When you step onto a slackline the first time, the slackline is normally shaking extremely hard. It feels as if the body was totally out of control and you would never be able to stabilize these shakes. However, after only a few minutes, the shaking will already be much less.
It is important to know that shaking is actually an amazing reflex of the human body. While it is shaking you progress most. In the following video, Samuel Volery explains, why the shakes happen and why you should embrace those moments.
How long does it take until the slackline shakes disappear?
If you keep standing on one leg on the slackline (for example with the help of someone holding your hand), the shakes will already be half as big after only 5 minutes. Another 5 minutes later they are normally as small that you can control them without the help of anyone.
Does every beginner on the slackline shake?
An easy picture to imagine is, that bodybuilders shake the hardest. They are heavy which means that the line will have more sag. They have strong muscles to make the slackline shake and they have bad coordination which also leads to a bigger oscillation. For these reasons they shake the most and kids, on the other hand, almost do not shake when stepping onto a slackline.
Why is the slackline shaking?
The shaking is a monosynaptic reflex. The body registers, that the leg is too much on one side and pulls it back. The leg overshoots, causing another reflex to pull the leg back to the other side. Without that reflex, you would immediately fall down from the slackline. The reflex cannot really be controlled actively as it goes via the spine and not the brain.
Check out the video below to get a better understanding of what we have said
Written by:
SLACKTIVITY Slacklines co-founder, managing partner and team athlete, Samuel Volery olds multiple highline world records (1900m – September 2019) and has a spectacular and versatile style when performing highline-shows.