Spring is here!!
Noke’s first puppy social…
Me doing a great cleanse
Yummy Trader Joe’s dinners
Cuteness
Workouts
More cuteness
More workouts
Awesome ModMarket gives you your macros!
Noke is learning every day!
Mar312014
Our Weekend in Pictures
Monthly Archives: March 2014
Mar282014
Top 20 Video Game Weapons of All Time
This list contains, with no criteria for grading other than my own personal feelings and experiences, the twenty most amazing weapons in video game history. They may not be the most effective, best looking or most popular, but all of them have some amazing qualities that earn them a spot on my list. Twenty seems like a fair number for the over two-decades and thousands of games Hungry has played. I could make it much longer but we’ll keep this one relatively short. And if you think I missed some, comment in the section below!
20. The Hammer from Super Smash Bros. In 1999, Nintendo began one of its most popular series with the release of Super Smash Bros for the Nintendo 64. While this game, and its two sequels, are littered with many characters, attacks, and weapons, there is one item that can change the game unlike any other. (Especially in the original, which is the best, in my opinion.) The hammer. Need I say more? (Part of me really wanted to put the home run bat, but only a few of us can use it correctly every time, so this one is for the masses!)
19. Fire Flower from Mario. If there are iconic weapons, none is more iconic than the 8-bit fire flower that has been around for almost two decades. The fire flower has appeared in dozens of games and still allows the player to dominate koopas, goombas and Bowser himself. It is practically a staple in setting time records for the original console trilogy and has cemented itself in the minds of gamers for generations.
18. Lightning Bolt from Mario Kart.It seems only appropriate to continue to be a Nintendo and Mario fan boy for another item. The problem is that Mario is arguably the greatest thing to ever happen to video games. He has appeared in over 200 games that have sold over 285 million copies and I can guarantee that number will double in my lifetime. Mario is probably the most recognizable video game character ever and Mario Kart is one of the most loved series of all time. From Super Mario Kart to the newest releases, it’s not easy to pinpoint a single item in the series but one stands out in my mind.
17. Buster Cannon from Mega Man. Ever since 1987 Mega Man has been bringing it to Dr. Wily and his army of robots with unique abilities and attacks. With Mega Man 4 being one of my favorite games of all time, with a ridiculously amazing intro cut scene, Dr. Light’s world-saving assistant has one of the coolest weapons ever. Since the honorable mentions are clearly less specific, and more iconic weapons in general, there is no better item to grace this list than Rock’s buster cannon. Whenever Mega defeats one of his robotic enemies, he can absorb their power and use it. So damn sick.
16. Ebony & Ivory from Devil May Cry. Originally intended to be Capcom’s 2001 sequel to the Resident Evil series, Devil May Cry’s release sparked a series of amazingly fun hack and slash adventure games for Playstation consoles. Throughout the series Dante has killed thousands of enemies and fiends but without his trusty handguns Dante wouldn’t be the same. Ebony & Ivory take this spot on the list for their reliability and awesome names. If I ever buy handguns, they’d be custom to match these two.
15. Link’s Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda. Link’s Master Sword is the ultimate form of vanquishing evil in Hyrule (and Lorule) and the quest to obtain the Master Sword time and time again has earned it a spot on this list. Along with the Arrow of Light, nearly every form of evil in Hyrule can be destroyed with ease AND with full health the Master Sword emits a strong beam. It is the greatest weapon of the greatest hero in the history of video games.
14. The Fierce Deity Mask from Legend of Zelda. Thinking about all of the installments in the Zelda series, there is one weapon that really is ridiculous in terms of raw strength. And I know that all my real gamers and true Zelda fans will love this one. The Fierce Deity Mask in Majora’s Mask is arguably the most difficult item to obtain on this list. I can only think of one item at the very top of the list that takes a similar amount of time, and that alone makes this item insane. This mask allows you to transform into the Fierce Deity and deliver some amazing attacks, however it can only be used during boss battles and requires you to trade 20 of all 24 of your masks to the Children of the Moon.
