporate many modifications such as base jumping and jet pack flying. Sky sports are only increasing in popularity with skydiving schools popping up all around the world. Some of the most famous pioneers of gut-wrenching sky sports are listed below.

Jeb Corliss

Skydiver / BASE Jumper

Jeb Corliss is a professional skydiver and base jumper who has leaped into the public arena (quite literally) after BASE jumping from such sights as the Eiffel Tower, Seattle’s Space Needle, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, and the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia. He was born March 25, 1976 near Sante Fe, New Mexico and has survived several extreme and record breaking jumps. He is the first person to fly through a waterfall wearing a wingsuit and in 2013 he completed a jump called “flying dagger” in which he jumped out of a helicpoter wearing a wingsuit and flew through a narrow crack in Mount Jianglang in China. The passageway was a mere 15 feet wide, making the jump very risky. Corliss was quoted saying this jump was “…the single gnarliest thing I’ve ever done…” and “I have never experienced anything so hardcore. Period. I have not been that scared in my life. It was so powerful and overwhelming. I started crying.”

Alexander Polli

BASE Jumper

Alexander Polli is an Italian/Norwegian BASE jumper born June 26, 1985. He is considered one of the most extreme BASE jumpers on the scene today due to his daring jumps which had previously been considered too technical or dangerous by other fliers. Alex travels the world in search of the best jumping locations. Polli is also a wingsuit jumper and has contributed to the WiBASE jumping. In November 2012, he became the first WiSBASE jumper to successfully strike a wingsuit target which was made of foam and around ten feet tall.

Felix Baumgartner

Skydiver / BASE Jumper

Felix Baumgartner is an Austrian skydiver and all around daredevil born April 20, 1969. He is famous for setting the world record for skydiving an estimated 39 kilometers reaching a speed of 843.6 MPH. In 2012 he became the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular power on his descent. His most recent project was called Red Bull Stratos, in which he jumped to Earth from a helium balloon in the stratosphere. The jump took place on October 14, 2012 and set the altitude record for a manned balloon flight, parachute jump from the highest altitude, and greatest free fall velocity.

Yves Rossy

Pilot/Jet Pack Inventor

Yves Rossy is a Swiss pilot and general avation enthusiast who is best know as the inventor of the individual jet pack. Rossy was born in 1959 in Neuchatel and served as a fighter pilot in the Swiss Air Force. He also flew Boeing 747s for Swissair and Swiss International Air Lines. He developed the wing-suit system comprised of a backpack equipped with a semi rigid aeroplane-type carbon-fiber wings that had a span of 7.9 feet. In 2008, Rossy used his jet pack to fly over the Alps and reached speeds of up to 189 MPH. He is the first known perso to fly a jet engine powered wing.

Luke Aikins

Skydiver

Luke Aikins is an American professionall skydiver with two decades of experience and more than 16,000 under his belt. Luke comes from a family of skydiving legends and has contributed to the family legacy by setting three world records. After completing his first jump in 1989, he just could not get enough. Today he is a member of the Red Bull Air Force and travels the world with the team, performing exhibition jumps, VIP tandems and more. He is also the owner of Para Tactics, which provides advanced skydiving training to elite military forces such as the U.S. Navy Seals.

SNOW

While skiing has a long and well established history, extreme skiing and snowboarding are more recent developments in the world of extreme sports. Both skiing and snowboarding incorporate many subsets of riding styles such as alpine, freestyle, half-pipe, jibbing, and racing. The most extreme snow athletes generally are well versed in all of these styles but may favor one or two in particular when it comes time to compete. Snowboarding, more specifically, has exploded in popularity in the past 20 years with more and more amateurs attempting to follow in the extreme footsteps of these snow sport legends:

Shaun White

Snowboarder/skateboarder

Shaun White is a professional snowboarder and skateboarder and perhaps the most recognizable name in extreme sports. He has won two olympic gold medals and holds the X-Games records for gold medals and highest overall medal count. White was born in San Diego on September 3, 1986 and began skateboarding at a young age. He turned pro by age 17 with the help of Tony Hawk and went on to win many skateboarding titles including the Action Sports Tour Championship. He began snowboarding at age six and got his first sponsorship at age seven. Shaun primarily competes in half-pipe events and in 2012 he became the first person to score a perfect 100 in the men’s snowboard superpipe event at the winter X games.

Xavier De Le Rue

Big Mountain Snowboarder

Xavier is a French big mountain snowboarder born July 1, 1979. He began his pro career competing on the boardercross pro tour and later competed for France at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He is a two time gold medalist at the FIS Snowboarding World Championships, also taking home silver in 2009. De Le Rue has been named “big mountain rider of the year” by Snowboarder Magazine.

Jeremy Jones

Big Mountain Snowboarder

Jeremy Jones is an American snowboarder born January 14, 1975 in Cape Cod, MA. He is best known for big mountain freeriding. Jeremy began skiing at the age of three and later switched to snowboarding at age nine. Jones went pro by age 18 and is considered a legend by his fans. Also known as one of the godfathers of freeriding, he has been riding at the highest level for three decades. In 2012 he was selected by National Geographic Magazine as a nominee for Adventurer of The Year. Jones is also a big environmental protection advocate and has opted to forego the use of helicopters and lifts in favor of hiking as his primary means of transportation up the slopes.

JP Auclair

Freestyle Skier

Jean-Philippee Auclair was a Canadian freestyle skier born August 22, 1977. JP was a prize winning skier and filmmaker who found a way to combine his two passions. In 1998 he won 1st place at both the King of the Hill Half Pipe competition and the US Open. In 2002 he was nominated for skier of the year at the ESPN Action Sports and music Awards. He also obtained Level One certification in avalanche operations through the Canadian Avalanche Association in 2009. Auclair tragically passed away in an avalanche on september 29, 2014 while filming for his web series in Aysen, Chile.

