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Keep The Balance aka The Slackline Thread

Bagseed

Bluelighter
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Jul 22, 2010
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I did a quick search and did not find any related topic, so I figured to better start one...

slackline.jpg


So, who is into the awesome activity of Slackline? I'm doing it since 2010 I think, but the last 2.5 years I hardly trained, but this year, I really got back into it, exercising about 3-4 times a week now, depending on time and weather.
I still use my old Gibbon Classic 15m, but I plan to reward myself with a new one (30-50m probably) after the last exames this semester, and my goal is to manage 30m after the summer.

Where I live, it's really popular, and if the weather is good, some of the local parks are packed with slacklines (alongside people juggling and doing other related stuff).

It's really a gentle but thourough training of your body, and I highly recommend it for people with back problems. It's also ver meditative because you have to focus alot.

well, this is for a beginning...

(btw, I wasn't sure if this is better suited for HL or SO.)
 
I'm planning on buying one soon to improve balance. Any tips on what a beginner should look for in his first slackline?
 
Of course, when you begin, you will have to set it up rather short and not too high. there are countless brands nowadays to choose from... you can even get discounter slacklines for cheap, if you want to. I'd say you should buy at least 15m, because even if you start with 7m initially, you can expand over time.
The material is trickier though, I personally prefer a width of ~3cm and a nice, flexible fabric, but you really only get to know through trying out different setups.

If you have a place in your area, where you can find people slacklining, I recommend to go there and talk to them, and maybe try it out. They are mostly openminded and chilled out people anyway :)
 
Bagseed, I pride myself for someone my age in having really good balance (I practice on railroad tracks) but I was humbled (read: humiliated) recently when I tried to walk on a line someone was using at the beach. Everyone kept giving me tips and encouraging me but I couldn't even take one step!:p Are you already taking the next step as soon as you get on the line?
 
nah, especially when you're new to it, you rather have to learn to keep the balance, before taking a step. How long did you try? It's normal that it takes some time for newbies. Our balance isn't really adjusted to that kind of thing. So if you want to learn it, keep trying :)

what were the specifications of the line (lenght, height, tighness)? anything longer than 7m and higher than your hip is too difficult for a newb in my opinion...

btw, I am fucking pissed, local authorities have now prohibited to set up slacklines in my favourite park. apparently someone thinks that it is "not good" for the trees or something (the truth is, there have been slackliners for almost 5 years now, and the trees have nothing more than slight marks, no real damage to the bark. and since abou 1.5 years all the people use bark protection anyway). Fuck it, what am I gonna do now on a sunny day? :(
 
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