 "Toe the fitness line")
From the periphery of the Deer Park in south Delhi’s Hauz Khas village you can see a man trying to balance himself on what appears to be a rope. Behind him, three enthusiastic women are attempting to do the same. A few passersby have stopped to watch their antics. There are three street children also waiting eagerly to try their luck. The man on the rope is Enrico Fabian who is striving to popularise a new fitness trend — Slacklining — in India.
Fabian, a Delhi-based German photographer, has been slacklining for the last two years now. Slacklining essentially consists of walking on a one-or two-inch polyester or nylon webbing tied between two anchor points, generally between two trees. All one needs to do is get on the webbing and start walking. Simple it might sound but it requires a lot of skill, focus and immense amount of concentration.
This Sunday afternoon, a group of ‘slackers’ — that’s what people who slackline are called — has gathered in the park. Fabian, the man behind slacklining in Delhi, has brought the equipment, which includes four or five types of webbing — short ones for beginners, long ones for the semi-professionals and another one for “tricklining”.
“I actually came across slacklining first in India at a picnic of a friend of mine at Lodhi Garden. It looked very inviting, that thought of balancing on a thin webbing,” says the heavily-tattooed photographer. When he started slacklining, he drew a lot of curious glances. But soon curiosity turned into keen interest, and it wasn’t long before people wanted to give it a serious try. One of them was Akshat Nauriyal, a drummer in rock bands who also works as a freelance videographer. “I was intrigued seeing Fabian on the rope and wanted to do it myself,” says Nauriyal. He has been slacklining for a year now and says that it keeps both his mind and body alert.
Vikramaditya Singh, a documentary film-maker, is also a regular at the Delhi slackline sessions. “People still don’t know much about slacklining,” says Fabian. “It helps you tone the core muscles of your body and improves your focus and concentration,” he adds. Physio-therapists too have started to advocate slacklining as an effective exercise for muscle rehabilitation. Slacklining can be done in other forms as well. For instance, if you tie the webbings really high, it becomes a highline. If one tries to do tricks on the line, then it’s called trickline. Tie it over a stream of water and it becomes a waterline.
Slacklining is immensely popular in European countries as well as the United States. World championships are also held for different forms of slacklining. “It’s a fun outdoor sport that helps you keep fit,” says Fabian.
As the German continues to impress with his dexterity on the slackline, more people join in to try it. There’s a short webbing —5-10 metres long, where three women are trying desperately to maintain their balance. “There’s nothing to teach here as such. You have to be at it to become better,” says Fabian.
If Fabian is Delhi’s most well known slacker, Samar Farooqui is leading the charge in Mumbai. Farooqui had met two women from New Zealand who introduced him to this form of exercise about four years ago. “I just loved it when I first saw it and decided to pursue it,” he says. He sees it like a sport as well as a fitness activity. “Slacklining is a sport for anyone and everyone who is willing to give it a try. As long as you can stand on one leg, you can slackline,” says Farooqui.
Farooqui tries to hold slackline sessions in Mumbai as well as nearby locales like Lonavla. “The response has been great and people see it as a fun activity that is also a great form of exercise,” he says.
Slacklining is a bit heavy on the pocket, though, when it comes to the equipment. While all one needs is a webbing and a pulley — Fabian insists on using tree protectors as well — it costs quite a fair bit. For instance, a 15-metre nylon webbing from Gibbon costs about Rs 9,000. The polyester webbings can cost up to Rs 50,000, depending on the length.
To adjust the tension of the line, different types of webbing can be used. Fabian prefers polyester webbing. For the more advanced slackers, he uses the same webbing, only it’s about 30 metres long. As of now, he doesn’t charge any money from the slackers and is doing it for fun and to promote the concept. The regular slackers — like Singh in Delhi — bring their own set of lines. These lines are available online and companies like Gibbon and a few others sell the equipment.
Fabian’s idea is to make ‘Slacktivism’ a movement. He urges and encourages street children who pass by to slackline for as long as the session is on. He has had meetings with organisations that work with underprivileged children and wants slacklining to benefit them as well.
Slacking off has always had a negative connotation but if the likes of Fabian and Farooqui succeed in popularising the trend, the phrase could get a healthy and positive meaning.
A SLACKER’S GUIDE
What is slackline?
A form of exercise where you balance on a nylon or polyester line tied across two anchor points
How does it help?
