Discontinued Sports in Olympics

The Olympics had lots of games, which are no longer included in today's Olympics. The games, which were once a part of the Olympics, are golf, polo, rugby, tug-of-war, cricket, croquet, jeu de paume, power boating, rackets, rink-hockey, lacrosse, basque pelote, roque, and water skiing.

Golf is one of the finest games in the world and is played in almost hundred countries of the world. It has been considered as an international game from the mid-19th century. Golf was held in the 1900 and 1904 Olympics. In the 1900 Olympics, there were separate games for men and women.

Polo is the oldest mounted sport, dating back to many centuries. It is believed to have originated in Asia especially in India, China and ancient Persia. Polo was part of the Olympic games in 1900, 1908, 1920, 1924 and 1936.

Two teams who use netted sticks to pass and catch the rubber ball in order to score play lacrosse.

Cricket is the second popular game in the world and it is supposed to have originated in the thirteenth century. Two teams consisting of eleven members who play it using a bat, ball and wicket play this game. The match is played on a flat and open grass long strip of field named as pitch. Stumps are three vertical wooden sticks placed parallel to each other, at both the ends of the pitch and two small wooden pieces are placed on top the three sticks. This structure is known as the wicket. The bowler, from the fielding team, aims a leather ball at one of the wickets. The batsman, from the opposing team, tries to hit the ball away from the wicket, with the help of a wooden bat. The other team members of the fielding team spread themselves on the field in order to catch the ball, which was hit by the batsman. If they are successful in catching the ball before it hits the ground, the batsman is out. In the meanwhile, after hitting the ball with the bat, the batsman runs from one wicket to another and the numbers of runs made are counted. The winning teams scores the maximum number of runs.

Croquet is a game of French origin. It utilizes a mallet and balls and is played in a grass arena. The mallet through hoops, which are planted in the field, hits the balls. It was part of the 1900 Summer Olympics. Roque is the American version of croquet. It was included in the 1904 United States Summer Olympics.

Initially tug-of-war was considered as a product of the track and field athletics program, but later it was given the status of a separate sport. Tug-of-war was included in the Olympic games of 1900, 1904, 1906, 1908, 1912, and 1920.

Jue de paume means game of palm and is the French version of lawn tennis. It is played without racquets, as the player hits the ball with his hands. Jue de paume was added in the 1908 Summer Olympics.

In Basque pelote, two opponents team face each other and there is a net between the two. Both the team exchange ball and if one player drops the ball, the other team scores. It is also similar to lawn tennis. It was supposed to have originated in the Greek era. In the 1900 Paris Olympic games, Basque pelote was a part of it.

Rugby is the earlier versions of football; here the ball is not carried but kicked. It originated in mid-19th century in Britain. The rugby union was considered to be beginner version where as rugby league was considered to be the professional version. In 1995, rugby union was made an open sport by the International Rugby Board. Rugby union was a part of the 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 Olympics games. Water skiing started in 1922. The athletes straps boards on their feet and get pulled by a powerboat around a set of course.

Art Sports: Wrestling

Wrestling is a sport involving two competitors competing to show their physical strength. This form of martial arts is as old as the mountains. Military are given training in wrestling as a part of self-defense systems. Folk people, who used lethal weapons as part of ritual fighting, also practiced it. Professional wrestling uses techniques like holding, clinching, leverage and locking.

The act of wrestling has been mentioned in many religious scriptures such as Old Testament Book of Genesis, where Jacob wrestles with the angel, The Mahabharata, where Bhima and Jarasandha wrestle. In recorded history, Chinese wrestling or Shuai Jiao is the oldest form of wrestling continuing since four thousand years, which the Yellow Emperor deployed to defeat rebel Chih Yui and his army. Both the armies wore horned helmet to aim with at the opponent. This early form was called Jiao Ti. Hands replaced the horns later. According to documented evidence on the tomb of the Old Kingdom philosopher Ptahhotep, Egyptians and Nubian wrestlers used to engage in wrestling for competitive purpose, around 2300 BC. Later during the Greek era, 1100 BC - 146 BC, Greek wrestling was practiced in competition where one wrestler would force his competitor to the ground and made him accept defeat or used to push him out of the boundary. When the Romans conquered Greece, they inherited the martial art and gave it their name, Roman wrestling.

