MARCEL RICHTER
Marcel Richter has had a very special slackline career. He was born with very short arms and a malposition of the feet. But this handicap has not stopped him from becoming a sport enthusiast. He regularly climbs, skitours and since 2014 also slacklines. At the beginning mounting a line caused huge troubles, but he kept going and in the meantime he is able to send 40m lines. One of his big dreams is to walk on highlines one day.SlackFaq's on Marcel's Slacklife
When did you start slacklining and how did you discover it?
Why do you love slacklining so much?
What are your favorite slackline disciplines?
What is your favorite setup (webbing, line length, tension)?
Do you have a permanent rig?
How much do you train?
What advice would you give to a slackline beginner?
If you try slacklining for the first time, it’s best to do it with a friend. Get a beginner line, fix it to no more than knee height. Tighten it rather tight. To get a better feeling for the line, try to walk barefoot or with sock-shoes, because it is much more wobbly with shoes.Â
The length of the line should not exceed 10m, otherwise it will swing too much in the middle. Mount the line neither directly at the beginning nor exactly in the middle, but like 1.5m from the anchor point.Â
Next you try out with which leg you have the best feeling to get on the line. Since it’s very wobbly at first, hold onto your friend’s hand to get a feel for the line. Then try to put the 2nd foot behind the first and bend your knees slightly.Â
To keep your balance you should put your arms up and look forward, preferably at a point that is not moving. From now on you have to put one foot in front of the other and practice – practice – practice! Your training partner supports you by walking next to you and offering his arm if needed. After a short time you will see first successes and will be able to walk the line on your own.