Shaun Palmer

Snowboarder/Skier

Shaun Palmer is a professional snowboarder, skiier, mountain biker, and motocross rider born on November 14, 2014 in California. He is known as one of the forefathers of extreme sports. He began skiing at a young age and became fascinated with snowboarding. Since snowboarding was not yet popular at the time, Palmer built his own snowboard when he was just 12 years old and taught himself how to ride. He has been given many titles such as USA Today’s Worlds Greatest Athlete, Details Magazine’s Athlete of the year in 1998, and the NEA Extreme Athlete of the year in 2000. He has won several gold medals in many competitions including: the Winter X Games, Swatch World Halfpipe Championship, US National Championship, and the Gravity Games. He also managed to play in a 1990s punk rock band called Fungus!

RACE

Endurance athletes are extreme at the most primitive human level. Essentially, they make full use of the human body and stretch it to its furthest possible limit. These extreme athletes set out on expeditions into the physical and mental frontier of the self physically and mentally – typically doing so in the raw habitat they find themselves in. This category incorporates skyrunners, marathon runners, triathletes, and mountaineers. Such extreme athletes have completed feats that exhibit the amazing potential of human physical ability.

David Goggins

Endurance Athlete

David Goggins is a Navy SEAL who has served in Afghanistan. After losing several friends on battlefields overseas, he began long-distance running to raise money for armed forces charities. In 2005 he entered the San Diego One Day event which is a 24-hour ultramarathon. He ended up running 100 miles in under 19 hours despite never having run a marathon before. This event helped grant him entry into the Badwater-135 ultramarathon invitational in 2006 in which he finished 5th overall, an unheard of result from a ultramarathon novice at a world class event. Since then, he has competed in several notable events such as the Kona Ironman World Championship, Ultraman World Championship, and 24 Hour Pull-Up World Record of 4,025 pull-ups!

Kilian Jornet Burgada

Skyrunner

Kilian Jornet Burgada is a spanish ski mountaineer, distance runner, mountain biker, and skyrunner. He is the three time champion of the Skyrunner World Series (2007-2009). He was born in Catalonia, Spain and began ski mountaineering in 1999. He began skyrunning competitively in 2005 and has placed first in several competitions. In 2014, Kilian broke the fastest known time for ascending and descending Alaska’s Mount McKinley in 11 hours and 40 minutes, breaking the previous record by 5 hours and 6 minutes. He also ran up and down the matterhorn in a record time of 2 hours and 52 minutes. His other notable achievements include the 2008 Champion of the Year at the Skyrunner World Series.

Lizzy Hawker

Endurance Athlete

Lizzy Hawker is a British ultra-distance endurance runner who has broken several world records. She has two gold medals from the 100k World Championships and holds the world record for running from Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu. She is the first woman to compete in many endurance races including: The North Face Ultratrail Tour Du Mont Blanc, Annapurna 100, Hong Kong 100, and Swiss Alpine Davos. In 2013, National Geographic named her Adventurer of the Year. She says she was inspired to become a long distance runner when she fell in love with the Matterhorn at age six, saying, “it was the birth of a passion and I knew that the mountains and nature were ‘home’.

Chrissie Wellington

Triathlete

Christine Wellington is a British professional triathlete and four-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion. She was born February 18, 1977 in Suffolk, England and attended the University of Birmingham. Upon graduating with her degree in geography in 1998, Wellington traveled the world and became aware of the “many problems that exist in the world, but also the opportunity for positive change.” In 2004 she entered her first triathlon race where she finished in third place. In 2006 she entered the Coast to Coast endurance race which involved a 243 km of cycling, running, and kayaking across the southern Alps of New Zealand. She finished second despite having no previous kayaking training. Later that year she also won the Shropshire Olympic Triathlon and in 2007 she officially decided to become a professional triathlete.

Dean Karnazes

Ultramarathon Runner

Dean Karnazes is an American ultra marathon runner born August 23, 1962 in California. Karnazes first became interested in running when he was in kindergarten and by third grade he was organizing running events with other children. By age eleven he had hiked across the entire Grand Canyon and also climbed Mt. Whitney. From his professional ultramarathon career he is most known for completing several super-human runs. He ran fifty marathons in fifty states on fifty consecutive days, he ran 350 miles in three days without stopping or sleeping, and he has run the infamous badwater ultramarathon seven times which is a treturous 135 mile trek from Death Valley to mid-way up Mount McKinley. He runs 100 to 170 miles a week.
He couldn’t find time to run 4–6 hours a day, so he began sleeping less. He currently only sleeps four hours a night. His resting heart rate is 39 beats per minute!

WATER

We all know that humans are mammals and do not thrive in water. The following extreme watersports athletes turn this basic fact on its head. From big wave surfing to long-distance swimming, these athletes push the limits of what a human can achieve while submerged in water.

Laird Hamilton

Big-Wave Surfer

Laird Hamilton is an American big-wave surfer born March 2, 1964 in California. He had become quite a talented surfer by age 17 but had no plans to enter in surfing competitions because he saw surfing as more of an artform than a competitive sport. He became well known for riding waves few other surfers dared. For example, he surfed huge waves during Hurricane Marie. Hamilton is regarded by surfing historians as the “all time best of the best” at big wave surfing, regularly surfing swells of 35 feet tall, and moving at speeds in excess of 30 miles an hour and successfully riding other waves of up to 70 feet high, at up to 50 mph.

Diana Nyad

Long-Distance Swimmer

Diana Nyad is an American long distance swimmer born August 22, 1949. She began generating national attention when she swam around the island of Manhattan in 1975 and then again in 1979 when she swam from the Bahamas to Florida (102 miles). In 2013 she became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida (110 miles) without the protection of a shark cage.

