Extreme ironing. Strange sports you never knew existed. Dragging wives around your neck

Mountaineering? Parachuting? Paragliding? Do not make me laugh! This is baby talk, not an extreme sport! But jumping from the roof and ironing your grandmother’s favorite tablecloth, burning with a blue flame, is serious. We warn you: it won’t be easy - such a thing requires training and even talent. But if you are already ready, then go ahead! Don't forget the iron.

Now we will tell you about one rare but interesting perversion. “Extreme ironing” is what it’s called. What is it and how does it work?

The recipe is extremely simple. You need to take an iron, an ironing board, as well as an object that needs to be ironed - or even the same grandmother’s tablecloth. But don’t even think about just taking it and starting ironing it (that is, the tablecloth) right at home! It's banal and unsporting.

Group version of extreme underwater ironing (photo from damncoolpics.blogspot.com).

If you are one hundred percent sure that extreme ironing is your way, then go with all this belongings to some inhuman conditions and start using the iron there in some inhuman way. Which one? Okay, let's give you a few ways to help.

True extreme sports enthusiasts do not look for easy ways! (photo from extremeironing.com).

The most primitive option is to climb some Everest (you can grab the kids too), lay out a board there and start ironing. As you can judge from numerous photographs, this is done very often. True, it is not clear where the energy for the electric iron comes from on the snow-capped peaks. Obviously received from a distance.

Extreme ironing allows you not only to combine sports with household chores, but also to free up space in the cabin from unnecessary passengers (photo from damncoolpics.blogspot.com).

Fortunately, things can happen in other places. Some people iron in the forest, and some even claim that they did it during military operations in hot spots (to be honest, it’s hard to believe). More peaceful options: in the middle of a busy street, under water, and also - this applies only to the pros - at the bottom of an ice-covered lake.

This is how they do it in Taiwan. Let's call this national flavor (photo from damncoolpics.blogspot.com).

Often ironing is combined with another process, preferably quite intense - with a descent from the mountain on a snowboard, skis or while canoeing. Or with anything else - there are plenty of eccentrics in the world. Moreover, the Age of Extreme Ironing did not begin yesterday, and there are many options.

Phil Shaw, a resident of the British city of Leicester, one day returned home from a knitting factory “after a hard day at work.” Well, of course, in the evening I decided - as Phil himself claims, as a rest - to climb some local rocks and certainly combine this with ironing clothes. Yes, apparently that day really turned out to be difficult...

Death Valley, California. However, even without a signature it is clear that they are dead (photo from damncoolpics.blogspot.com).

This extraordinary event happened somewhere in 1997. And since then, the image of a man with an iron on a mountain top has not left Phil alone.

Oddly enough, but very soon like-minded people appeared. For some time they functioned as a kind of “underground” group. In 1998, after some reflection, they decided to “come out of the shadows” and announced the creation of the Extreme Ironing Bureau.

Do you have a saree? If so, follow Mr. Steam's lead (he's in the box) and iron these extravagant clothes just like he does (photo from extremeironing.com).

And in June 1999, Mr. Shaw acquired the creative pseudonym Steam (Steam means “steam” in English) and, having come up with many new eccentric ways and places of ironing, went on tour to show it all to the world.

A little-known episode from Duremar’s personal life (photo from extremeironing.com).

Mr. Show-Steam’s route also turned out to be, frankly speaking, unusual and passed through the USA, the Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. In New Zealand, Phil met a group of tourists from Germany, who, as it turned out, were also very worried about the problem of monotonous ironing.

Without thinking twice, Steam and these Germans created an association called Extreme Ironing International, which should bring people the happiness of extreme ironing.

Phil Shaw in New York. In his opinion, this extreme ironing is done in an urban style (photo from damncoolpics.blogspot.com).