13. The BFG from Doom. And I am not talking about the book by Roald Dahl. Doom is one of the greatest games of all time, revolutionary for the horror genre and first person shooters, and all about kicking ass. This game was extremely creepy playing it as a very young child and Doom 3 brought scary to a whole new level. Nevertheless, once you got the BFG, which we all know what it stands for, there was nothing to fear. Just look at the devastation of the BFG 9000 this screen shot. Kills anything and everything in one shot.
12. Proximity Mines from Goldeneye. Goldeneye was one game that took first person shooters and multiplayer to the next level. Although I did not personally love the game, any list that doesn’t include it as one of the greatest of all times is trying to be cool and the people have no idea what they are talking about. Goldeneye offers a huge arsenal and as much as I love playing a level with only Moonraker Lasers or RC-P90, nothing can compare to the proximity mine. I can’t tell you how many thousands of times we played levels with only proximity mines, and the beauty of it is, you never really know when something is going to blow up!
11. Farsight XR-20 from Perfect Dark. Shortly after Goldeneye made a huge impact in the world of gaming, N64 had another huge release in Perfect Dark. Everyone has their favorite weapons and it’s hard to, again, pick just one from the list that includes ridiculous laptop guns and the amazing reaper. This monster is a one-shot kill to anyone no matter where you hit them, oh, and you can shoot through walls because it’s a railgun. It’s only available in one mission during the story mode but it dominates multiplayer if you can find a good hiding spot.
10. Vampire Killer from Castlevania. For nearly 20 years, in Castlevania, Simon Belmont and the rest of his vampire hunting clan has been using the Vampire Killer and other whips to make it through Dracula’s castles. Although some are more memorable than others, Lord of Shadow’s recent Combat Cross was one of the most badass versions ever used. Spoiler: Not to mention it was used by the original Belmont and Dracula himself, Gabriel Belmont, ancestor of Trevor, Simon, and Victor. Here it is.
9. Black Widow from Mass Effect. Mass Effect 2 is one of the greatest games of all time and, despite the horrible ending of the series, it remains as one of my favorite series ever. The three games have tons of weapons to choose from but no weapon stands out more in my mind than the Black Widow. In ME3, when upgraded to its final level with maximum upgrades, this sniper rifle leaves no traces of enemies behind. It is super expensive to buy and upgrade and requires you to have SPECTRE status, but it’s well worth the investment. It’s an improvement of the Widow and my go-to gun at many times. But don’t worry M-920 Cain, I won’t leave this without giving you and your nuclear level power a shout out. One shot with the Cain and you can defeat the final boss of Mass Effect 2, it’s absurd.
8. Ray Gun from South Park. South Park for the N64 is usually on every worst video game list of all time but that can’t take away from the absurdity and originality of the weapons in that game. I can’t even start to explain how ridiculous and inappropriate this game is; in all honesty, I don’t even remember all the weapons but there are three I will have a hard time forgetting. First, there is a snowball that you pee on. That’s right, you throw urine snowballs at enemies. Second, there is a gun that is shaped like a cow and basically fires well… cows. But finally, there is a weird ray gun that makes your enemies smile and dance around. It’s weird and absurd, that is why it makes the list.
7. Energy Sword from Halo. I was never a fan of the Halo series, especially past the first and second games. I did, however, play all of the story and multiplayer modes, and there was one really fun thing to do in the second game. Energy sword. Using the lunging action, a skilled player could essentially infinitely go around in close quarters and build a huge killing spree in multiplayer. I wouldn’t recommend running across a field with it though. For being a melee weapon in a game where so many people just sit on cliffs and snipe, the energy sword is high on this list.
6. Emergency Hammer from Silent Hill. Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, and other horror games offer a unique gaming experience where you need nerves of steel and have to accept the fact that you are very weak and vulnerable. Although it is one of the slowest weapons in the game, the emergency hammers allows Harry Mason to deal with those damn creepy Puppet Nurses and Puppet Doctors in the hospital. The amount of security that the hammer gave my young self during these dark times earns it a spot high on this list.