Wrestling can be broadly divided into two categories, International wrestling and folk wrestling. International wrestling includes freestyle wrestling, sambo, Greco-roman wrestling, beach wrestling, judo and grappling. Freestyle wrestling is a part of the Olympics sports. It is a form of amateur wrestling where two wrestlers of the same weight class compete with each other. A wrestler is declared a winner when he defeats his opponent by five methods. They are winning by fall, winning by superiority, winning by decision, winning by injury and winning by disqualification. The basic rule is that a wrestler can hold the legs of his opponent and trip him. A good wrestler is quick and has good maneuvering skills. It is the only form of international wrestling meant for women.

In Greco-Roman style, a wrestler cannot hold his opponents leg and trip him and nor can he hold the opponent below his waist. It is also a type of amateur wrestling which is part of the Olympics. Grappling or submission wrestling involves no strikes, Gripping, handling and controlling defeats the opponent. There are many grappling techniques involved. Grappling can be practiced while standing or when on the ground. They are known as stand-up grappling and ground grappling respectively. The types of grappling are catch wrestling, luta livre, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, jujutsu, pankration and shoot wrestling.

Japanese martial art or Judo originated in the late nineteenth century, in Japan. The opponent is thrown to the ground and is forced to accept defeat by choking or joint locking.

The unique characteristic of beach wrestling is that the wrestlers wrestle inside a ring filled with sand. Heavy and light are the only two weight class categories. Wrestlers wearing swimsuits throw the opponent to the ground, to get on their backs. Women are also practicing this game.

Sambo is the modern martial art that developed in Soviet Union and is one of the amateur wrestling.

There are many versions of folk wrestling depending on the location of origin and culture in the specified area. Folk wrestling is yet to receive the status of International wrestling.

Water Sports - Surfing

Surfing is a kind of water sports where the surfer is carried along by a breaking wave towards the shore. Apart from surfboards body boards, kneeboards, surf skis and kayaks can be also used to surf. Various sports involving surfing are sea kayaking, paddle boarding, kite surfing and windsurfing. The first two do not require waves and winds, while the other two does. Surfing has become more of a profession by turning into a multi-billion dollar industry.

Initially the sport began when people used to lie down on hard wood boards and surf in Hawaii. Lieutenant James King who wrote journals on Captain Cook and completed them after his death set the first record. The surfboards were made out of huge and heavy wood, which were difficult to maneuver. They were substituted by lighter balsa wood surfboards in 1940s and were relatively easy to maneuver by the surfer. The boards were later made out of polyurethane foam, polyester resin and fiberglass cloth with multiple layers of wooden strips. The latest technology in surfboards now is the epoxy or carbon fiber surfboard. To surf in colder regions, its advisable to wear wetsuits, boots, gloves and hood to protect from cold-water temperatures, which can sometimes lead to hypothermia. There are different styles of boards like egg or the long board style short board, fish or short and wide board with a split tail and gun with a long pointed board meant for big waves.

Swell is important for surfing. When the wind blows over a huge area of water, called the wind's fetch, the water wave rises, called the swell. The stronger the wind is the more the swell. Surfers can find the perfect spot where there is a low pressure system being experienced by a large coastline. A moderate strength offshore wind can form a perfect wave without small breaks. The topography of the seabed beneath the wave also affects the wave formed.

The sign of a good surfer is that he is able to catch the wave before other surfers can. Beginners find it difficult to catch the wave at all. Once the wave is caught, the surfer can stand on the surfboard and stay in front of the curl of the wave, also known as the white water. The wave carries the surfer and takes him in a forward direction. A skilled surfer is able to take total charge of a challenging situation and at the same time maneuver like curving or turning. Some tricks practiced by experienced surfers are floater, cutback, air and off the lip. The most difficult trick is the surf inside the tube formed by the closed curl of the wave.

Surfing has dangers like any other water sport, the major being drowning. The surfer must at all times keep his feet strapped to the surfboard to avoid any mishap during a wipeout. In some cases, the surfers can loose their consciousness and the surfboard can be entangles in a rip current, so it is advisable to not to surf alone. The nose or fins of the surfboard cause nearly sixty six percent of injuries to surfers. The water can infect the cuts caused by them. There can be possibility of colliding with objects under water like corals and rocks, which can sometimes even lead to death. Sea animals, like shark, jellyfish and stingrays, should be watched out for.

Surf forecasting is done to aid surfers and help them enjoy their experience. It involves information technology involving mathematical modeling to represent the wave in a graphical manner. This gives an idea about the direction and size of the swells in the oceans around the world. There are many surf forecasting websites where a surfer can get all the necessary information before going out to surf where artificial reefs are constructed with all the factors under control. Wave pools also have been built to attract tourist, but the count is less because of the huge cost involved.