One of the first ways to bring the bright ideas of extreme ironing to life is to jump with high altitude with an ironing board, an iron and, in fact, the product being processed. So that the jumper has the opportunity to repeat this repeatedly, he is tied with an elastic rope, which prevents him from falling to the ground.

This type of extreme sport is called “bungee jumping,” and although it has existed for a long time, no one (even the Pacific aborigines who invented it for ritual purposes) for some reason thought of jumping with an iron.

History is silent on what happens to this man, but it does seem like something very extreme is happening. This is happening in Cape Town, although this hardly changes anything (photo from extremeironing.com).

And it began...

In 2002, not far from Munich, the first (and so far only) extreme ironing championship was held, organized by the German branch of Extreme Ironing International. As many as 80 teams from 10 countries took part in the competition. And not in vain - main result was successfully achieved: it was possible to attract the attention of journalists.

On next year Phil Shaw has released a book, Extreme Ironing. And in 2004 - a DVD with the documentary Ironing Under the Sky. One way or another, extreme ironing has gained some recognition.

Yes, not sporty, but very extreme! (photo from extremeironing.com).

To date, numerous records have been set in this unprecedented area. One of them belongs to Shaw himself. In 2002, Phil ironed a 15-metre sari for two hours while inside a transparent box suspended from a crane above a three-storey shopping center in Leicester.

A speleologist without an ironing board and an iron is not a speleologist, but a speleologist (photo from extremeironing.com).

It is not entirely clear, however, what exactly is considered a record here - 2 hours, 15 meters, three floors or a transparent box. And what happened to the sari after such an execution is also unknown. But in secret (just don’t tell anyone) we’ll tell you that this was an advertising trick for the company Rowenta, which still sponsors the extreme ironing tricks of Phil and his followers.

A separate topic is underwater records. They are beaten constantly, and each one hits in his own way. For example, last year a group of extreme ironers climbed to the very depth of 126 meters somewhere off the Egyptian coast.

But they did not rejoice for long: they were soon ahead of them by scuba diver Louise Trewavas, who ironed something in the Red Sea at a depth of 137 meters. By the way, she holds the very first deep ironing record - one hundred meters in 2003.

Never try this trick at home! (photo from extremeironing.com).

A logical question: what is the quality of ironing? Yes, nothing - people, after all, do such crazy things to play sports, and not to iron.

By the way, according to our ironing athletes, British swimmer Sir Stephen Geoffrey Redgrave, a five-time gold Olympian, said that in a few years swimming could be excluded from the Olympic Games program and replaced with extreme ironing. We support. Fair. It is high time.

Recently, extreme astronomers invented a new method for searching for extrasolar planets... (photo from extremeironing.com).

Trying to classify such, to put it mildly, a non-standard type of human activity as extreme ironing, they are trying to define it as something between extreme sports and performance art. Although this is most likely just some new perversion. Well, would you agree?

But there are many options - you won’t get bored with this kind of thing.

In particularly cramped conditions, you can completely do without an ironing board (photo from damncoolpics.blogspot.com).

In general, choose according to your taste. And then - legs in hands, irons in hands, ironing boards in hands, some junk in hands - and to the mountains, to the sea and underground! Yes, in general, anywhere, because extreme ironing has not yet been carried out everywhere.

While searching for cheap living space, the young man settled on this option (photo from extremeironing.com).

You can, for example, for the sake of a record, do it in a place where this has never happened before - on board a space station, inside a thermonuclear reactor, or in the Greek hall at Apollo. Or in an enclosure with alligators, using one of them instead of a board - this kind of ironing will be truly extreme! In short, as they say in such cases, emphasize suitable version or

"Nothing!" - most normal people will say and they will be wrong! After all, it is the ironing board that fans of the unusual tourist destination - extreme ironing - strive to take with them to the mountains, to the sea, and even on the plane.