Herbert Nitsch

Freediver

Herbert Nitsch is an Austrian freediver born April 20, 1970. Herbert currently holds the world record for freediving. He is recognized as the “deepest man on earth” after freediving a depth of 702 feet in 2007 and then broke his own record in 2012 by freediving 831 feet. He has achieved over 30 world records related to diving.

William (Bill) Stone

Extreme Caver

Bill Stone is an American caver and explorer born December 7, 1952. He is well known for his exploration of deep caves and has participated in over forty international expeditions. In 1976, Stone took part in an expedition to the Sistema Huautla in Oaxaca, Mexico, where his group set a new penetration depth record of 2,624 feet. He is president of Stone Aerospace and has been funded by NASA to explore the world’s deepest sinkholes.

Keala Kennelly

Big-Wave Surfer

Keala Kennelly is an American professional surfer from Kauai, Hawaii born August 13, 1978. Kennelly went pro at age 17 and not long after went on to compete in the World Qualifying Series. 2003 was a breakout year for Kennelly as she peaked at number 1 in the WCT rankings before ending the year ranked as the 2nd best female surfer in the world. She finished in 2nd place at the Billabong Pro Maui and won the gold medal at the 2007 Summer X Games. Keala was named Female Surfer of the Year by ESPN in 2002 and she has been ranked in the top 10 on the ASP World Championship Tour for 10 consecutive years.

CLIMB

Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, one that often tests a climber’s strength, endurance, agility and balance along with mental control. Extreme rock climbers are proven adrenaline junkies who regularly put their lives on the line in order to catch some of the most incredible thrills imaginable. Additionally, these guys often go down in history as the few who make it to the top of the world’s most famous mountaintops.

Ueli Steck

Speed Alpinist

Ueli Steck is a Swiss rock climber made famous for his speed records on the North Face Trilogy in the Alps. He was born October 4, 1976 and achieved the 9th difficulty rating in climbing by age 17. After his solo-climb of the north wall of Cholatse and the eastern wall of Taboche, Climb Magazine named him one of the three best alpinists in Europe. Some of his greatest climbing achievements include a solo ascent of Annapurna, Solo ascent of the Matterhorn, the 2008 Eiger Award for his alpinistic performances, and the 2010 Karl Unterkircher Award for his climbing versatility.

Alex Honnold

Free Solo Rock Climber

Alex Honnold is an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. He started climbing at age 11 and later dropped out of the UC Berkeley to devote all his time to climbing. He has broken a number of speed records. Some of his most notable achievement include the only known solo climb of the Yosemite Triple crown, an 18 hour 50 minute link up of Mount Watkins, The nose, and the Regular Northwest Face of half Dome. Alex has mentioned that he enjoys completing tall, long routes as quickly as he can.

Chris Sharma

Rock Climber

Chris Sharma is an American rock climber who has been described as the best rock climber in the world. He began climbing at age 12 and by age 14 he was already winning national bouldering competitions. When he was 15 years old he completed the first ascent of Necessary Evil in the Virgin River Gorge – the highest rated climb in North America at the time. Chris is famous for completing nearly 20 daring “first ascents” of dangerous peaks all around the world including Jumbo Love, Papichulo, French Gangster, and Catxasa in Spain.

Reinhold Messner

Mountaineer

Reinhold Messner is a legendary Italian mountain climber who has been called the greatest climber in history. He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen and for being the first climber to ascend all fourteen peaks in the world that are over 8,000 meters high. He has a vast list of ascents on resume many of with are first and solo ascents. Between 1950 and 1964 he led over 500 ascents, primarily in the dolomites. Messner has also written over 65 books.

Dean Potter

Free Climber/Alpinist

Dean Potter is an American Freeclimber and Alpinist born January 18, 1972. He is well known for his difficult first ascents, free solo ascents and speed ascents primarily in Yosemite and Patagonia. Potter rowed crew and taught himself to climb when he was in high school. His fascination with climbing only grew as he dropped out of the University of New Hampshire to pursue climbing full time. He went on to famously climb many first and solo ascents including Supercanaleta in Patagonia, Heaven in Yosemite, and Deep Blue Sea in the Swiss Apls.

WHEEL

Wheel sports are one of the categories of extreme sport that has truly blown up over the past 30 years. Skateboarding, BMX, and motocross have become the face of “extreme sports” with the development of the X games and Tony Hawk video games. The mainstream popularity of wheel sports has inspired an entire generation of amature skatboarders and BMXers leaving their worried parents biting their nails on the sidelines of their local skatepark. Here are some of the most influential pioneers of extreme wheel sports.

Travis Pastrana

Motorsports Competitor and Stunt Performer

Travis Pastrana is an American motorsports champion who has won several gold medals at the X games across multiple events including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and racing. In 2004, Travis crashed while trying to perform a 360 on a 50 foot jump and sustained a concussion. Nevertheless, he was able to compete the next day and win the silver medal. At the age of 14 he also sustained very serious injuries following a motorcycle crash at an FMC Competition with required six blood transfusions. Doctors reported that only three people in the U.S. have ever lived following such injuries. After his recovery, Travis vowed to continue motorcycle jumping and. He has since won three motocross championships and due to his affinity toward his fans and passion toward the sport he is regarded as one of the most popular riders of all time.

Danny MacAskill

Trials Cyclist

Danny MacAskill is a Scottish cyclist who works professionally as a street trials pro rider for Inspired Bicycles Ltd. Danny was born December 23, 1985 and has been practicing street cycling for the past 12 years. He first started generating lots of buzz when his video showcasing his street cycling tricks went viral on the YouTube. The video is now at over 35 million views and highlights some of Danny’s sickest street moves including a backflip off a tree in a park. It is truly extreme.

