Bungee jumping

The concept of bungee jumping denotes a modern extreme sport, when you jump from a high building headfirst into the depths. The free event is supported by a bungee cord that is attached to the body of the jumper and the jumping platform, deceleration above the ground. The rubber band length is adjusted to the weight of the jumper.

The elasticity of the cord the jumper swings from the end. As a takeoff platform, existing structures such as bridges, cranes or towers, are also specially established for this purpose. Bungee jumping is usually in search of thrills, but rarely as a method to overcome their own fears (especially vertigo).

The origins of the sport go back to the Liana Springer of Pentecost. Fascinated by this ritual, it was experimented in Oxford University’s Dangerous Sports Club in the 1970s with rubber bands; the jumping was hazardous and should thus make it possible for Western Daring. On 1st April 1979 four club members jumped from 250 ft (approximately 76m) off the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol thus the first modern bungee jump was born.

The jumpers, including David Kirk, were temporarily detained, however, it was established by further leaps in the U.S from the Golden Gate Bridge and the Royal Gorge Bridge.

The New Zealander AJ Hackett jumped from the Greenhithe Bridge in 1986 successfully, with the elastic bungee cord, which was especially designed to make the leap into the abyss.

In May 1987 the famous jump was followed from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Hackett then jumped on the South Island of New Zealand; locations like the Kawarau Bridge, and the Skippers Canyon Bridge. In German-speaking countries the extreme sport was made popular by German and Austrian stuntmen Jochen Schweizer and Gerhard Grabner.

Physics Bungees

The first phase of the jump is the freefall in which the rope hangs loosely at the ankle and goes down as far as the rope would hang without a jumper. From this point the rope begins to stretch and slows down the jumper. The unstretched length of the rope is calculated so that the jumper on the one hand stops on time before the ground. It depends on many factors; mainly by the ductility dip of the rope and the weight of the jumper, as well as the option of being over water.

The bungee cord is always the same length, but in the end a mountaineering rope is attached (two strands), that can be calculated with the help of how far the Springer has approached the floor. The so-called vario-rope is attached by means of an occupied Clove hitch on a vault basket or on the jump ramp. One can easily and effectively change the length or the fall distance. After reaching the lowest point, the jumper is pulled upward by the rubber band again. This phase is also called rebound. The first rebound is especially strong so that the jumper again enters a period of free fall.

Variations

Due to the rising popularity of bungee jumping in recent years, it has steadily developed more variations. One can, for example, do a tandem jump. Even a bungee jump from a helicopter is possible. Furthermore, a distinction is also different mounting options. You can jump with the rope attached to the hip. This one has the ability to make acrobatic leas in the air variations, such as somersaults.

Bungee Rocket: The jumper is attached to a weight lying on the ground, and the bungee cord becomes tense. Through a trigger mechanism, the fixation is released and the jumper leaps. To avoid a collision with the bungee basket (gondola), it is slightly tilted to the margins of the rope of the crane. Thus the effect of gravity during a ballistic flight shoots the jumper up past the bungee basket, depending on body weight and rope tension even further.

Jumps off a bridge have to some extent the ability to dive into the water. A variant of bungee jumping is called the Sling-Shot (even bungee-ball). An open spherical structure, which is suspended between poles at four jump ropes, is catapulted to the top and snaps back, while turning the ball. In the globe there are usually two seats with lap belts and safety bars on the shoulders of the occupants.

Risk of injury and Guidelines

Bungee jumping has some risks to the health and lives of the jumper. However, the risk of a dangerous or fatal injury is significantly lower than in most other sports. Technical failure (i.e. rupture of the rope) is by far the least common cause of accidents.

Modern bungee cords are mounted parallel to the rubber band and in contrast to the bungee rope it is made of synthetic fibers. Since the introduction of bungee-jumping as a sport worldwide, there have been less than ten cable snaps. Accidents caused by negligence, such as inadequately secured or not properly sealed snap straps, can in some cases also be dangerous or fatal.

The first rebound after the jump the jumper is usually re-thrown so high that there is potential for strangulation. The rope can cause in such cases, abrasions, bruises or welts. Especially the face and neck are particularly vulnerable and must be protected by arms held over their face in this phase of the jump.

This attitude also prevents the rope wrap around the neck and may thus lead to dangerous or even fatal injuries. An injury is a risk in some cases, too, if the jumper is not perfectly perpendicular with the head down. There may be a whipping motion of the body and subsequent injuries to the spine or the ankles.

The delay in the brake rope is approved in Europe at about 2.5g to 3.5g. This affects the body, a major force in the opposite direction to the upright position, thereby increasing blood pressure in the head. This can lead to individuals bleeding in the eyes or head. In most cases the effects are reversible, in rare cases, permanent visual impairment through to blindness are the result.

The following persons should therefore necessarily give up bungee-jumping: those who suffer from hypertension; cardiovascular disease; head injury; mental illness; epilepsy; glaucoma; deformed skeletons; people with pacemakers; thrombosis and Marcoumar patients; pregnant women and severely intoxicated persons.

Seniors need to present a medical certificate about their physical condition to the organizer by a doctor. Young people under 18 require the consent of their parents.