Evoking the Ineffable: The Phenomenology of Extreme Sports

Abstract

We are witnessing an unprecedented interest in and engagement with extreme sport activities. Extreme sports are unique in that they involve physical prowess as well as a particular attitude toward the world and the self. We have scant understanding of the experience of participants who engage in extreme activities such as Buildings Antennae Span and Earth (BASE) jumping, big wave surfing, extreme skiing, waterfall kayaking, extreme mountaineering, and solo rope-free climbing. The current study investigates the experience of people who engage in extreme sports utilizing a phenomenological approach. The study draws upon interviews with 15 extreme sports participants across 3 continents to explicate 3 unique themes: extreme sports as invigorating experience, inadequacy of words, and participants’ experience of transcendence. The findings provide a valuable insight into the experiences of the participants and contribute to our understanding of human volition and the range of human experiences