Mat Hoffman

BMX Rider

Mat Hoffman is an American BMX rider born January 9, 1972. He is nicknamed “The Condor” and has been considered one of the best vert riders in the history of the sport. At age of 15 he became the youngest rider to join the freestyle BMX circuit. Four years later he attained the pro division and launched his bike company Hoffman Bikes. Hoffman was the first person to ride an over-sized (“Big”) ramp in 1993 with his first High Air attempt off of a 24-foot quarter pipe; on one of his runs, he tore his spleen and almost died. In 2005 Mat was elected president of the International BMX Freestyle Federation

Dave Mirra

BMX Rider

Dave Mirra is an American BMX athlete born April 4, 1974. Mirra turned pro at age 17 and began competing around the same time. He held the record for most X-Games medals up until 2013. He has placed in every X-Games that has taken place since the games began in 1995 up until 2008. He is primarily known as a vert and park ramp rider and has won such titles as “Freestyler of the Year” by BMX Magazine and Rider of the Year by the ESPN Action Sports and Music Awards in 2000.

Danny Way

Skateboarder

Daniel Way is an American professional skateboarder born April 15, 1974. He began skateboarding competitively at age 11 and won his first competition in 1985. By 1991 he was named Thrasher Magazine’s “Skater of the Year.” He has won multiple gold medals at the X-Games in the “Big Air” category and holds the world record for land-speed on a skateboard. Danny is best known for extreme stunts such as jumping into a skateboard ramp from a helicopter and pioneering mega-ramps. He used one mega-ramp to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard (which he did with a broken foot!)

27 October, 2014
Meet the Hendo Hoverboard. Whoa Momma.

In one of Silicon Valley’s most remarkable (and eagerly anticipated) feats of innovation, a small but passionate team has resolved the issues surrounding hover technology by using magnetic field architecture (MFA™) to transmit electromagnetic energy more efficiently than ever before possible. As proof of concept, the company — Arx Pax — has created a working hoverboard prototype called Hendo, as well as Hendo Hover Engine developer kits, both of which are part of the rewards program in its Kickstarter campaign to raise $250,000.

According to founder and inventor Greg Henderson, “About two years ago, we began investigating MFA and hover technology as a better way to build, move people and move materials. During our research, we discovered a way to transmit electromagnetic technology that is far more efficient than anything else. This means that our patent-pending Hendo Hover Engine technology can enable platforms to hover over non-ferrous materials with payloads of virtually any size and weight.

“While the possibilities are both exciting and nearly limitless,” Henderson continued, “we decided to build a hoverboard prototype and hover engine developer kits right out of the gate. Our hope is that the Hendo Hoverboard will generate excitement, enthusiasm and financial interest from people who want to see it brought to fruition, and that our hover engine developer kits will spark the imagination of millions of potential inventors of other hover technology solutions. It is still early days, but we are absolutely thrilled because we have proven conclusively that what was widely considered impossible is, in fact, possible.”

Seeing is Believing

Because of the elaborate Funny or Die prank video on HUVr Tech last spring, Arx Pax is inviting the media to its offices to see and touch the working Hendo Hoverboard prototype over the next two weeks. If you are a professional journalist interested in seeing a live demo at Arx Pax and talking to the founders, please click here.

About Arx Pax

Arx Pax was founded in 2012 to bring to market innovative technologies aimed at making our world a better place to live, work and play. The scientific breakthroughs generated at Arx Pax will make the impossible possible, inspire co-creation on a global scale, and ultimately create meaningful change in the world. Learn more at www.hendohover.com, or on Twitter @hendohover.

24 October, 2014
8 Ways to Balance Your Climbing Training

Nothing beats quality time on routes to improve your climbing performance. But why limit your physical and mental training to hours spent on the crags or in the climbing gym? By balancing out dedicated climbing practice with a focus on overall strength, stamina and health, beginner and seasoned climbers alike can achieve better results on the wall. We’ve compiled a list of eight activities that complement your climbing with the insight of experts including Eli Strauss, head climbing instructor at New York City’s The Cliffs at Long Island City.

8 Ways to Balance Your Climbing Training

1. GET WET

Whether your goal is to nurse an injury back to health, increase your core strength or up your endurance, a few laps in the pool will benefit your climbing.

The downward path the arms follow in swimming is similar to the reaching and pulling movements in climbing, “so those muscles get an even better workout,” Strauss says. And because swimming works “more or less every muscle group in a very low-impact environment, the injury risk is miniscule.”

By strengthening your back and abs so your fingers don’t have to do all the work, swimming can also help prevent common over-use injuries in climbing like tendonitis.

2. OM TO THE TOP

Climbing is not unlike yoga in that it’s often necessary to embrace unnatural positions in order to reach new heights – think hanging upside down or balancing on tiptoes to reach that crucial pinch.

But even between cruxes, a regular yoga practice is “one of the best things for rock climbers to do,” Strauss says. The most obvious benefit is increased flexibility. But flowing through gentle poses synced with controlled breathing also trains razor-sharp focus and works the antagonistic muscle groups. As a result, you’ll be stronger and less injury-prone in climbing.

Keep up at least a weekly practice to see consistent results. Your mind and body will thank you for it once you’re back on the wall.

3. WALK THE LINE

Slacklining is one of those activities that helps improve your climbing, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. “The histories of the two sports have been linked more or less since rock climbing became a thing,” Strauss says.

There are as many versions of the roots of slacklining as there are modalities, but most accounts lead back to Yosemite Valley in the 70s. The Stonemasters, a group of “counter-culture guys” who pioneered rock climbing as it is known today started slacklining for fun, according to Strauss. Much like walking a tightrope, slacklining is a low-impact way to fine-tune your balance and basically “everything you need for climbing, just in a different capacity,” Strauss says.