5. Rocket Launcher from Resident Evil. Speaking of survival horror, back when Resident Evil was still a game in this genre, there was a ridiculous lack of weapons and ammunition. Resident Evil 2, with Leon and Claire in Raccoon City (BEST GAME IN THE GENRE), provided very little to work with in some really tight corridors with some nasty enemies… Tyrant. Some moments in the game really stand out, such as choosing either the submachine gun or extra item spots, but one weapon in this game is just so boss. I can’t think of a better word to describe it right now because it is a total lifesaver and saving it until you fight a MAJOR boss is such a smart choice. The rocket launcher basically kills any enemy in one shot, and you can unlock infinite ammo. It’s just perfect.
4. Unlabored Flawlessness from Ninja Gaiden. The top three weapons all reflect my top 3 games of all time. Isn’t it funny how that works out? Even though Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox is not in my top 10 (but it’s damn good) there is one weapon in that game that I always connected with for some reason. It is that other item that I mentioned earlier that is not easy to obtain by any means. You need to upgrade the Wooden Sword, which is so useless, in order to get Unlabored Flawlessness. What a ridiculously amazingly long and complex name for a big wooden weapon that beats enemies down. If you know this weapon, you know how I feel. Otherwise, you’re probably thinking why is that so high on the list. Just look at this thing. I want to make a cosplay of it.
3. “Azeroth” from Diablo 2. At one point in time I had arguably the strongest Diablo 2 character on Battlenet. True story. I put in hundreds and hundreds of hours into building my paladin and maxed out everything. Eventually, I only played in special games with the best players for each class in the world. I knew nothing about computers but they started building mods where we would fight against hordes of bosses leveled up to the max. We would fight them 7 on infinity, killing hundreds until we died. It was insane but we were the best and we loved it. Then the computer genius in our group decided to forge us hacked weapons that reflected our characters, classes, personalities, etc. Being the best paladin in the world, the person crafted me a one-handed massive sword made of light named Azeroth. This was in 2000. It was wide and was colored a strange white that shined. Blizzard decided to delete all of our characters that had hacked items, purging the greatest people on Battlenet. I never played Diablo 2 again but the memory of Azeroth will live on in my mind forever. This weapon should top the list, but I will always be bitter that I lost it and don’t have a screen shot for you since it was one of a kind.
2. Hopesfire from Morrowind. Morrowind was and is the greatest Elder Scrolls game ever. It set the bar too high for future installments. One thing that set Morrowind apart was its lore and list of legendary weapons. You could even donate these weapons and items to a special museum in Mournhold, in the Tribunal expansion. I eventually gave all of them up in my main file that I still have today, so the museum is full. There were three that were extremely difficult to let go. Umbra is my go-to weapon in Morrowind, since I usually get it right away with bow and arrow. That hurt. But TrueFlame and HopesFire were just too much. These are the coolest weapons in the whole series. Skyrim cannot hold a flame to Morrowind just because of this alone, although the shouts are cool. The legend and the power of these swords is unparalleled.
1. Lion Heart from Final Fantasy. The greatest series of all time! Nothing can compare to the quest of upgrading and acquiring new weapons to defeat bosses that threaten the sake of the world. The Ultimate Weapon for every character is the final and strongest form of all items. Since Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite game ever, of course Squall’s Ultimate Gunblade is going to take the cake here. Add Lion Heart to the mix and this is just pure awesomeness. Take that, Ultimecia. Number one is the Lion Heart.
And that sums up my top 20 list. What’s yours? As always…stay hungry and fit!
Mar262014
How to Help Your Dog and Cat Get Along
As most of our readers know, we have two cats and now one dog (and a snake, but that is beside the point). Yes, our apartment is a zoo, but we prefer a busy life anyhow. One of the most common questions I get about our household is how the cats and dog get along. It’s a progression each and every day but it is certainly going to the positive. Our cats now know how to avoid Noke and how to stand their ground. And every day, the cats more and more want to play with our adorable pup. Here are some steps in introducing a friendly relationship between your canine and feline:
1. Give them room. For the first few weeks we had Noke, they were completely separated. They could smell each other, but they did not interact. Noke was either with me or in her crate, and the cats were tucked comfortably in the bedroom or in the living room. Each species knew something was going on, but couldn’t quite put a paw on it. This step is important so you don’t completely throw your pets into a brand new situation. Cats don’t like change. Try to make it easy on them.