History of extreme ironing

Like many strange activities, extreme ironing appeared in Europe, or rather in, and the reason for its origin was ordinary laziness. Philip Shaw, doomed to spend the weekend doing boring household chores, decided that he could combine them with outdoor recreation. He grabbed an ironing board, an iron and a supply of linen that needed to be ironed, and went to the mountains.

Soon another friend of his joined him, and then almost half the city was inspired by the crazy idea. The idea quickly spread throughout the country and reached the masses.

Necessary equipment

It’s easy to spot a fan of extreme ironing in a crowd - he always has everyone behind him. necessary equipment, which, according to sports tradition, he is obliged to carry all the way.

So, this list includes: a classic ironing board and a regular iron. For those who would like to cheat and take a shortened board, there is a separate clause in the ironing rules that allows this only when ironing on airplanes or while skydiving. As for the iron, where there is no electricity, it has to be heated over a fire or using other safe means at hand. The main condition is that nature does not suffer.

The most dangerous species

Do you think this pleasure is so simple and harmless? Not at all, because in addition to those who drag their trusty ironing board to capital squares and cathedrals, there are also fans of more extreme recreation.

In first place, of course, is Airstyle - ironing while skydiving, paragliding or in a sports airplane. On the second, Rocky Style - ironing in the mountains or on sheer walls, the most difficult part of which is conquering the peak with such an unusual load. And the honorable third place goes to underwater ironing (Water Style), which is carried out in any body of water, and it can be either a fountain or the Mariinsky Trench (of course, in the second case the ironer will be in scuba gear). By the way, Water Style is also the most pointless ironing, because what kind of result can we talk about if both the laundry and the iron are under water.

This fun list also includes: ironing on trees (Forest Style), in the city on rooftops or in public places (Urban Style), team competition on synchronous ironing, as well as numerous free varieties.

So, there are many ways in the world to diversify your vacation and add a touch of madness to any trip in the world. If you also want to attract the surprised glances of others and find comrades all over the world, take the necessary equipment and go on your ironing tour.

Olga Lukinskaya

Vacation is a time to disconnect from routine and relax, but this does not mean that it cannot be carried out actively. Instead of going to a boring Gym at the hotel, you can try new activities - or even choose a trip to sports camp. You don’t have to perfect new skills or worry that you won’t be able to continue at home; for example, many amateurs alpine skiing or snowboard ride them one to two weeks a year. We have compiled a selection of sports for vacation - familiar and not so familiar.

Surfing

Sometimes you can stay on the board for at least a few seconds already on the first day of training, but you can improve endlessly. Windy beaches with varying wave heights are suitable for surfing. Most schools rent everything you need - from boards to rashguards (tight-fitting T-shirts for protection from the sun's rays). There are surf camps in the most different countries, and it’s not as expensive as it seems: for example, a week of accommodation with breakfast and lessons in the Portuguese Algarve will cost only 300 euros. If you don’t want to bother with a wetsuit and learn to surf in cold water, you should choose a warmer place - for example, Bali or Nicaragua. The most interesting programs include fishing in the ocean, yoga classes and the most healthy lunches, dinners and snacks.

Bike

If you've never ridden a bike, then summer holidays are a great opportunity to try. It is better to do this not in cities with aggressive cycling traffic like Amsterdam or New York, but in some nice European village with smooth sidewalks. For those who know how to ride but rarely do so, a bicycle can add variety to their trip. And we’re not just talking about regular bike rentals in the city: there are entire bike tours of varying durations and for people with different skill levels, including beginners. You can combine business with pleasure and ride a bicycle through the vineyards and wineries of France or California.

Kayaking

A kayak is a small boat that anyone can handle with minimal instructions. At the same time, rowing puts a decent load on the muscles of the back, arms and shoulders, and the experience itself is accompanied by a sea of emotions. Kayaking down wild rivers is popular in Russia, but kayaking can be quite calm and contemplative, so it’s also suitable for those who don’t like extreme species sports Relatively close destinations where you can try kayaking in wonderful scenery are the Danube Delta in Romania, Sardinia and Croatia. Those planning trips to Australia or Canada should add kayaking surrounded by dolphins or whales to their plan.