If you’re trying it for the first time, fasten the line between two sturdy anchors like trees. First, practice keeping your balance on one foot. When you can stay steady for around 10 seconds, try taking a few steps. To up the thrill factor, rig the line over water (not too high!) and get creative with tricks like jumping, sit-walking or running.

4. HIT THE PAVEMENT

It’s common for climbers to neglect cardio activities like running or cycling. But improved aerobic fitness will translate to better results on the crags, especially on longer routes.

“Climbing is a very anaerobic sport,” Strauss says. “We don’t get winded in the same way, we don’t get our heartbeats up the same, we don’t get that endorphin rush. But having that level of conditioning and background is always advantageous because, more than anything, it allows you to recover faster and go longer.”

The best cardio workout for you depends on the nature of your climbing sessions, but some experts suggest spending 70-80 percent effort for periods of 25-35 minutes.

5. STRENGTHEN WITH CARE

Round out your training plan with time focused on building climbing-specific strength through weightlifting and body-weight exercises like pull-ups, tricep dips and campus board.

“Because climbing is such a specific action, our cross-training turns out to be really specific as well,” Strauss says. Campus boards – wooden boards with rungs you climb up using only your arms – are “an awesome way to increase grip and strengthen over almost anything else,” he adds. But it’s also easy to get hurt. For beginners, just practice hanging on and holding up your body weight to start.

Budget a two- to three-month period in your training program for intense strength-training tailored to your climbing goals. Then, keep it up just enough to maintain the base you’ve built.

6. GET VERTICAL

Although bouldering can seem like an easier, less intimidating way to start climbing than top-roping, Strauss recommends getting “used to your body vertical before you start trying difficult movements” that bouldering requires.

There’s no doubt that bouldering is fun and beneficial for your climbing. But because it’s also harder, progress is slower. “It’s hard to stay invested in a sport you don’t feel like you’re making progress in,” Strauss says. Spend time top-roping on easy routes, and you’ll soon be able to last longer and reach your goals in bouldering. In turn, you’ll build the strength and skills you need to start tackling more challenging routes on a rope.

To get started, choose an easy or familiar route and climb it three times as quickly as you can without taking breaks. Do a set of five, and then repeat the exercise on a few different routes. Got that down pat? Try it once more, but this time with your eyes closed!

7. TAKE IT EASY

Serious climbers can be reluctant to take more than a day off the rock for fear of getting weaker. But in reality, rest is one of the most important aspects of any training program.

“It’s a very fine line because a coaching cliché is you need to climb a minimum of three days a week to see constant improvement,” Strauss says. “But, especially as a beginner, you should not be climbing back-to-back days necessarily.” Rest doesn’t have to mean refraining from all types of physical activity, but from those that focus intensely on the same muscle groups as climbing.

On days when you do climb, don’t skip your pre- and post-stretching to help your body rest and rebuild. How long to rest depends on your training regimen, but experts suggest taking 24-72 hours between climbs.

8. FUEL UP

Because climbing is more of a lifestyle sport than one you get into for fitness, climbers tend to be less focused on overall conditioning and health than other types of athletes.

“Obviously the pros are paying very close attention,” Strauss says. “When we as amateurs want to get better at a sport, in any other sport we’re paying attention to what we eat, we’re paying attention to our weight, to our caloric intake and stretching.” Climbing should be no different.

The first step is being aware of what you’re eating and following general nutrition guidelines adapted to your needs. On climbing days, drink water before, during and after your ascent, and bring along a banana or other piece of fruit for a healthy source of fuel. When you’re done for the day, be sure to take in enough protein to ease your recovery.

23 October, 2014
Top 15 (Ridiculous) Russian Dash-Cam Videos

Due to corrupt traffic police and a high percentage of accidents per capita, dash-cams have become nearly standard amongst Russian vehicles. These little cameras have been responsible capturing some of the most ridiculous traffic incidents you can find on the Internet. A search for “Russian dash-cam videos” in YouTube delivers thousands of gnarly dash-cam compilations, exposing first hand experiences of close calls and wild traffic incidents.

We sifted through some of the most extreme videos to bring you our top 15.

1) Driving Through a Tornado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M3xDTlXpQI

This Russian driver made the brave attempt to drive through an epic storm featuring a destructive tornado. The dash-cam video shows the storm in action and ultimately the aftermath of the tornado’s destruction.

2) Dash-Cam Captures Flaming Meteor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl_RknL9G-Q

A parked car doesn’t usually see much action. That was not the case with this one! In a rare twist of events, this Russian dash-cam captured a flaming meteor flying through the night sky!

3) Sorry Cows!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzKoZqsDpYg

In this insane Russian dash-cam video, a roofless tractor-trailer transporting about 30 cows tips over, sending the poor cows scattered across the street! Fortunately, it looks like everyone survived.

4) Black Bear Get Off The Road!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsaK6GGuTAk

This dash-cam footage shows a head on collision with a huge bear as it tries to cross a Russian highway. Bears clearly need to look both ways before crossing too.

5) Share The Road Please!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3CnugkmWig

This compilation of bicyclists getting hit by Russian cars is a gut-wrenching reminder that we need to share the road with cyclists!

6) Watch Out – Landing Zone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj_wxdM-MQ4

This extreme dash-cam video shows Russian drivers frantically trying to steer clear of debris as a plane crashes near the highway.

7) Terrifying Motorcycle Collision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQjM49zfg3Q

Thankfully, everyone survived this extreme collision between a motorcyclist and motorist. The crash was caught on camera by three different dash-cams!