Winter Sports - Skiing

Skiing is a sport wherein the skiers glide over snow with the help of skis made out of wood planks or fiberglass strapped on the feet. Over the period of years have been many alterations to the original sports like the cross-country variant and downhill variant. The alterations are Alpine Skiing, Telemark Skiing, and Nordic Skiing. Skiing is also used by the military as a means of transportation and training in ski warfare.

Originally skiing was used as a means of transportation in an ice packed area. Sondre Norheim, from Norway was the father of modern skiing as he developed slalom form of skiing in the 19th century. His ideas were later worked on and Telemark Skiing was developed in 1970s. Mathias Zdarsky from Austria invented the Alpine or downhill skiing. He developed the firmer bindings to help skiers to better anchor their feet. Some time after that, Hannes Schneider of Austria invented the Arlberg technique, according to which the body is rotated to steer the skis.

Not only there are different versions of skiing, but also there are many competitions, which are held every year for the fans of skiing. Skiing is a big part of the Winter Olympic games, too. The regions, which are ideal for skiing, are some parts of Scandinavia and Alaska. Many of the ski resorts have been constructed in these areas and some of them are specifically meant for Alpine Skiing.

The visitors have to buy warm clothing, ski, ski poles, and ski boots. After getting all dressed up, the skiers can take the gondola lift or the chair lift to reach the summit. From there the skiers ski downwards along a marked path called piste or trail or slope. If the skier is interested in off-piste skiing, he can take the unmarked area and ski in between trees, which is also known as glade skiing.

Skiing outside the boundaries of the resort is called out of bounds skiing and is not allowed in some resorts. This can be very dangerous as there can be a possibility of falling avalanches, which can be a threat to life. Its advisable to take avalanche training, carry necessary equipments and to hang out with experienced skiers. In case of emergency, insurance is a must otherwise the cost of search and the skier himself should bare rescue service. It is highly recommended that the skiers inform the ski patrol before going out to ski and check out for bad weather.

It takes a long while to master the art of skiing and the help of ski schools can be taken to overcome this. Initially trained instructors ask the leaner to keep the skiing speed low. The terrains and steep slopes are better avoided. Advanced skiers are made to ski on steep terrains and the risks taken are much more dangerous than the beginners.

Two basic types of downhill skiing are alpine skiing and telemark skiing. Telemark skiing involves flexible ski boots and the heels aren't locked to the skis. Alpine skiing involves harder ski boots.

Even people with disabilities with the help of outriggers have practiced downhill skiing; sit skis, ski tip retention devices, ski guides, colored guide bibs and audible clues. The dangers that can be faced in these sports are avalanches, collisions, hypothermia, and other illnesses and sometimes even death.

Sports in Modern Olympics

The Summer and Winter Olympic games includes a total of thirty five sports with fifty three disciplines. The Summer Olympics comprise of twenty sports with thirty-eight disciplines and the Winter Olympics consists of seven sports with fifteen disciplines. On a whole four hundred events are conducted. Each of the sport has an International Governing Body. More athletes and nations participate in the Summer Olympics.

The IOC or International Olympic Committee arranges the sports, disciplines and events in a hierarchical manner. Sports are subdivided into disciplines and disciplines are subdivided into events. The IOC after analyzing the popularity of a sport around the globe and decides whether it should be a part of the Olympics or not. To be a part of the Olympics, an event should be participated by men from fifty countries from three continents and women from thirty-five countries from three continents, at least.

Sports, which are no longer a part of today's Olympics, are polo, golf, rugby union, tug of war, cricket, water skiing, etc. The reason for their discontinuation is lack of adequate participation, lack of interest and lack of a governing body. Tennis and archery are also some of the dropped sports, which were again a part of the Olympics in the year 1988 and 1972, respectively. Sports, which are included in the Olympics to promote the local sports of a particular region, are known as demonstration sports. Some of the demonstration sports, which are a part of the Olympics sports, are curling and baseball.

In the first modern Summer Olympic games, held in 1896, there were a total of nine sports. Now the count is twenty-eight and it has been decided that in the 2012 Summer Olympics, the count will be reduced to twenty six, with the withdrawal of softball and baseball. For a sport or discipline to be a part of the Summer Olympics, men from seventy-five nations from four continents and women from forty nations from three continents, should be participating at the least.

