More and More Women are Becoming Involved in Extreme Sports

Extreme sports are still fairly new to the general population, but lately we’ve seen more and more women breaking down the barrier between extreme and traditional sports. Not just professionally, but women are also enjoying extreme sports recreationally. What’s the attraction?

Being involved in extreme sports can empower women with a sense of independence and self-confidence. Unlike team sports, extreme sports are individual and self-directed. When you’re successful, the rewards are all yours. You can take pride that it was only you that accomplished the goal. Think of the joy you get when you make it down to the bottom of a hard ski run in record time. Or how capable and empowered you feel when you climb a 100-foot rock face.

In addition, women now have plenty of role models. Young girls can look up to women like Anne-Caroline Chausson, the first ever Olympic gold medal winner in BMX racing. The sport made its debut at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and since the Women’s Final Event Medal Round was staged before the Men’s, she became the very first person to win a medal in that sport. How cool is that?

Of course there are lots of other role models such as Lisa Anderson in surfing or Shannon Dunn in snowboarding. The media is covering extreme sports more widely which exposes young girls to all kinds of possibilities. In fact, these sports, which were first referred to as extreme, are often now referred to as “alternative sports.”

Many women are attracted to extreme sports because of the camaraderie. Some women don’t like team sports because of its competitive nature. But extreme sports can help build friendships. Since you’re only competing against yourself, you can enjoy hanging out with friends who are working toward the same goal. This allows you to support, encourage, and learn from each other without worrying about competing against each other.

Some like the intense physicality of the sport. Despite the potential hazards and expense, women enjoy the chance to be outdoors and extreme sports require that you pay constant attention to your surroundings. It’s also a chance to push your body’s limits and decompress from all the daily stresses of life.

Another motivation is the chance to prove women can be as strong and as determined as any of their male counterparts. Many women feel like it’s time to break the stereotypes that men are the only ones who like to get a rush of adrenaline.

Finally, women earn more money and that has led them to wanting to make their own decisions. They often want to try something new and exciting and now they have the funds to do so.

Guest post by Martin Longreen, a fitness buff and writer for the popular self defense techniques website Hertao.