2. Give cautious introductions. For us, our cats were here first and deserve to be treated as such. You must make them still feel just as important and that they have some sense of authority and presence. To create a safe and comfortable meeting environment, we left Noke in her crate and allowed the cats to explore the area. This way, the cats could choose when they wanted to approach Noke and were able to do it safely since she was crated. The dog may bark or whine, but just let the process happen.
Sajah keeping an eye on Noke
3. Keep the dog on a leash. After you pass those few weeks of keeping them separated and introduce them safely, it’s time to bring them into the same realm. The dog can get very excited by this and want to constantly chase the cats, so we need to take action. Put a leash on your dog so that you can prevent them from scaring or chasing the cats. This is for safety and for comfort. And it will teach your dog to be comfortable on the leash, as an added bonus.
So cuuuuuuuute
4. Use lots of praise. As relationships develop, you want to encourage them for the better. Negative reinforce rarely works well with pets as it tends to scare them. But positive will allow you to reap the benefits! If your dog behaves playfully and listens to you when you tell him or her to back off, give lots of praise and treats! If your cat learns to stand his or her ground or plays nicely with the dog, do the same. Trust me, praise makes a big impact. It’s logical: play nice and I get treats. If only humans worked that way.
5. Keep a wary eye and quick hands. When you do finally trust your dog enough to let him or her off-leash, keep an eye out. Our dog is actually learning how to prowl and pounce like that cats (since that’s who she watches all day) so I need to be ready to step in if she gets too rowdy. She never tries to hurt the cats, but it’s better to be safe.
6. Treat everyone equally. Just because you have an adorable new puppy doesn’t mean you should ignore your uncool cats. Give them loads of attention and love every day to show that you’re still their #1 fan. This way they won’t feel jealous of the dog and then take it out on the dog. Treating everyone equal will foster positive relationships.
7. Don’t scold your cat’s grumpiness. It’s one thing if the cat is instigating, but it’s another if he or she is simply standing their ground. It’s good if your cat emits a growl and a swipe at your dog’s nose. This sets boundaries and tells the dog enough is enough. It’s so much better for your cat to do this rather than you. It will mean much more to the dog and learning boundaries will come faster.
So those are a few tips on how to foster a good relationship between the canine and the feline. It’s never going to be perfect. Dogs chase cats. Especially puppies! There are times I have to grab Noke because she simply gets too excited. It’s a journey each and every day, but hopefully your pets will end up as best buddies. Try these tips out. Let us know if you have any other questions. And as always…stay hungry and fit!
Mar252014
Something is Better Than Nothing
Sometimes it’s tough to get a workout in. It could be a number of things that prevent you from getting to that workout. Maybe you just don’t have enough hours in the day. Maybe you had a bad day and your energy is drained. Maybe you have time but other people or commitments are stopping you. These are all things we may be able to get around. But remember, something is better than nothing.
Don’t feel mad at yourself because you didn’t fit in your entire workout in, be appreciative that you at least got that activity in. Things will prevent you from doing everything you want to do and that’s just life. That doesn’t mean we hang our heads in defeat. We still did something. From a trainer’s perspective, that’s huge. A few minutes of activity can be the make or break deal for losing weight, keeping your heart healthy, or defeating the threat of diabetes. Seriously.
Find some motivation that you stepped out the doors and onto the pavement for a walk instead of cramming lunch into your desk. Find some happiness in the fact that at least you got ten minutes on the elliptical instead of none. Find some inspiration that you at least hit most of the shoulder muscle groups instead of all. Find joy in the fact that your dog is now happier that you two enjoyed exercise together. Find a smile after you get ten minutes of interval bike training in instead of your planned thirty.
The bottom line is to stay positive. You at least did something. Your body will be grateful for that. I struggle with this too–not getting my full workout or what I planned. But hey, life happens sometimes and you gotta improvise. Try to take the positives out of each situation, each moment of exercise even though it may be small. That’s the best way to stay hungry and fit!
Mar242014
Our Weekend in Pictures
Gotta love Tibetan food
Getting ready for Dagabi Cucina!
