by Molly Gately
A new trend of what looks like tight rope walking has emerged on the UMass campus. From the hill behind Baker Hall, to the lawn in front of the Goodell building, people can be found practicing their slacklining skills all over UMass.
According to Gibbon Slacklines, slacklining is, “the act of balancing along a narrow, flexible piece of webbing which is low to the ground and usually anchored between two trees.” Unlike a tight rope, the line is made out of trampoline-like material which provides the perfect amount of bounce for fun tricks and balancing acts.
To start, all one needs are two fully-grown trees that are a good distance apart and of course, a slackline. For beginners, it is easier to start with a very tight and short line that is closer to the ground. This way, there is less bounce and height to fall from.
After mastering the basics, there are various ways to challenge one’s self. A vast amount of online articles and videos provide helpful hints for things like increasing the length and height of the line, learning tricks, or setting the line up over water.
UMass senior and slacklining enthusiast James Bell said he first experienced slacklining through the UMass Outing Club his freshmen year and later saw it again while studying abroad in Thailand. According to James, the best part of slacklining is the focus that it provides.
“The only thing that sets apart a person who can walk the line and cannot- is focus,” said Bell. “Everyone has balance. It is all in your head.” By increasing his focusing skills through slacklining, Bell has learned that the focus can be applied to other aspects of life.
“If you can take the capacity of focus that it takes to walk the line and apply it to all facets of life, you can achieve whatever you want,” said Bell. “If you can train yourself to focus on one thing, you can use that in the rest of what you do.” In addition to increased focus, slacklining can also help improve balance, core strength, and increase coordination.
Bell also pointed out that slacklining on campus is a great way to meet people.
“Everyone is always interested,” said Bell. “ When you’re slacking, everyone always walks over and wants to know what it is. You meet people and talk to them. It is a big group activity that brings everybody together.”
Recently, the UMass Outing Club hosted its second ever slacklining event. The event’s coordinator, Patrick “Mac” McDonnell Hart, said that at their first official slacklining event the week before, at least sixty people stopped by to try out the line. Mac explained that he was, “blown away” by the turn out and surprised by the diversity in the people and talent that came.
“A lot of different people stopped by, I helped a sixty year old man cross the line,” said McDonnell. “We had a guy doing back flips from one line to another.”
Next time you come across a group of slackliners, introduce yourself if you are interested. You might find yourself with a new favorite hobby.
