Slacklining Finds Its Way To Santa Monica Beach
Video by Elisa Hernandez
All you need is two poles and a tight rope and you're ready to slackline, but be warned it's harder than it looks. Slackline is a sport where people walk on flexible tightropes. Most lines are two feet to four feet of the ground.
"I had no idea what I was doing," said Megan Pakulak, "I just tried it and it didn't work out that well, but that's ok."
No matter how old or how young anyone can learn to slackline. Eric Lafayette, 63, started slacklining last year and spends every Sunday teaching beginners at Santa Monica beach.
"When you see somebody like walking on air, and you're watching and you say I got to try that," said Lafayette.
An average slackline can cost $60 dollars. Routinely slacklining can improve one's fitness and balance. For some it's even brought balance to their life.
"I was one of those people that couldn't concentrate on anything for more than 10-15 minutes before I lost interest," said Dan Krauss, an experienced slackliner, "Then I started doing this [and] it's just kind of forcing yourself to do something and be patient."
Slacklining is more than a sport to Krauss and Lafayette, both say it's a community unlike any other.
"Being part of this community is being a better person, and I believe every city in the world should make and build a slackline park," said Lafayette.
