Extreme sports have become quite popular amongst the youth of today. Any sport with a higher level of danger linked to it usually is put in the extreme sports bracket. These sports mostly involve a great amount of speed, dramatic stunts, specialized gear and a considerable level of physical exercise. Though these activities are usually not exclusive to the youth, it is often noted that the people participating in these activities do belong to the younger demographics. ESPN also provides all the news and happenings around these events through their programs.
Almost all of the variables in extreme sports action are beyond control. This can be a good reason why the majority of the extreme sports athletes begin training without a coach or considerable guidance and are also mostly solitary in nature. Challenges not only extend amongst competitors but also to nature and environmental variables such as wind, snow, terrains and water. Some of the uncontrollable phenomenas attached with extreme sports can be seen during events such as surfing, rock and ice climbing and snowboarding. The quality of ice and rocks, the heights of the waves in the course of snowboarding or even the snow conditions during snowboarding events are outside of physical control.
One of the largest extreme sports sporting events is called the X Games. This commercial sporting event is organized and aired live by ESPN.. There are two such sporting events organized during the year, one during winter and the other in summer. The Winter X Games are held in the month of January and February and the Summer X Games take place mostly in the month of August. These two events are conducted in the United States.
The participants compete for the gold, silver and bronze medals in the games along with the cash prize that is connected with it. However, judging an extreme sport event is quite distinctive from the traditional games. While distance, score and time form an important part of the judging criteria for traditional sports, extreme sports participants are judged mostly on the aesthetics that they can bring making judgment far more subjective. As a result of this each sport employs its respective dynamic ideals that evolve assessment with new techniques and trends set by way of the participants.
There's been some debate surrounding the label of extreme sports. As a number of people contend that extreme sports is not more than a marketing plan giving viewers the perception on the high level of danger related to it. These people point out that a sport like rugby or Demolition derby isn't considered an extreme sport although there exists a higher level of danger and adrenalin rush that is related to it. It is viewed similar to the youth trying to reject authority and order and setting up a place of their own making the participating demographics of a much younger age bracket. Although initially adult sports like sky diving, bungee jumping, mountain climbing scuba diving etc were connected with extreme sports, now this term is more relevant to youth driven sports including skateboarding, aggressive skating, BMX etc.