Zipline

Not so much a sport as entertainment - but such a pastime definitely cannot be called passive. Ziplining is moving along steel cables using a special block system. Typically, such amusement parks are built in the wild: in the jungle, canyons or near volcanoes. There are also more unusual options: in Naples, Italy, you can ride through the air in an underground labyrinth, where many vintage cars and motorcycles are stored. Zipline parks compete with each other in the length of the route and its height: the highest (414 meters) is located in Dubai, and the longest (2300 meters) is in Puerto Rico.

Horseback riding

You can try horseback riding in almost any country, if you are willing to leave the big city for at least half a day. When in Rome, London or Barcelona, you just need to type the combination of the city name and the words “horse riding” into a search engine to get a lot of offers and book an appointment right away tomorrow. There are entire week-long or two-week tours on horseback - for example, in countries of Africa or southern Europe. To ride a horse, you will need comfortable shoes and long, thick pants - shorts and flip-flops are not suitable. And don't forget sunscreen!

Longboard

Various types of boards for riding on asphalt are gaining popularity every year - and the renovation of city parks contributes to this. Rent a longboard and get several free lessons You can even do it without going anywhere, and the Internet is full of detailed instructions for beginners. To diversify your trip, you can find a longboarding school locally and take a couple of classes - or you can use the board as your main means of getting around the city.

Floating yoga or fitness

Such workouts may include yoga, Pilates, and strength exercises- and what they have in common is that they are held on surfboards right in the sea. The peculiarity of these trainings is working on an unstable surface, which means a significant improvement in coordination and balance. Nearest school In the desired country or city, the easiest way to find it is by the abbreviation SUP - stand up paddle. Options range from one-hour private or group lessons to week-long programs at luxury hotel-style surf camps.

Street workout

Although the word “workout” is translated simply as “training”, this is the name given to a whole direction in sports - training on street horizontal bars, parallel bars and other yard “climbing grounds”. There is a World Street Workout Federation that holds world championships - the next one will be held in July this year in Moscow. Level some workouts are not much inferior to the performances of gymnasts at Olympic Games, and even workouts for beginners require the ability to pull yourself up properly. On the other side, street equipment can inspire new achievements and diversify your usual jogging - it can be used, for example, for push-ups or abdominal exercises.

This is perhaps the most absurd sport imaginable - and it involves ironing clothes in the most unpredictable places in the world. True, if you take a closer look, it turns out that we are talking more about extreme travel with elements of mountaineering, snowboarding, climbing the world's largest statues - only athletes carry or carry an iron with them. Extreme athletes iron their clothes in the air after jumping with a parachute, or right during a bicycle race. Laying out the ironing board and ironing a shirt on the conquered peak is an opportunity to celebrate your achievement, but not with a flag or a pyramid of stones.

Or on a slope

Or underwater

Or maybe on the water

And in other, frankly speaking, extreme situations from the point of view of ironing.

The first extreme ironing championship was held in Germany in September 2002. 12 teams took part in it, three of which were British.

Participants had to demonstrate their abilities in five categories: urban (ironing on or near a broken car), water, forest (ironing on a treetop), rocks, freestyle (whatever).

The winner, of course, was the founders of this sport - one of the British teams. The prize was a vacation to Hawaii, as well as household appliances for the home.
Dragging wives around your neck

It doesn't look as romantic as it sounds. Wife-carrying (from English - carrying a wife) is a speed competition: a man must overcome an obstacle course with a woman on his shoulder as quickly as possible.

Moreover, wives are usually carried not gently in their arms, but on their backs. Multiple styles are allowed. For example, this option is called “Estonian style”

This is fireman style.

Well, the classic one on the back.

