Extreme fitness

There was a time when an evening jog, a leisurely bike ride or a session at the gym a couple of times a week was enough fitness for most of us but it seems more extreme forms of fitness are taking over, with people seeking ever more gruelling challenges to test themselves with.

Army assault course-style events and long distance challenges and triathlons are becoming increasingly popular, with many contestants escaping their weekly lives in cities and offices to crawl under barbed wire and get covered in mud. Here are a few things you're likely to encounter on an extreme fitness event:

Submerged tunnels
Barbed wire
Rope ladders
High walls
Sand bag carrying
Lots of mud!

If all that mud and barbed wire doesn't sound like your cup of tea, why not consider another increasingly popular event - the triathlon. There are 'swim, bike, run' events taking place all over the UK at varying distances - the hardest being the Ironman Triathlon: a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run, all in one go! Smooth Radio's Emma B has signed up for a triathlon in September and is charting her progress as she goes along - if you're not ready for such a task, just show your support for her!

As a bit of a break from the reality of everyday life, or just a challenge to test yourself, would you ever consider taking part in an extreme fitness event?

Date: 09/02/2012