Like many people I hate and love TV. TV has hypnotized me into sitting on a couch for hours bingeing on Netflix and stuffing my face with nachos and beer; in the end, leaving me unhealthy and unmotivated.
Don't get me wrong; every now and then I love succumbing to my inner sloth and just vegging on the couch. And some times, my body deserves to chill on the couch and recover from a hard session on the rock or trails. The problem comes when the hyper 10year old living in my conscious starts throwing a guilt tantrum calling me lazy or making me feel bad for not going to the gym. That's where Youtube and Redbull TV comes in. With hundreds of videos in rock climbing, mountain biking, surfing, snowboarding, and other Earthletic sports, I can satiated my energetic inner child from the comforts of home.
I love these media outlets. Finally, I get to choose what I want to watch as opposed to having my choices limited by broadcasting companies. I remember way back in the nineties people used to complain that there was too much violence on TV, and the opposing side's argument was, "Well, you don't have to watch it." They were right...but there wasn't much else to watch. We didn't have the choices like we do now. Now, we have Youtube channels dedicated to some of the most obscure interests like whispering (a.k.a ASMR Youtube Channels)!
Everyone knows Youtube, but did you know that you can watch the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup for free on Youtube? The 2018 season just started with the second event in Russia finishing this weekend. One athlete to watch this season is the 22year old phenom, Jongwon Chon. Representing South Korea, the young boulderer beat Adam Ondra to win the overall Bouldering World Cup title in 2015, and he repeated the Herculean feat in 2017. With the inclusion of rock climbing in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, the level of competition has risen as these athletes prepare for Olympic gold. For us mortals, there are 12 more events coming up to keep us inspired to climb hard (IFSC 2018 World Cup Calendar).
Redbull TV is similar to Youtube in that it has channels, but these channels are focused on adventure and everything Redbull. They have a large selection of professionally made videos showcasing amazing Earthletics, and they also live stream the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup. The first race of the season was this weekend, and last year's overall champion, Aaron Gwin (USA), continued his dominance with another win in Croatia. With close finishes and big crashes, the next 7 races are a must watch for thrilling TV UCI 2018 Downhill World Cup Calendar).
Next time your injured, on a rest day, or just plain feeling lazy, watch these World Cup athletes in action. Not only do they motivate and inspire, you might learn a thing or two while you're guzzling a brew or two. How's that for multi-tasking?