According to the rules, a man runs 253.5 meters. This distance necessarily includes two land obstacles and one water obstacle, and the water depth must be at least a meter. The woman does not have to be the participant's wife, but she must be married, at least 17 years old and weigh at least 49 kilograms.

Wife-carrying appeared in Finland and every year (since 1992) it is there, in the city of Soknajärvi, that international championships. By the way, this year the Russian Dmitry Sagal and his partner Anastasia Loginova won for the first time. For the last 20 years, the Estonians or Finns have won.

There are several legends about the origin of this sport. All of them are connected with a certain robber Herkko Rosvo-Ronkainen, who allegedly lived in the forest in the 19th century and robbed villages in the area.

According to one version, the robber and his gang were accused of stealing not only food, but also women, throwing them on their backs and running away. According to another version, the young man stole other people's wives and made them his own.

The third version, much more prosaic, says that Herko allegedly forced members of his gang to run with heavy bags so that the robbers would become stronger and more resilient.

Digging graves at speed

Speedy grave digging - actually professional look sport for gravediggers. Competitions are held in various countries around the world, and then best teams meet at international competitions.

For example, quite recently the competition was held in Hungary in the city of Debrecen on the territory of a large cemetery. 18 teams, two people each, took part in it.

Participants had to make a grave 160 cm deep, 200 cm long and 80 cm wide.

The team that completed the task in less than half an hour won. Now she will go to international competitions and will compete for first place with teams from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

A similar competition was supposed to take place the other day in the Kazakh city of Taldy-Kurgan. However, due to the lack of a sufficient number of people willing to take part in it, it did not take place.

By the way, the creators of this sport are confident that such competitions help make the profession of a gravedigger attractive to young people.

Shin wrestling

Competitions in the so-called shin-kicing (from English - hitting the shin) are traditionally held in England in the county of Gloucestershire. The rules are extremely simple: two participants, standing opposite each other, take turns hitting their opponent on the shins until one of them falls to the ground.

Participants hold each other by the collars and are usually dressed in white robes, which symbolize the clothing of shepherds. The only protection allowed is straw, which is stuffed into the legs of the trousers.

It is important not only to stand on your feet, but also to endure the pain. The participant who cannot stand it must, according to the rules, shout “enough!” Now participants are required to wear soft shoes, but in the past, as legend has it, they used, on the contrary, hard boots with a metal toe.

It is believed that this species martial art"appeared in the 19th century and was one of the most popular spectacles at annual sports competitions Cotswold Olympic Games. However, the games ceased to be played in the 1850s, but shin fighting remained popular, especially among Cornish miners. And in the 19th century, this struggle, along with emigrants, appeared on the lands of America.

Annual championships have been held since 1951 and attract thousands of spectators. According to the rules, the winner must defeat the opponent in two out of three attempts.

Pillow fight

Pillow wrestling, in fact, is not just children's fun, but a semi-professional sport, and only for women. It all started with a few performances in Canada, and in 2004 the Pillow Fight League was created in Toronto. The sport is reminiscent of wrestling - participants fight with pillows in a real ring.

The fight lasts five minutes. The goal is to knock your opponent down or force him to surrender. If no one falls within the specified time, the winner is determined panel of judges, which consists of three people.

Girls often leave the ring with cuts and bruises, and sometimes with more serious bruises: some lost teeth, suffered a concussion and a cut lip.

Under no circumstances should you hold your opponent's pillow when she tries to hit; you can receive a warning from the judge, which will then be taken into account when deciding on the winner. Competitions are held in Montreal and even New York, but Toronto is still considered the capital of this sport. There are rumors that it has already come to the UK.

Ironing on the top of a mountain, steeplechase running with your wife around your neck and digging graves at speed - all these are real sports in which world championships are held and in which their own records and legends have long existed.

Medialeaks talks about the most strange competitions, the existence of which you most likely have not even heard of.