8) Beware Of Ice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPMg_QXp5cA

This extreme video shows multiple Russian vehicles spinning out on black ice. Always remember to pump the breaks!

9) Close Calls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZlilgQM3wI

Close calls make for great dash-cam videos because you can be sure everyone made it out alive! This compilation of close calls keeps you on the edge of your seat so you can take in all the ridiculous action and still have a clear conscience.

10) Two Lane Highway Gets Turned Into a Makeshift Three Lane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At_PAhvQHLc

Drivers on this Russian highway don’t seem to mind the white lines separating the two way street. It seems like pretty much everyone is weaving in and out of traffic and making up their own rules as they go along.

11) The Closest Call

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYUPPybsaAQ

This near-collision will have you breathing a sigh of relief as the two vehicles narrowly escape what would have been a major wreckage.

12) Car Flips on Tram Wire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWx7zdMLVgQ

You would never expect to see a car flip over going below 20 MPH, that’s exactly what happened to this Russian driver. The car drove onto a cable tram wire and did an oddly slow back flip which was captured on a fellow motorist’s dash-cam!

13) Casual Escape From Epic Crash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arRZoBZb-i0

This Russian truck driver narrowly escapes a fatal crash and then proceeds to casually get up and walk around. It’s extreme. It’s casual.

14) Extreme Drivers Cross Floating/Sinking Bridge in Russia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITlf6jYBEUk

The fact that this bridge is mostly underwater did not stop some extreme Russian drivers from continuing to cross it, even after a car gets stuck and is basically sinking in the middle. Only in Russia.

15) Lightening Strikes SUV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpSAfp_kzKE

Perhaps the most insane on the list. Watch as this SUV gets struck by lightening. And the driver continues driving!

14 October, 2014
Danny MacAskill Tackles The Ridge

At the time of this post, Danny MacAskill’s latest cinematographic masterpiece, The Ridge, has chalked up more than 11 million YouTube views. No big deal, considering he posted the video LESS THAN ONE WEEK AGO.

Drone pilot Lec Park offers an amazing perspective as Danny MacAskill delivers breathtaking trial cycling chops, riding up and down the Isle of Skye’s Loch Scavaig in the Cuillin Mountains.

Beautiful film, team. Well done!

8 October, 2014
5 Must-Have Apps for Rock Climbers

We may head to the crags to unplug, but there’s no doubt that a little technology can go a long way toward your success on the rocks. Maybe you need a guide, or a few creative knots in your back pocket (figuratively and literally), or maybe you’re after a spot to pitch your tent. No matter which you’re after, here are five apps no rock climber should leave home without:

The Mountain Project

The Mountain Project has long been acknowledged as a leading app for finding the best routes. The app is essentially a digital climbing guide that fits in your pocket. While the app definitely has a few bugs to work out, compared to the website, the developers have done an excellent job of creating a platform where climbers can share the routes and problems in areas around the country. Because of its widespread user base, major climbing areas are covered well and only continue to grow as more people use the application. It also divides climbing spots into type of climbing, along with grade, making it a step above many other digital climbing guides on the market. The Mountain Project is easily one of the widest spread, most used climbing networks.
Price: Free

KnotGuide

Setting up anchors? Tying into a climb? Download KnotGuide. The beauty of setting up anchors is the creativity that goes into it. Depending on the equipment you have and trees and boulders you have to work with, there are countless ways for you to tie in. KnotGuide expands that creativity by increasing your knowledge of knots. Look up ones you’ve heard of or browse new knots. Either way, you can expand your climbing capability by increasing the flexibility of your anchor setting skills.
Price: Free

REI

In a pinch where you’re stuck on a climbing trip and suddenly realize you need more gear? REI has one of the most advanced outdoor adventure shopping apps out there. Not only can you find the closest REI to you, but you can do your research. Read up on the favorites of the nuts, ropes or shoes that you’re after, but not based on REI’s word. The reviews on the app are written by actual customers. Plus, REI’s return policy remains unbeatable.
Price: Free

Camp Finder

It’s not all about sending new ascents. When you’re on the rocks, eventually you’ll need a place to stay. Camp Finder helps those who love the outdoors find camping and RV spots across the country. It includes maps, photos and price ranges, so you always know exactly what you’re getting into. The app takes a bit of time to load though, so allow for ample internet connection or extra loading time.
Price: $3.99

Yonder

Want to document your adventures on the mountains? Instagram tends to be crowded with inspirational quotes and food porn. Instaead, upload your pictures to Yonder, a photo sharing channel made specifically for the outdoor-minded. Here, you can post your adventure shots to those who actually appreciate and love the great outdoors.
Price: Free

30 September, 2014
How to Win a Warrior Dash Obstacle Race
This guest post comes from Jason Fitzgerald over at Strength Running. Jason wrote our original obstacle race training guide. Take it away, Jason!

When I beat nearly 17,000 other people to win a Warrior Dash obstacle race, I was more surprised than anyone.

It was my first obstacle race. I had no experience with any of the obstacles. And I was just having fun!

I didn’t do any specific exercises or or practice any of the obstacles. If you’re wondering how I did it, I’ll show you how to train for Warrior Dash without ANY obstacle experience.

My only goal was to have fun and see if Warrior Dash could live up to the hype. The experience led me to write a free report showing you the same principles that helped me win the race.

Want in? You can download it now, for free.

Warrior Dash Course Report

Most Warrior Dash courses have a narrow start – requiring a strategic start. Get close to the starting line so you don’t get caught behind the hordes of runners behind you, wading through mud and yelling warrior battle cries.

Obstacle courses are typically set up on trails or in enormous grass fields. The uneven footing will slow you down and present its own challenges, so stay vigilant about where you step.