Great meal for us and Chris’ friends visiting
Great walks with the pup
Cuteness
Shopping…
Pizza
A trip to Estes Park!! (yes that is a fanny pack)
Homemade cookies
Homemade donuts
Stanley Hotel…
Elk!!
Passed out pup
Epic mini golf
Arcade games
Bowling
BONUS KITTY PIC
Mar222014
Boulder’s Hidden Gem: Tibet Kitchen
I’m appalled we haven’t written a post about this wonderful wonderful food place in Boulder. Anyone who has visited so far should know about this place: Tibet Kitchen. This place was our spot when we first got to Boulder. It had free wifi and $5 lunch specials. It really can’t be beat. It is absolutely one of my top five spots here in Boulder and it doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Cheap, quality big portions. Is there really much else you would ever need?
Momos!
Tibet Kitchen is a perfect place for a wholesome, healing meal. Whenever I meet Chris for lunch in Boulder, we usually go here. It makes us feel good and keeps us happy. It’s healthy–full of vegetables and well-cooked and seasoned meat. It leaves you feeling very satisfied without a hole in your wallet. Lunch specials run as low as $4.95–no joke! It is incredibly affordable. The most expensive item on the menu is probably $8.75. Yeah it’s that cheap.
The staff is all of the same Tibetan family and they are so accommodating–you will always be offered a cup of their free chai. And that chai is the only chai Hungry will drink. It’s pretty darn good. And boy are they generous with portions. I always have to take something home and it’s a great place for Chris. He can easily get filled up for under ten bucks. I’m telling you, this place is a gem!
MORE MOMOS
I’m sure not many people have had Tibetan food, after all, it’s a pretty small country with not a lot of recognition–especially food-wise. It is similar to Nepali food if you’ve had that. If you haven’t, I would say it’s a cross between Indian food and Chinese food with its own distinct flavor. It’s all made with wholesome ingredients, there’s basically no way to be unhealthy here. The flavors are warm and savory and some dishes have some spice. One of my favorite parts of the Tibetan cuisine is the ting-mo. It’s a Tibetan bread roll, basically dough folded time and time again to make a fist-sized ball of delicious steamed dough. I will eat tons and tons of them. I have a problem. Another star of Tibetan cuisine are the momos. These are dumplings filled with vegetables or meat. Tibet Kitchen makes them from scratch to order every time with fresh ingredients. They are so delicious and so filling. Otherwise, there are plenty of curries and such too.
From top to bottom….momos, ting-mos, and a main dish
If you’re in Boulder, please do yourself a favor and go to Tibet Kitchen. It’s affordable, filling, delicious, and healing. The people are wonderful and the atmosphere warm. I always leave happy. The only negative is that the parking lot is tiny, but can’t blame them too much for that. Eat at Tibet Kitchen to stay hungry and fit!
BONUS KITTY PIC
Nymeria being a ball of cuteness
Mar202014
Reasons to Be Excited for Spring
Yes! Spring is here! Although not all states in the country feel this way, fear not, for you know that it is at least on its way, even if it is lagging. Here are a few reasons WE are excited for Spring…
Enjoying some Spring weather after a run
- Warmer weather (definitely more me than Hungry)
- Pretty flowers
- Gardening and planting at our YMCA farm
- Outside runs
- Outside playground workouts
- Obstacle Races (Spartan Sprint, here we come!)
- Swimming outside
- Hiking
- BBQ pool parties
- Family visiting (YAY!!)
- First time camping
- Humane Society of Boulder Valley Gala
- Sunbathing
- Farmer’s Market
- Longer walks
And those are just a few! Cheers for Spring! Use this season to stay hungry and fit!
My pretty Mum at a Spring wedding…
- Question of the Day: Why are YOU excited for Spring?
BONUS KITTY PIC
Adorable
Mar182014
Just Do You
Every day we hit the gym, there’s the same old people–the regulars, as you might call them. And they’re doing their thing, rockin’ their usual workouts or keeping up an inspiring routine. We smile and wave our talk about our goals. We help each other on sets and thank each other. It’s a good relationship. However, this post isn’t really about us “regulars.” It’s about the brave ones.