The aquatics discipline includes sports swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized swimming. The canoeing discipline consists of flatwater, BMX, slalom, track, road and mountain biking. The Gymnastics discipline consists of trampoline, artistic, and rhythmic. The volleyball discipline consists of indoor and beach. The other sports are archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, soccer, handball, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, softball, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.

The Summer Olympic sports, which are discontinued, are Basque Pelota, Cricket, Croquet, Figure Skating, Golf, Ice Hockey, Ieu de Paume, Lacrosse, Polo, Rackets, Roque, Rugby Union, Tug of War, and Water Motor sports.

The demonstration sports which weren't selected to be a part of the official Summer Olympics are American football, Australian rules football, ballooning, boules, budo, field handball, Finnish baseball, glima, gliding, kaatsen, korfball, la canne, lifesaving, longue paume, motor sport, roller hockey, sambo, savate, Swedish gymnastics, weight training with dumbbells, and water skiing.

Winter Olympic games started in 1924. Ice hockey and figure skating were a part of the Summer Olympics, before Winter Olympics started. In the beginning, there were nine sports in the Winter Olympic games, which have now been decreased to seven. There are a total of fifteen disciplines. For a sport or discipline to be a part of the Winter Olympics, men from at least twenty-five countries from three continents should participate.

The Bobsleigh discipline consists of bobsleigh and skeleton. The skating discipline consists of figure skating, speed skating and short track speed skating. The skiing discipline consists of alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, freestyle skiing and Nordic combined. The other sports are biathlon, curling, ice hockey, and luge.

The demonstration sports, which were never included in the official list of Winter Olympics, are bandy, disabled alpine skiing, disabled cross-country skiing, ice stock sport, military patrol, ski ballet, skijoring, sled-dog racing, speed skiing, and winter pentathlon.

The games which were recognized by the IOC, but weren't a part of the Olympics are air sports, bandy, billiard sports, boules, bowling, bridge, chess, dance sport, golf, karate, korfball, lifesaving, motorcycle sport, mountain climbing, netball, orienteering, pelote basque, polo, powerboating, racquetball, roller sports, rugby, squash, sumo, surfing, tug of war, underwater sports, water skiing, and wushu.

Adventure Sports: Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is a sport, which involves climbing steep rocks. This sport originated in the nineteenth century in Saxony, Lake District of England. After Walter Parry Haskett Smith climbed Napes Needle alone for the first time, many people were attracted and it later converted to sports in England, in 1880s and by 1930s some two hundred climbing resorts opened in the Elbsandstein region. As the sport evolved grading system was introduced to analyze different levels of difficulties while climbing. Both the safety equipments and climbing techniques have been evolved with the passage of time.

A climber should be mentally and physically be strong to overcome difficulties and having extensive knowledge can make the task easier. Initially the climbers can learn in pairs, while one learns to climb the other can belay or feed the rope from either end of the rock structure. Incase the climber falls, the belayer can lock off the rope. When multiple climbers climb, the leader can connect a rope with carabiners or quickdraws as a protection measure. A more risky method, simul-climbing, involves the leader and the team members to move at the same time, giving less time to belay the rope.

There are many variations to the traditional rock climbing. They can be broadly classified into free climbing and aid climbing. Climbers do not use any kind of equipment in free climbing and in aid climbing; equipments are used to support the weight of the body against the rocks, which have less natural formation.

In lead climbing, the leader of the group of climber ties the rope to his body and starts to climb the rock structure first, followed by his other team members who have the same rope tied to their individual bodies. In traditional lead climbing, the leader places bolts into the rock to ascend and the followers use the same bolts. The cleaner is responsible to remove the bolts so that no trace is left of the path taken. If any of the climbers' slips or falls, they will lower themselves on to the ground to start over again, instead on resting on the rope.

In sport lead climbing, bolts are already laid into the rocks so the leader doesn't have to carry extra equipment with him. But in this case, there is a risk of bolts rusting as they are laid before hand, and if precaution isn't taken it can be dangerous. If any of the climbers falls, he will rest on the rope and will try to climb again.

When a rope is suspended from an anchor, which is placed on the top of the rock structure, this technique of climbing is known as top rope climbing. This involves a solo climber who is belayed from either the top or the bottom of the hill.

Short climbs on tough boulders is known as bouldering. Some climbers use safety ropes, which are dropped above them and some, find bouldering mat more useful. In case a climber falls, spotting from the ground level by other climbers can break his fall.

Solo climbing involves a single climber who uses rope and protection devices to get to the top of the stone structure. Free solo climbing involves a single climber who uses nothing but natural features of the rock formation to ascend.