Extreme ironing

The so-called extreme ironing or ironing (from the English. extreme ironing) has been around for a couple of decades. The sport is believed to have originated in 1997 in Leicester City, England, and was invented by local resident Phil Shaw. One day he came home after a difficult day at work and realized that he wanted to take a walk in the mountains and not do housework. Then Shaw decided to combine these two activities.

What's the point? You just need to “iron” ordinary things on an ordinary ironing board, but in the most unusual places. According to the rules, the iron must be real, the board must be no shorter than a meter in length and 30 centimeters at its widest point, and the thing that the participant is ironing must be no smaller than a kitchen towel.

For example, at the top of a mountain.

Or on a slope.

Or underwater.

Or maybe on the water.

And in other, frankly speaking, extreme situations from the point of view of ironing.

The first extreme ironing championship was held in Germany in September 2002. 12 teams took part in it, three of which were British.

Participants had to demonstrate their abilities in five categories: urban(ironing on or near a broken machine), water, forest(ironing on the top of the tree), rocks, freestyle(as you wish). The judges hardly take into account the quality of ironing, because in those places where participants iron, as a rule, there is no electricity. So the main criteria for identifying the winner are, apparently, artistry and ingenuity.

The winner, of course, was the founders of this sport - one of the British teams. The prize was a vacation to Hawaii, as well as household appliances for the home.

Dragging wives around your neck

It doesn't look romantic at all. Wife-carrying (from English - wife carrying) is a speed competition: a man must overcome an obstacle course with a woman on his shoulder as quickly as possible.

Moreover, wives are usually carried not gently in their arms, but on their backs. Multiple styles are allowed. For example, this option is called “Estonian style”.

This is fireman style.

Well, the classic one is on the back.

Wife-carrying appeared in Finland and every year (since 1992) international championships are held there, in the city of Soknajärvi. By the way, this year the Russian Dmitry Sagal and his partner Anastasia Loginova won for the first time. For the last 20 years, the Estonians or Finns have won.

The third version, much more prosaic, says that Herko allegedly forced members of his gang to run with heavy bags so that the robbers would become stronger and more resilient.

Digging graves at speed

Speed grave digging is actually a professional sport for gravediggers. Competitions are held in various countries around the world, and then the best teams meet at international competitions.

For example, quite recently the competition was held in Hungary in the city of Debrecen on the territory of a large cemetery. 18 teams, two people each, took part in it.

Participants had to make a grave 160 cm deep, 200 cm long and 80 cm wide.

The team that completed the task in less than half an hour won. Now she will go to international competitions and will compete for first place with teams from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

By the way, the creators of this sport are confident that such competitions help make the profession of a gravedigger attractive to young people.

Shin wrestling

Competitions in the so-called shin-kicing (from English - beating on the shin) traditionally take place in England in the county of Gloucestershire. The rules are extremely simple: two participants, standing opposite each other, take turns hitting their opponent on the shins until one of them falls to the ground.

This form of "martial art" is believed to have originated in the 19th century and was one of the most popular spectacles at the annual Cotswold Olympic Games sporting events. However, the games ceased to be played in the 1850s, but shank fighting remained popular, especially among Cornish miners. And in the 19th century, this struggle, along with emigrants, appeared on the lands of America.

Annual championships have been held since 1951 and attract thousands of spectators. According to the rules, the winner must defeat the opponent in two out of three attempts.

Pillow fight

The fight lasts five minutes. The goal is to knock your opponent down or force him to surrender. If no one falls during the specified time, the winner is determined by a panel of judges, which consists of three people.

Girls often leave the ring with cuts and bruises, and sometimes with more serious bruises: some lost teeth, suffered a concussion and a cut lip.

Under no circumstances should you hold your opponent's pillow when she tries to hit - you can receive a warning from the judge, which will then be taken into account when deciding on the winner. Competitions are held in Montreal and even in New York, but Toronto is still considered the capital of this sport. There are rumors that it has already come to the UK.