The Thrilling World of Highlining with Faith Dickey
Summary
Faith Dickey, a professional slackline, highliner, and guide, talks about her journey, the risks, and the science behind highlining. She shares how each step is different from the last, and how difficult it is to maintain balance on a long, swaying line hundreds of feet above the ground. Faith, who is known for breaking world records, talks about her approach to challenges and how highlining has influenced her life choices.
Table of Contents
- The Beginning of Slacklining and Highlining
- The Importance of Details in Highlining
- The Science of Highlining
- The Mental Toughness Required for Highlining
- Applying Highlining Lessons to Life
The Beginning of Slacklining and Highlining
Faith Dickey started her journey as a slackliner and highliner accidentally. She fell asleep while driving and flipped her car over at the age of 21. The accident made her reflect on her life choices, and she found solace in slacklining. Faith and her team established highlines in areas where it never existed before, making her a pioneer in the sport, especially for women. She talks about how slacklining came into existence in the 1980s and how it is different from tightrope walking.
The Importance of Details in Highlining
Highlining is a dynamic form of balance movement that requires attention to detail. Faith shares how the placement of the feet, speed of the wind, and tension on the rope can affect the success of the walk. She discusses the science behind rigging a highline and how it involves using specific materials, such as steel carabiners, nylon, and polyester. She emphasizes the importance of padding and safety measures to prevent rock abrasion and other risks.
The Science of Highlining
Highlining is not just about walking across a rope, but it involves science and calculations. Faith discusses how the anchor points, slope, sag, and sway of the rope affect balance and exertion. She shares how, as the line gets longer, it becomes harder to walk, and the hardest part is when you reach the very end because it is uphill. Faith shares how she makes micro adjustments with her wrist and fingers and uses her breath to calm her body.
The Mental Toughness Required for Highlining
Faith shares how falling and failing numerous times is a part of the process of becoming a highliner. It takes mental toughness, patience, and passion to keep going. She talks about how she was obsessed with accomplishing things for herself and accidentally set world records. Faith explains how highlining has taught her to engage with the fear of death and understand what is essential in life.
Applying Highlining Lessons to Life
Faith discusses how the lessons she learned from highlining can be applied to real-life situations. She talks about how it is essential to understand what risks are involved and accept them while mitigating them. Faith emphasizes the importance of trusting the people you go highlining with and understanding that risk is part of the process. She shares how the lessons she has learned from highlining have helped her make choices that align with her values.
Conclusion
Faith Dickey’s journey into highlining is an inspiring tale of grit, courage, and perseverance. Her approach to challenges and the risks involved in highlining provide valuable insights into how we can approach life’s challenges. Her emphasis on the science and importance of details in highlining highlights how highlining is not just about walking across a rope but involves attention to detail and calculations. Faith’s dedication to environmental conservation and safety reminds us of the importance of responsible adventure sport.