The first obstacle will likely come out of nowhere (seeing around a lot of people is tough!). Take your time; you don’t want to get cut by barbed wire or suffer a running injury from one of the obstacles.

Soon, you’ll realize that the obstacles you’ll face are significant:
- A cargo net stretching two stories high
- A vertical wall with a thin rope to pull yourself to the summit
- Multiple truck tires to jump through
- A concrete tunnel to somehow traverse through
- A cargo net to climb over (don’t get your leg caught!)
- Mud, barbed wire, and fire. Get excited.
Don’t forget the hills! Most obstacle race courses are on an unforgiving series of rolling hills, uneven terrain, and wet grass.

Preparing for an event like this requires a smart approach – here’s how to achieve success.

How to Train for an Obstacle Course Race

Here are the top seven ways to train for an obstacle race:
- Don’t get hurt! Barbed wire and fire are real! Slow down and crawl low enough under (and jump high enough over) these obstacles. Women should wear their hair low but put together so it doesn’t get caught. Make sure you assume all obstacles (like fire, electrically charged wires, or barbed wire) are real.
- Start near the front.Don’t start near the back or you’ll be stuck behind the crowd. Bottlenecks behind obstacles always happen, so get out ahead of everyone else.
- Slow down (seriously).Don’t rush over any of the obstacles. Even though you have to slow down, remember that you can’t continue if you fall off a 15-foot barrier and break your foot.
- Strengthen those muscles!You’ll be a lot faster over the obstacles if you’re strong. You don’t need to bench 300 pounds, but get comfortable with general strength exercises like a good medicine ball workout.
- If you want to run fast, run fast.Let’s remember that to run fast, you have to practice running fast. It’s very helpful to run a variety of paces in your training, whether that’s classic repetition workouts on the track, hill repeats, or fartlek runs
- Become a trail runner. The VAST majority of obstacle race courses are on dirt paths, trails, grass, and other uneven terrain. You’ll be at a huge disadvantage if you’re not ready to run on this type of terrain. Trail running improves your proprioception, balance, agility, and ability to cover uneven terrain more quickly.
- Run more. Always! There’s a reason I beat over 16,000 other runners to win a Warrior Dash and it has nothing to do with my agility, power, or strength. I was simply a stronger runner.
Train like a runner and you’ll dominate any obstacle race you enter.

Train Smart, Race Fast

Don’t be intimidated to enter your first obstacle race. The majority of registrants are more inexperienced than you are – and most obstacle races are completely accessible to anyone with even a small amount of fitness.

But if you want even more ways to train for Warrior Dash (and maybe even win!), check out the free report on obstacle races here.

Here are a few ways to prepare:
- Run a trail race. The uneven terrain and hills will definitely prepare you for any off-road obstacle race.
- A Parkour class will teach you how to run over obstacles quickly.
Obstacle racing is a new and different way to run fast. If you’re bored of traditional road races and need a different challenge, a race like the Warrior Dash might be just the thing to break you out of your rut.

Just remember that runners will always be the top finishers at any obstacle race so train accordingly!

photo: Thatcher Clay
17 September, 2014
5 Ways Rock Climbers Make The World A Better Place

Much of the focus in climbing media is centered around the great feats of talented athletes. We throw around speeds, grades and the phrase “free-climbing” to talk about triumphs in the community. What we don’t always hear as much about, however, are all of the other accomplishments rock climbers make. Being a climber means more than possessing killer strength and solid technique. For many, it also means a big heart and giving back to the community. Here’s how rock climbers make the world a better place.

Climbers love the environment.

Like many outdoor adventurers, rock climbers care a whole lot about the place they spend so much of their time. National parks, state parks and Mother Earth in general are of great interest to many in the climbing community. Outdoor clothing company Patagonia has long been applauded for their strides toward environmentalism. Many climbing areas and camps stick to a strict “leave no trace” policy. Sure, every now and then a climber behaves badly, but before Mother Earth can punish them, there’s usually a swift reprimand from fellow climbers.

They spread energy.

In addition to valuing our world overall, many rock climbers have taken a special interest in renewable energy. Solar power company Goal Zero sponsors Alex Honnold, who owns and lives in a van completely powered by sunshine. His mom’s house also has solar panels, he says in an interview with NatGeo’s Adventure Blog.

But beyond personal use, Honnold helps spread energy to those in need. The Honnold Foundation has helped support nonprofit solar projects. One included using solar power to bring residents in the Kayenta Region of the Navajo Nation clean water access.

Climbers lead lives of health and well-being.

In a country where more than one third of adults are obese, approaching wellness consciously is important. And though, as a group, we may guzzle a bit too much beer and eat Ramen on the regular, overall, we care about our health (or at least live a healthier life than most without even realizing it). Not only does climbing build solid, lean muscle, but it gets our hearts pumping from more than just adrenalin. An hour of climb time can burn more than 700 calories. All of those hours logged outside also result in a serious brain power boost, increasing memory, energy, creativity and relieving stress.

They help at-risk youth.

Rock climbing has been proven to do wonders for self-efficacy, not to mention the sheer joy of overcoming fear and challenges. Organizations like Escalando Fronteras (Climbing Borders) use this knowledge to help at-risk Mexican youth stay away from drugs, gangs and organized crime. By exposing children and teens to new opportunities that they may not otherwise experience, the organization strives to take advantage of the positive mentality that so often comes with climbing.

Rock climbers inspire all of us.

Whether you climb or not, you can still be awed by the feats of some of the greats. Lynn Hill paved the way for women climbers around the world, being the first woman to climb a 5.12d and the first to free-climb the Nose in 1993. In 1975, John Long had been the first to climb that same rock face in one day. Honnold climbed the three biggest rock faces in Yosemite in under 19 hours. Dave Graham and Daniel Woods eat V14s for breakfast. Climbers like these show us persistence, heart and a whole lot of badass. Climb on, guys!