Since rock climbing has become more of a lifestyle now, indoor climbing has been on the rise. It is also a good way to get started. An environment is created indoor with the help of wood, plastic and fiberglass.

Rock climbing can be hazardous from environment point of view. Because bolts are driven into the rocks, this can be really harmful if done on a large scale. Other than this, soil erosion, garbage, human excretion, damage to native plants by introduction of foreign plant which grow from the seeds brought by clothing and shoes, etc. are other possible harmful effects. To reduce these effects, it is recommended to practice clean climbing.

Summer Sports Camps for Kids

After a long school year the kids wait and are excited about the much needed summer vacation. But often times the excitement proves to be short-lived as many are left wondering about what to do actually. The answer is Summer Sports Camps which are provides lot of fun and excitement to the kids and makes their summer memorable. Summer camps for kids usually include activities such as swimming, hiking, hockey, soccer, tennis, volleyball and what not. The list usually consists of sports that can be played in summer season.

Kids can also join beach camps that summer fun to kids near the beachside. The favorite beach sports like volleyball and soccer are enjoyed to its full. Some kids love playing Frisbee on the beach sands and of course the most favorite summer past time for kids, swimming. Some organizations also have competitions to increase the enthusiasm of the kids. At the same time the camps also gives the training to kids on health, fitness and sports.

Summer sports camps are organized by some big sports universities who hire high profile state coaches and even Olympic stars for guest coaching. These camps are a great place to learn professional sports from experience personalities. The training provides kids with a right mental attitude and good health. At the same time these camps also improves the interpersonal skills of the kids as they interact with kids from various ethnic backgrounds and cultures. For some these camps fine-tune their skills.

Overnight camps are usually arranged for kids above the age of ten years. The camps are set up near water body. The activities include mostly water sports. The camps provide meals and lodging on shared basis. But in day camps the food has to be bought at an additional cost or have to be brought from home. The activities also include night time fire near the beach with special dinners. The camps last from a week to up to the duration of the summer sometimes. But as they provide 24 hour care to the public, they are little more expensive compared to other camps. Given a choice most kids prefer overnight camps as they offer complete experience and are full of fun.

The day camps on the other hand offer day time programs only. The duration of the camp can be as little as a week to as long as the complete summer. The longer camps are usually expensive but the good thing about this camp is that the kids are able to return to home every night and tell their tales of adventure and fun.

There is variety of summer camps which caters to special needs of different type of kids. A wilderness camp is designed to help kids get back to the nature with fun and adventure along the path. These camps are one of the most fun filled camps. One of the other kinds of camps is a band camp which aims at improving the musical abilities of the kids. The camp combines focused learning on different instruments but at the same time also provides the fun that is provided by other camps like wilderness camps. Art camps offer learning visual and performing arts along with outdoor activities. Church and Community Camps which are hosted in the hometowns have both overnight and daytime programs. The activities include sports, field trips, swimming and religious lessons and much more. Depending on one’s taste there is no dearth of summer camps for kids, they have a huge choice to select from.

Art Sports: Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestlers, who are also known as “Rikishi”, compete with each other in wrestling in a circular area. This martial art originated in Japan centuries ago and has a great religious importance in the country. It has some traditional rituals involved such as using salt to purify, which is part of the Shinto religion. Sumo wrestling of Japan even has influence on martial arts of its neighboring countries like Korean Ssireum, Chinese Shuai jiao, and Mongolian wrestling.

Sumo was known as Sumai in the 8th century. Back then the rules involved were less in number and men used to fight till death. That is the reason why the wrestler who looses in a match is referred to as Shini-tai or dead body. Even today some of the shrines conduct ritual dance where a man wrestles with a Kami or a Shinto God. This contest was known as Sumai no Sechie or Sumai party. This ritual was also held in the imperial court and it was a must for the representatives of every province to attend this ceremony. Sumo was also a part of the training for the warriors and that’s the reason that originally sumo wrestlers were samurai.

In the initial years, to win, one Rikishi had to throw the other. Later on, the concept of pushing the opponent outside the ring was introduced. The size of the ring or Dohyo was defined in the sixteenth century. When both the wrestlers touch the ground at the same time, the one in the superior position is declared as the winner. Other way of determining the winner is that whoever uses Kinjite or illegal methods and whoever’s belts get undone are declared looser immediately. The Dohyo is usually filled with clay and sand. After each tournament, the sand is cleared and given as souvenirs to fans. It is the responsibility of the Yobidashi to prepare the ring for each match and even for training stables.