Rockin’ my new shoes
The brave ones? We’re talking about going to the gym, right? Yes, so I may sound a little odd or dramatic, but I speak the word brave in the full meaning of the word. I am talking about the “new” people to the gym. Whether it’s an overweight person, a girl braving the weight room, or just plain new in the gym, we respect the hell out of you. The gym is pretty damn scary the first time around. You think everyone is staring you down, judging you, making fun of you, but they aren’t. I can speak for a large part of the fitness community that we have deep down respect for you being brave enough to get your foot through the door.
That you have the guts to hire a trainer because you can admit you need help with your goals. That no matter what your body type, you’re going to come into the gym to do your workout and you’re going to have a smile doing it. Honestly, seeing these people can be the highlight of my workout. No joke. I literally feel a surge of pride seeing them, so proud that they are here to get a workout in and they are facing their fears. Mad respect. Completely.
So here’s to you. Facing your fears and stepping into the gym to tackle your journey for health. We of the fitness community raise our glass to you and serve you some serious respect. Just do YOU, be yourself, and have confidence in what you’re doing. And know that we others seriously respect how hard you’re working. You inspire us. As always…stay hungry and fit!
- Question of the Day: What inspires you at the gym?
BONUS KITTY PIC
Sajah being absolutely adorable
Mar172014
Noke’s Breeds: DNA Test Results Revealed
When we first adopted Noke, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley believed she was a German Shepherd-Akita mix and would possibly grow to be 70-80 lbs. We could see it at first. She had some Japanese Spitz features including a somewhat curled tail and that unique forehead but her paws were tiny! We thought she must be a Shepherd-Shiba Inu mix but we had no idea what she really was until we did a DNA test. So we did and here are the amazing and somewhat unexpected results!
Cute is an understatement
None of Noke’s parents or grandparents were pure-breeds. She did however have great-grandparents that were and amazingly enough the purest traces in her DNA were Collie and Great Pyrenees. Her great-grandparents also showed large amounts of Basenji, Siberian Husky, and German Shepherd. These, however, were at a lower confidence and might have been mixed already at this point. (They can only track back to great-grandparents and have a harder time determining the calculations in mixed breeds.)
zzz
Before I mention, what other breeds were recognized by the genetic history as the most likely other pieces of her mixed breed heritage I will say that Noke is almost certainly most visually and personally a Basenji-German Shepherd mix. At this point, those seem to be by far the most dominate components of her look and attitude. We get asked regularly if she is a pure-bred German Shepherd and obviously the HSBV thought she was an Akita. Akitas and Basenjis do have quite a bit in common.
So, by looking into that chart I posted you will see there are a lot of spaces that are taken up by a dog tag that says mixed breed. The three mixed breed dogs that were her great-grandparents could have contained the following breeds in order of most likely to least: White Swiss Shepherd, Chinese Shar-Pei, Affenpinscher, Glen of Imaal Terrier, and Clumber Spaniel. This makes sense. Noke obviously has a lot of Shepherd in her, whether German of White Swiss. We can also see some Shar-Pei in her although the other breeds seem very unlikely.
Some of her breeds are not very large while one is relatively huge. The DNA test estimates that she will weigh 50-77 pounds as an adult. They classify her as a Basenji, Collie, German Shepherd, Siberian Husky, Great Pyrenees mix. It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. We will keep you updated on her growth and development. I hope she grows to be the full 77 pounds or more because I love big dogs! Will she continue to look like a German Shepherd and act like a Basneji or will things change? We will let you know!
And as a note, these DNA tests are inexpensive and humane. They are very simple and give an owner important knowledge as to how to train, treat, feed and raise their dogs. It is an awesome option so let us know if you are interested in getting a test for your dog. It is never too late to know! And as always…stay hungry and fit!
Mar162014
Could These Extreme Sports be Exactly What’s Missing from Your Life?
This is a guest post by Billy Henry. Billy Henry has been an extreme sports nut ever since he experienced his first sky dive on his 21st birthday. He is very interested in trying out BASE jumping next.
As sports fans, some of us are always searching for the next big buzz, seeing how far we can push the envelope and raise the ceiling. Once you’ve exhausted all the more conventional avenues though (snow sports, skydiving etc), is there really anywhere left to go? This article strives to offer an answer to that question, by exposing readers to a raft of more unconventional extreme sports from all around the world.
