Above: Li Yuxuan skydiving at Thai Sky Adventure in Thailand on Aug 19, 2024.Top right: Li Zhiyu running a 50 km ultra-trail race in Chongli, Hebei, on July 13, 2024.Right: A trainee practicing rappelling techniques at a training event hosted by Northguard Defence Ltd. in Chengdu, Sichuan, on Dec 18, 2024. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"Once you've experienced the exhilaration of free-falling from the sky, every step on solid ground will make you look up, yearning to return," said 30-year-old Li Yuxuan, known as "Xueli" on social media, a passionate skydiver and blogger.
To date, Li has completed 2,516 jumps and garnered over 334,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Many of her popular videos feature daring stunts, such as enjoying snacks or fruit while leaping from a helicopter.
Li's videos have captivated fellow skydiving enthusiasts and piqued the curiosity of netizens eager to learn about the sport.
Indeed, the popularity of extreme sports like skydiving and ultra-trail running is rising among young people in China. On the Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, over 140,000 posts are tagged with "extreme sports".
Li's skydiving journey began in 2016 when she tried her first tandem jump — where the jumper and instructor are strapped together during descent — while studying abroad in Australia. In 2019, she began training for solo jumps, facing many challenges along the way.
Li Yuxuan, 30, a skydiver. [Photo provided to China Daily]
At the time, language barriers posed a challenge since her English wasn't proficient. She also wasn't the most athletic person, and the rigorous training almost made her want to quit.
Most importantly, both tandem and solo jumpers need strong mental resilience — a quality she initially felt she lacked.
"I must be the most timid skydiver ever," she joked.
While professional athletes typically jump from heights of 1,000 meters, giving them little time before deploying their parachutes, recreational jumpers like Li usually start from 3,000 to 4,000 meters, enjoying a longer free fall.
"Free-falling is one of my favorite parts of skydiving. It feels like you're flying. You're focused on the moment, fully immersed in it," said Li. "Another thing I love is the view, especially at sunrise and sunset. The world is so beautiful that it makes me realize that the problems I have back on the ground aren't that important after all."
Li Zhiyu,21, an ultra-trail running enthusiast. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Grounded thrills
While Li Yuxuan explores the skies, Li Zhiyu finds joy in earthbound pursuits.
The 21-year-old has been participating in Spartan races since 2022 but discovered a new passion last year: ultra-trail running. With distances ranging from 50 km to 330 km — well beyond the 42 km of a marathon — it is widely regarded as an extreme sport.
According to Li Zhiyu, unlike the seasonal nature of Spartan races, ultra-trail offers year-round events in southern Chinese provinces, which satisfies her need for continuous activity.
"I can't sit around all day at home — except during finals week. I need to stay active," she explained.
She finds that compared to Spartan races — where she must save up energy and strategize for man-made obstacles — ultra-trail running allows her to focus solely on running. Moreover, ultra-trail races are typically held in mountainous areas, providing an immersive experience in nature.
"It's simpler than Spartan races and more interesting than running on paved marathon roads," Li Zhiyu said.
Although running may seem like an ability we're born with, completing a 50 km race is no easy feat.
"Once, I found myself crying while climbing uphill toward the end," Li Zhiyu said. "Honestly, I admire myself for finishing the entire race."
While some may see extreme sports as inviting trouble, enthusiasts find the challenges deeply rewarding.
"Upon crossing the finish line, I felt the pain fade away," Li Zhiyu recalled. "By the time I headed back, it was getting dark, and I felt like a star under the 'spotlight', with everyone cheering me on and exclaiming, 'You did it!'"
Now, she wants to achieve even more. After watching a vlog of a fellow enthusiast completing the 168 km version of an ultra-trail, Li Zhiyu was inspired to try it herself. Her personal best for a 50 km race is 12 hours, while completing 168 km takes nearly a full day, and the grueling 330 km version can take five to six days. Currently, she is focusing on daily training and rehabilitation, referring to this phase as her "depot repair" stage.
"Training for longer distances is like climbing stairs; you must first conquer 5 km and 10 km runs before attempting a 50 km race. Those aiming for the 330 km trail must undergo physical examinations, video interviews, and complete multiple 100 km races first," she explained.
Outdoor enthusiast Li Jiaxi, 28, echoed Li Zhiyu's sentiments, stressing the importance of acquiring sufficient experience and knowledge before pursuing extreme sports.
"Understanding the sport, its risks, and undergoing adequate training are essential prerequisites," said Li Jiaxi, who has dabbled in skiing, skydiving, cliff diving, and recently learned rappelling techniques.
Rappelling is both a stand-alone training activity and a valuable skill applicable to extreme sports like mountain hiking and caving, as well as professional scenarios involving firefighters and rescue personnel, according to Li Jiaxi.
In his opinion, most extreme sports demand a great deal of time and financial investment.
"Climbing a 3,000-meter-high mountain requires months of physical training and learning skills like rappelling, which can take one to two weeks to learn and months to master," Li Jiaxi noted. "The equipment can cost tens of thousands of yuan, which exceeds many people's budgets."
According to Li Yuxuan, skydiving began to gain traction in China in 2017 and saw significant growth starting in 2020, with provinces like Hainan in South China actively promoting the sport. Tandem jumps typically cost between 2,000 and 4,000 yuan ($272.81 and $545.62), depending on the location and altitude. For experienced jumpers with their own equipment, however, the cost is usually just a few hundred yuan per jump.
Safety first
Li Jiaxi emphasized that safety is always the top priority in their enthusiast group chat and during training.
"Whether training solo or as a team, wearing safety gear, including helmets, is mandatory. Mutual equipment checks are crucial. Only after thorough inspections of gear and ropes can we proceed with the descent," he said.
Li Yuxuan also highlighted the importance of safety. Despite having completed more than 2,500 jumps, she still feels nervous and vigilant before each jump. "An experienced jumper once told me, 'If you're not nervous at all, that should raise a red flag,'" she said.
She views extreme sports as a means to step outside one's comfort zone. However, she observed that many people see them as either safe or dangerous, with no middle ground.
"There's a space between the safety zone and the danger zone that allows us to push forward and grow by expanding our comfort zone. Doing so opens doors to new experiences and possibilities," she said.