The clothing worn by Rikishi of old times also was also different from those worn by today’s Rikishi. Wrestlers used to wear loose loincloths unlike present day wrestlers who wear firm clothing called Mawashi. The rules and regulations of the games were developed completely in the Edo period and is pretty much the same till now. Sumo matches lasts for just few minutes because it will be very easy for the stronger wrestler to either throw down or push his opponent out of the ring. Apart from having wrestling skill, a huge body mass is a great advantage.

Oyakata or retired sumo wrestlers have formed the Japan Sumo Association. This association is responsible for holding tournaments and training wrestlers. Wrestlers are given ranks and their promotion or demotion entirely depends on their performances in the previous grand sumo tournaments. The six divisions in descending order are Makuuchi, Juryo, Makushita, Sandanme, Jonidan and Jonokuchi.

Every year six Grand Sumo tournaments or Honbasho are held. Three of these are conducted at The Sumo Hall or Ryogoku Kokugikan, one in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka each. Foreigners are also a part of these tournaments. The first foreigner to participate was Takamiyama from Hawaii.

Sumo wrestlers maintain long hairs which are tied in a topknot, like the samurais of the Edo Period. Depending on the rank of the Rikishi, dresses differ. They also wear geta or wooden sandals. Beginners are expected to help with the chores in the Sekitori and are made to get up early than senior wrestlers. Rikishis skips their breakfast and have a large lunch called Chakonabe. It consists of different kinds of meat, fish, rice and vegetables. They take excessive amount of food along with beer to increase their weights. But this practice has ill-effects on the health, which was discovered recently. A sumo lives ten years shorter than ordinary Japanese. They often complain of high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. Considering this the weight standards have been decreased tremendously in recent times.

Adventure Sports: Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping is an adventurous sport where the participant jumps from a great height while he is connected to a large rubber rope. The jump can be made from the top of a tall building, bridge or crane. To bring in more adrenalin rush, jump can be made from a moving object like helicopter or a hot air balloon.

Bungee word was developed in 1930, which meant rubber eraser. The idea originated from dwellers of the Pentecost Island, who used to tie vines to their ankles and jumped from tall wooden platforms. The vine was substituted by elastic cord. Members of the Dangerous Sports club made the first official bungee jumping on April 1, 1979 from the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. Initially they were arrested, but later on they appeared on television and jumped from many places including hot air balloon and mobile cranes, in 1982.

A J Hackett of New Zealand did the first commercial bungee jumping in 1986, from Auckland's Greenhithe Bridge. After that he made numerous jumps from famous monuments like the Eiffel Tower. The first bungee jumping site was laid in Queenstown, New Zealand, on the Kawarau Bridge.

The rubber rope absorbs the complete energy of the fall and when the rope snaps back, the jumper flies in the upward direction. The process of oscillation continues until all energy is utilized. The rubber rope is covered with cloth and has hooks on both the end. It is a specially designed braided shock cord. A tough outer cover encloses many latex strands. The function of the tough outer cover is to provide durability. Some consider using unbraided cords without the tough outer cover, which delivers a longer and softer bounce. Commercial operators are forced to use body harness to ensure safety in case of accidents.

Variations to traditionally bungee jumping are catapult, twin tower, bungee running and bungee trampoline. In catapult, the jumper is placed on the ground and the cord is stretched, usually with the help of a crane, and then the jumper is released and he goes shooting up in the air. Twin towers employs two oblique cords. Bungee running, as the name suggests involves running and not jumping. The rope is attached to the participant and he runs as far as possible on an inflatable surface. The point maximum reached is marked with the help of a Velcro-backed marker, after which the runner gets pulled back to his initial position. Two or more people are involved in this and it is more like a running competition. Bungee Trampoline has a mix of bungee and trampolining. The body is fitted into a harness attached to a trampoline, which in turn is attached to a bungee. When the participant begins to jump he goes higher than a normal trampoline would.

Bungee jumping has been incorporated in many movies and video albums. The most famous of all is the James Bond movie, Golden Eye, which was released in 1995. The movie opens with Bond jumping from a dam in Russia. The jump was no special effect and was genuine.

Like other sports, bungee jumping has its share of possible injuries. The reason for most of them is human error, along with failure of safety harness, miscalculation of elasticity of the rope and improper connection of the cord. Possible injuries are body entangling with the rope, rope burn, dislocations, eye trauma, uterine prolapsed, back injury, pinched fingers and bruises. Jumper's age, weight, experience, and location should be reviewed before the jump, as a safety measure.