BASE Jumping
If you really want to feel like James Bond, there is no extreme sport quite as exhilarating or daring as BASE jumping. The sport involves free-falling from a bridge, a building or any incredibly tall, inanimate object with a parachute attached and opening it on the way down. With adequate training, BASE jumps can be achieved almost anywhere, but there is a set calendar of events for enthusiasts, where they congregate to perform ‘mass jumps’. Of course, this is NOT a sport to be taken lightly. It requires plenty of training and a strong stomach as any mistakes made could be potentially fatal.
Jousting
No this isn’t some kind of bizarre euphemism; we’re literally referring to medieval style jousting here. You might have thought jousting died out along with court jesters and ‘fair maidens’ but jousting is still alive and well today, but it’s certainly not for the fainthearted! If you’re not aware of the basics of jousting the sport involves two heavily armoured ‘knights’, charging at one another on horseback whilst carrying an 11-foot lance. The aim of the game is simple; knock your opponent off their steed before they knock you off yours. Competitors can reach up to 30 miles an hour and as such, jousting is a decidedly dangerous extreme sport that requires great riding skills, a solid centre of balance and significant upper body strength. Events take place all over the world, from New Zealand to California. The ‘Harcourt Park World International Jousting Tournament’ held annually in New Zealand draws up to 10,000 people every year.
Ice Climbing
This is a sport that requires a certain amount of experience in climbing and nerves of steel, as you’ll be climbing vast ice caves supported only by your own wits and a seemingly infinite (and definitely fatal) drop. The largest indoor ice wall in the world is actually located in Scotland at Kinlocklevan. This is a great place for beginners and seasoned professionals alike to train and gather their skills. Once you’ve tackled the artificial snow and have acquired a decent level of training and equipment, you can move on to the real deal. Needless to say however, a great level of fitness is absolutely necessary!
Volcano Boarding
Even the title of this one is exciting right? It’s also surprisingly literal. Of course for most people, the sight of one of the world’s most active volcanoes would cause them to turn tail and run as fast as humanely possible in the opposite direction. But of course, you’re not “Most people”, are you. Volcano boarders are daredevils who choose to travel down the Cerro Negro volcano in Nicaragua wearing just some thin overalls and a pair of goggles on a thin wooden board. The active volcano is located just outside Leon in Central America and has erupted 23 times in the last 160 years. Boarders can either stand or ride their boards like snowboards down the mountain (indeed, the ash is almost the consistency of snow) or sit and sledge down the steeper sides. Over 10,000 people have boarded down Cerro Negro since 2005, do you fancy joining their ranks?
Downhill Mountain Biking
A time trial event generally held on incredibly steep, rough terrain and often featuring jumps, rock patches and other obstacles, downhill mountain biking is an extreme sport that requires not just the right gear, but a steady hand and a clear head. In many ways, downhill mountain biking is a little like downhill skiing, in so much as how the basic principles of the sport function. The UK is not known for its snow though, but we do have quite a few incredibly mountains. Snowdon especially is something of a Mecca for downhill mountain biking enthusiasts from all over the world. This is a sport that requires a decent initial investment when it comes to gear, but if you visit SportPursuit.com you’ll be able to find a bunch of reasonable offers on some of the best mountain biking equipment money can buy.
Limbo Skating
We’ll end with an incredibly odd one. Taking two already potentially dangerous sports and combining them into one even more dangerous sport, the relatively new sport of Limbo Skating is essentially exactly what it says on the tin. You’re basically taking limbo dancing and adding skated into the equation. The results are something akin to a dance, only a dance that could easily end with a broken back if things go wrong. The most famous limbo skater in the world is the young Indian boy Rohan Ajit Kokane, who is able to skate horizontally with his body only 8 inches above the ground! His record is to skate underneath 20 cars whilst almost completely horizontal!
Of course we’ve only scratched the surface here. Other unconventional extreme sports that should earn themselves a place on any fanatics bucket list include ‘Bike Polo’, ‘Sled Dog Racing’ and ‘Drift Diving’ (like a roller-coaster, only on your back and in the water). So get out there and get stuck in!