15 September, 2014
Ode to a Serendipitous Ultramarathon in NYC
It was in the late afternoon of a Thursday in June when I picked up my phone.

“Alan, are we going to do this? We’ve been talking about it for so long.”

While I think my brother, Dan, was a bit antsy after a long week in the office, the man had a point. For the last few years, we had discussed running a marathon together.

Marathon Failed Attempts

It’s not like we hadn’t tried before.

I made a valiant attempt in college. My friend Gabi and I ran through St. Louis’ Forest Park several times over the course of 8-10 weeks, following a strict four- month training schedule. After a particularly long run one weekend, my knee gave way when I got out of bed the next morning. Gabi and I made the executive decision to postpone our long distance exploits. Turns out that was a good decision, as we both pledged the same fraternity and likely wouldn’t have had much free time to safely finish our training.

My brother also once tried to run a marathon. I remember one of his training runs while we were visiting family in Indiana. It was Christmas time – cold and windy, and my brother went out for a solo 14-mile run. My family thought he was crazy, but I knew what he was going through. Despite biting gusts in his face during the latter half of his run home, he celebrated a victory that morning. He had officially run a longer distance than I ever had.

Like me, Dan’s knees started bothering him and he didn’t finish his training. Over the next couple of years, I got into obstacle racing and rock climbing, joining a local gym and racing events like the Tough Mudder, the Spartan Race, and even a zombie apocalypse-inspired mud run. Scary stuff.

Throughout 2013 and 2014, Dan and I had talked about another attempt. This time, we would train together. We went back and forth, trying to find the perfect race to sign up for. Do we race locally? Do we pick a city and fly there for the weekend? What races are available given our hectic work schedules, upcoming bachelor parties and vacations and conferences?

Holding Ourselves Back

Thing is, we couldn’t find a race that “worked.”

It wasn’t until Dan’s phone call last June that we realized…we don’t need a race. All we have to do is put our shoes on and run. We’ll figure out the details later. Trying to find the perfect race was holding us back from what’s most important. Let’s just start running, and we’ll take it from there.

He called on a Thursday, and we started our four-month training program that next Tuesday.

Our Marathon Plan

The plan was simple.

We’d follow the same four-month training plan that we had used before. While we both live in New York City, it was easier for us to train alone during the week and then, occasionally, to sync up on Saturdays for longer runs. I would train along the west side of Manhattan, hugging the Hudson River during my runs, and my brother would train along the East River.

We’d call each other regularly to chat about how we were feeling, to make sure we trained at the same pace, and to psyche each other up for the next run.

Unfortunately, after about 10 weeks of training and one particularly long run, Dan told me that something didn’t feel right. He had suffered knee and ankle injuries in the past, and he didn’t feel like continued stress was the right decision at the time.

Finishing Alone?

I’m proud of Dan for listening to his body, but I was upset that I no longer had a training partner. At that point, I was more than halfway done with my training, and I had just run the longest I have ever run before, a 16-mile Saturday morning session.

I decided to press on. There were still, of course, some details to sort through:
- What would I eat the few days leading up to the race?
- Without aid stations, what water and food would I carry with me?
- What was my route? How would I hit 26.2 miles running around Manhattan like a crazy person on a Sunday morning, avoiding traffic?
Enter Joel, Ultramarathon Runner

Satisfied with my training, I set out to run my “DIY marathon” on Sunday, August 10th.

A few days prior to the run, I received a serendipitous text message from Joel Runyon, close friend and co-founder of Nerve Rush, an extraordinary human being who recently set out to run seven ultramarathons on all seven continents.

“Hey, I’m coming to NYC. You around?”

I responded back.

”Yes, any chance you want to run a marathon with me on Sunday morning?”

I figured, Joel was in the middle of ultramarathon training, so he likely had a longer run scheduled that weekend anyway. My hypothesis was validated when Joel agreed to join me on Sunday. I made a last minute trip to REI to pick up his favorite Clif Shot Bloks, and made plans to meet Joel at 7:00am the next morning.

The Serendipitous Ultramarathon

For the more novice ultramarathon runner, finishing the race safely is the most important accomplishment one can hope for.

The time doesn’t matter nearly as much as listening to your body, knowing how and when to take breaks, and constantly battling the “please stop now this is hurting” voice in the back of your head.

While I had been training at an 8:00-8:30 min/mile pace, Joel had been working with a professional ultramarathon coach at a slower pace. About 4-5 miles into our run — we both went out way too fast! — we both slowed down. Turns out this was a smart decision, as the temperature quickly picked up to 85+ °F. It was a hot and humid day, not ideal for long distances.

We ran up the Hudson River Parkway, from 10th Street to 109th Street, where we darted east until we hit the northwest corner of Central Park. We ran the Central Park Loop (a little over 6 miles) two times, then we made our way back to the Hudson River to run home.

Along the way, we snuck into a 5K race and “borrowed” their aid station, took a quick bathroom break, and stretched where we needed to. Running an ultramarathon, I learned, is about managing your body, and that’s what Joel taught me to do.

With about two miles left in our run, Joel looks at me and says, “Hey, want to make this an ultra?”

While ultramarathons tend to follow 50K, 100K, 50-mile or 100-mile courses, an ultramarathon is technically any race over the normal 26.2 mile distance.

Joel whipped out his fancy GPS watch, and we ran around a couple of Hudson River piers to tack on an extra tenth of a mile, putting our final race distance at just over 26.3 miles.

I set out to run a marathon, but I learned how to run an ultramarathon.

This won’t be my last 🙂

Just after Joel and I finished the NYC “ultramarathon.”
12 September, 2014