Excerpt————————

Dangerous Sports Ranking   is based on the number of injuries  1 Ice Hockey  2 Baseball  3 Basketball  4 Soccer  5 American Football  6 Golf  7 Skiing  8 Volleyball  9 Fishing  10 Skateboarding

  There is also this saying:

No.1 Free Solo Climbing

Rock climbing originated in Europe in the 18th century and became an independent sport in 1970. Free solo climbing refers to ascending without any external aids, relying solely on the climber’s own strength. It requires performing continuous turns, pull-ups, shifts, and even jumps on cliffs of varying heights and angles. Combining fitness, entertainment, and competition, it is an exhilarating yet graceful extreme sport, hailed by climbers worldwide as the “ballet on the cliffs.” Although rock climbing has gradually become a popular outdoor extreme activity in recent years, with more people experiencing its unique thrills, free solo climbing demands extremely high levels of physical fitness, courage, coordination, and flexibility—posing significant dangers for beginners without systematic professional training.

No.2 Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping originated from the Vanuatu Islands in the Pacific and was originally a rite of passage for local youths. On a small island called Pentecost in the Vanuatu archipelago, residents hold a “death jump” event every April or May. Young men tie vines around their ankles and leap from a 30-meter-high “platform” to prove they have become adults capable of facing danger alone. The risk of bungee jumping is comparable to driving a car at 160 km/h. From a medical perspective, bungee jumping poses several potential threats to the human body: first, retinal capillaries can easily rupture during the fall, causing temporary blindness; second, accidental collisions with mountains, branches, or the tethered rope during high-speed descent can lead to fractures, limb paralysis, or even permanent disability; third, there are other potential but undiscovered and unverified injuries. Additionally, faulty or poorly maintained bungee equipment, improper setup, expired gear, or inadequately trained staff—all of which may stem from operators not following necessary safety regulations or even operating without legal permits—are common causes of accidents. For those who love this “death-defying” game, bungee jumping requires not only a strong heart and healthy blood vessels, but also a fair bit of luck.

No.3 BASE Jumping

BASE jumping is a gliding extreme sport and is even more dangerous than skydiving from high altitudes. BASE jumps are typically made from fixed objects like tall buildings, cliffs, towers, or bridges. With limited altitude, jumpers have only about 5 seconds to deploy their parachutes, leaving little room for adjusting body position or movement mid-air. Only those with extensive high-altitude skydiving experience attempt BASE jumps, but even that doesn’t guarantee safety. On October 5, 2004, Roland Simpson, a BASE jumping expert from Australia, jumped from a 345-meter platform on Shanghai’s Jinmao Tower. However, his parachute failed to open immediately, and by the time it did, he was already close to the ground. Instead of landing on the designated grassy area, he was blown onto a lower platform and suffered severe injuries.

No.4 High-Altitude Stunt Flying

Since Asian “King of Flight” Kuang Shengli successfully flew a Mitsubishi sports car over the Yellow River in 1997, high-altitude stunts have seemingly become a popular profession. There are those who fly over the Hukou Waterfall, those who cross the Chu-Han Divide, and one participant even tragically lost his life attempting to fly over the Great Wall—on a bicycle. High-altitude stunts are extreme tests of human limits. While courage is essential, advanced technological safety measures are paramount. The sports car Kuang used to cross the Yellow River had immense power, capable of accelerating to 150 km/h in seconds. To prevent explosions from potential vehicle damage, it was equipped with an automatic engine shut-off system that activated after 3 seconds. The car also had a full computer system and automated controls to handle various emergencies. Without such safety assurances, it's better to avoid playing this dangerous game.

No.5 High-Speed Racing

Driving a race car at speeds of 300 km/h on a track, experiencing the perfect harmony between man and machine at the limit of speed, is truly a thrilling and marvelous sensation. During high-speed racing, what’s truly being challenged is the driver’s skill and reaction time—but in pushing these limits, one is also playing a dangerous game with death. Twelve years ago at the Imola Circuit in San Marino, racing legend Ayrton Senna was driving his Williams car in the fifth lap of the race when suddenly, the vehicle lost control and crashed into a concrete wall. The car disintegrated amid the violent impact and rollover, with one wheel shooting straight into the air like a toy frisbee… The entire incident lasted just 10 short seconds, and after those 10 seconds, the legendary racer was gone.

No.6 Diving

Don’t doubt your eyes—diving has been officially listed as one of the extreme sports, challenging how far humans can go in the underwater world. While recreational diving in daily life may seem unrelated to pushing physical limits, the risks involved are just as real. The late French writer Sanmao’s husband, José, met with an accident while diving in Palma Island.

No.7 Mountaineering

Mountaineering is undoubtedly one of the most vivid examples of humans challenging nature. Building physical stamina, mastering breathing techniques, and adjusting footwork are all invaluable experiences in pushing physical limits. All of this stems from systematic and professional training—attempting to bypass this process is undoubtedly dangerous. The consecutive tragedies of amateur mountaineers in recent years serve as painful lessons. Mountain climbing requires respect for science and must be carried out under strict guidance of scientific training methods. Climbers must undergo specialized training and be fully prepared in terms of knowledge, physical ability, and equipment. One must never recklessly take risks driven solely by youthful bravado.

No.8 Wilderness Survival

It’s unclear why modern people are so drawn to this leisure activity. It may be relaxing, but the rules of the jungle and wilderness are not something that can be fully grasped from just one or two so-called “Wilderness Survival Guides.” When a crisis strikes, you’re left with only two choices: wait for rescue or face death.

No.9 Speed Skiing

Among all land-based gliding sports, speed skiing is one of the closest to the essence of extreme sports. Fast, dynamic, and harmonizing the body with nature, it offers thrills and enjoyment. People are often drawn to pursue and participate in it, sometimes neglecting their own safety—the most dangerous issue in speed skiing. It’s easy to become unknowingly exhilarated, especially among the young, who often ski at excessive speeds despite lacking the necessary skills. This not only leads to personal injury but can also endanger others. In addition, inadequate warm-up, unfamiliarity with terrain, lack of sleep, or poor physical condition can all become potential hazards.

No.10 Enduring Hunger and Cold

This is a challenge not commonly mentioned in extreme leisure sports, but with a series of activities aimed at pushing hunger limits, enduring hunger and cold seems to have become a trend. In September 2003, American magician David Blaine spent 44 days alone in a large glass box suspended over the River Thames in London, surviving on nothing but water. It’s hard to imagine what kind of limits this challenge pushes, but relatively speaking, enduring hunger and cold may be the only extreme leisure activity that isn’t life-threatening—when performed under public observation.


A ranking of the risk levels of various popular sports

1. Boxing 2. Downhill Mountain Biking 3. Skiing 4. American Football 5. Soccer 6. Gymnastics 7. Horseback Riding 8. Wrestling 9. Ice Hockey 10. Karate 11. Judo 12. Motocross 13. Rugby 14. Skateboarding or Snowboarding 15. Street Hockey 16. Rock Climbing 17. Water Skiing