There are two types of people: those who would jump from a plane, hungry to feel the rush of adrenaline in those moments before the parachute opens up, and those who would rather not tempt fate, and instead find pleasure in remaining safely on firm ground, perhaps enjoying a nice view. An extreme sport is one where a small mistake could result in a serious injury, even death. What is it that separates extreme sports enthusiasts from others who prefer to avoid such activities? 

有两种类型的人：一类人会从飞机上跳下来，渴望在降落伞打开前的那一刻感受到肾上腺素的激增，而另一类人则宁愿不去尝试命运，而宁愿安全地留在坚实的地面上寻找乐趣 ，或许还能欣赏到美景。极限运动是一项小错误就可能导致严重伤害甚至死亡的运动。极限运动爱好者和那些喜欢避免此类活动的人的区别是什么？ 

"There has to be something wrong with them." That's an assumption that many people, including researchers, have historically held. Why else would a person participate in sports such as base jumping and free solo climbing, which are characterised by such high risk? But Eric Brymer, behavioural scientist who studies the psychology of adventure, has met many extreme athletes in his career and challenges the view that they are all reckless thrill-seekers. "Most people were very careful and took years to develop their skills," he said. Many don't even consider their sports risky because they spend so much time minimising risk. 

“他们肯定有什么问题。” 这是包括研究人员在内的许多人历来持有的假设。否则为什么一个人会参加诸如定点跳伞和自由攀岩等风险如此高的运动呢？但研究冒险心理学的行为科学家埃里克·布赖默(Eric Brymer)在他的职业生涯中遇到了许多极限运动员，他挑战了“他们都是鲁莽的寻求刺激者”的观点。“大多数人都非常小心，花了数年时间来培养自己的技能，”他说。许多人甚至不认为他们的运动有风险，因为他们花了很多时间来尽量减少风险。 

In fact, a desire to manage risks was a trait identified in extreme athletes in a 2024 study called 'What factors explain extreme sport participation?'. The authors also found that athletes enjoyed feeling at one with nature and being part of a community of like-minded people. Another theme was a drive to succeed. In this sense, extreme athletes might not differ much from traditional athletes – they are all united in wanting that sense of achievement. Lastly, while many extreme athletes are thrill-seekers, others use extreme sports for emotion regulation. For those who struggle to confront their emotions, extreme sports can provide an outlet. 

事实上，管理风险的愿望是 2024 年一项名为“哪些因素解释极限运动参与？”的研究中发现的极限运动员的一个特征。作者还发现，运动员喜欢与大自然融为一体的感觉，并成为志趣相投的社区的一部分。另一个主题是成功的动力。从这个意义上说，极限运动员可能与传统运动员没有太大区别——他们都团结一致地想要那种成就感。最后，虽然许多极限运动员是寻求刺激的人，但其他人则利用极限运动来调节情绪。对于那些难以面对情绪的人来说，极限运动可以提供一个出口。 

Alex Honnold is the first and currently only person to free solo climb El Capitan, a rock formation in Yosemite National Park, from base to summit. When asked why he free climbs, he said "I'm searching more for that feeling of having done something well and being deeply content – it's more than the quick hit of adrenaline. It's personal." You might not feel the need to free solo climb a massive rock face to feel fulfilled, but the feeling of achieving goals outside of our comfort zone is something many of us can relate to. 

亚历克斯·霍诺德 (Alex Honnold) 是第一个也是目前唯一一个徒手攀登优胜美地国家公园 El Capitan 岩层（从山脚到山顶）的人。当被问及为什么进行自由攀登时，他说：“我更多地寻找那种做好某件事并深深满足的感觉——这不仅仅是肾上腺素的快速冲击。这是个人的。” 您可能不需要徒手攀登巨大的岩石表面才能感到满足，但在我们的舒适区之外实现目标的感觉是我们许多人都能体会到的。 

词汇表

feel the rush 感受（某物的）激增
adrenaline 肾上腺素
parachute 降落伞
tempt fate 冒不必要的危险
pleasure 乐趣
enthusiast 爱好者
base jumping 定点跳伞
free solo climbing 徒手攀岩
reckless 不计后果的，鲁莽的
thrill-seeker 追求刺激的人
at one with nature 与自然融为一体
drive 欲望，强烈的动力
sense of achievement 成就感
emotion regulation 情绪调节
outlet （情绪的）发泄途径
summit 山峰，顶峰
comfort zone 舒适区