Strengthens and tightens the core muscles of the body. Improves your balance, concentration and focus
What must you keep in mind
It’s all about balance. So don’t look at the ground, don’t lock your knees and use your hands well to maintain balance
How expensive is it?
Slacklining equipment for beginners costs under Rs 10,000
Fabian, a Delhi-based German photographer, has been slacklining for the last two years now. Slacklining essentially consists of walking on a one-or two-inch polyester or nylon webbing tied between two anchor points, generally between two trees. All one needs to do is get on the webbing and start walking. Simple it might sound but it requires a lot of skill, focus and immense amount of concentration.
This Sunday afternoon, a group of ‘slackers’ — that’s what people who slackline are called — has gathered in the park. Fabian, the man behind slacklining in Delhi, has brought the equipment, which includes four or five types of webbing — short ones for beginners, long ones for the semi-professionals and another one for “tricklining”.
“I actually came across slacklining first in India at a picnic of a friend of mine at Lodhi Garden. It looked very inviting, that thought of balancing on a thin webbing,” says the heavily-tattooed photographer. When he started slacklining, he drew a lot of curious glances. But soon curiosity turned into keen interest, and it wasn’t long before people wanted to give it a serious try. One of them was Akshat Nauriyal, a drummer in rock bands who also works as a freelance videographer. “I was intrigued seeing Fabian on the rope and wanted to do it myself,” says Nauriyal. He has been slacklining for a year now and says that it keeps both his mind and body alert.
Vikramaditya Singh, a documentary film-maker, is also a regular at the Delhi slackline sessions. “People still don’t know much about slacklining,” says Fabian. “It helps you tone the core muscles of your body and improves your focus and concentration,” he adds. Physio-therapists too have started to advocate slacklining as an effective exercise for muscle rehabilitation. Slacklining can be done in other forms as well. For instance, if you tie the webbings really high, it becomes a highline. If one tries to do tricks on the line, then it’s called trickline. Tie it over a stream of water and it becomes a waterline.
Slacklining is immensely popular in European countries as well as the United States. World championships are also held for different forms of slacklining. “It’s a fun outdoor sport that helps you keep fit,” says Fabian.
As the German continues to impress with his dexterity on the slackline, more people join in to try it. There’s a short webbing —5-10 metres long, where three women are trying desperately to maintain their balance. “There’s nothing to teach here as such. You have to be at it to become better,” says Fabian.
If Fabian is Delhi’s most well known slacker, Samar Farooqui is leading the charge in Mumbai. Farooqui had met two women from New Zealand who introduced him to this form of exercise about four years ago. “I just loved it when I first saw it and decided to pursue it,” he says. He sees it like a sport as well as a fitness activity. “Slacklining is a sport for anyone and everyone who is willing to give it a try. As long as you can stand on one leg, you can slackline,” says Farooqui.
Farooqui tries to hold slackline sessions in Mumbai as well as nearby locales like Lonavla. “The response has been great and people see it as a fun activity that is also a great form of exercise,” he says.
Slacklining is a bit heavy on the pocket, though, when it comes to the equipment. While all one needs is a webbing and a pulley — Fabian insists on using tree protectors as well — it costs quite a fair bit. For instance, a 15-metre nylon webbing from Gibbon costs about Rs 9,000. The polyester webbings can cost up to Rs 50,000, depending on the length.
To adjust the tension of the line, different types of webbing can be used. Fabian prefers polyester webbing. For the more advanced slackers, he uses the same webbing, only it’s about 30 metres long. As of now, he doesn’t charge any money from the slackers and is doing it for fun and to promote the concept. The regular slackers — like Singh in Delhi — bring their own set of lines. These lines are available online and companies like Gibbon and a few others sell the equipment.
Fabian’s idea is to make ‘Slacktivism’ a movement. He urges and encourages street children who pass by to slackline for as long as the session is on. He has had meetings with organisations that work with underprivileged children and wants slacklining to benefit them as well.
Slacking off has always had a negative connotation but if the likes of Fabian and Farooqui succeed in popularising the trend, the phrase could get a healthy and positive meaning.
A SLACKER’S GUIDE
What is slackline?
A form of exercise where you balance on a nylon or polyester line tied across two anchor points
How does it help?
Strengthens and tightens the core muscles of the body. Improves your balance, concentration and focus
What must you keep in mind
It’s all about balance. So don’t look at the ground, don’t lock your knees and use your hands well to maintain balance
How expensive is it?
Slacklining equipment for beginners costs under Rs 10,000