Anextremesport(alsocalledactionsport,adventuresport,andadventuroussport)isanysportorphysicalactivitywithaveryhighlevelofdangerandofteninvolvespeed,height,highlevelofphysicalexertion,highlyspecializedgearorspectacularstunts.Afeatureofsuchactivitiesintheviewofsomeistheirallegedcapacitytoinduceaadrenalinerushinparticipants(amisnomer,sinceoftentherushorhighobtainedisaproductofincreasedlevelsofdopamineendorphinsandserotonin).Furthermore,arecentstudysuggeststhatthelinktoadrenalineand'true'extremesportsistentative.Thestudydefined'true'extremesportsasaleisureorrecreationactivitywherethemostlikelyoutcomeofamismanagedaccidentormistakewasdeath.Thisdefinitionwasdesignedtoseparatethemarketinghypefromtheactivity.Anothercharacteristicofactivitiessolabeledistheytendtobeindividualratherthanteamsports.Extremesportscanincludebothcompetitiveandnon-competitiveactivities.

　　Extremesportsareoftenassociatedwithyoungadultswishingtopushthemselvestothelimitsoftheirphysicalabilityandfear,inturnpushingtheboundariesofaparticularsport.Thisyouthfuldemographicaccountstooforextremesports'frequentassociationwithyouthculture,includingitsclothing,fashionsandmusic.

　　Somecontendthatthedistinctionbetweenanextremesportandaconventionaloneisasmuchtodowithmarketingasitistodowithperceptionsaboutlevelsofdangerinvolvedortheamountofadrenalinegenerated.Snowboardingthushasamoreextremeimagethanskiingduetodifferingmarketingstrategiesandthefactofbeinganewersport,eventhoughskiingisafasterandatleastequallydangerousactivity.Furthermoreasportlikerugbyunion,thoughdangerousandadrenaline-inducing,wouldnotfallintothecategoryofextremesportsduetoitstraditionalimage,anditdoesnothavecertainthingsthatotherextremesportsdo,suchasveryhighlevelofspeedandanintentiontoperformstunts.Scubadivingisnotseenasanextremesportthesedays,despitethelevelofdangerandphysicalexertion,becauseofitsprimarilyadultdemographic.Alsothefactthatitisnotclassedasasport,asthereisnoobjectivetotheactivity.Anotherexample:comparetheperceptionofdemolitionderby,notusuallythoughtofasanextremesport,tothatofBMXracing,whichis.Demolitionderbyhasanadultdemographic,BMXisayouthsport.

　　HanggliderlaunchingfromMountTamalpaisThedefinitionofextremesportsmayhaveshiftedovertheyearsduetomarketingtrends.Whenthetermfirstsurfacedcircathelate1980s/early1990s,itwasusedforadultsportssuchasskydiving,scubadiving,surfing,rockclimbing,mountaineering,stormchasing,hanggliding,andbungeejumping,manyofwhichwereundergoinganunprecedentedgrowthinpopularityatthetime.Outsidemagazine,nottheXGames,epitomizedthemeaningoftheterm,andiftherewasaclothingstyleassociatedwithextremesportsitwasan"outdoorsy"lookfavoringbrandnamesassociatedwithmountaineeringorbackpackingsuchasTheNorthFaceandPatagonia,Tevasandalsorhikingbootsforfootwear,etc.Thetermnowadaysappliesmoretoyouthsportslikeskateboarding,snowboarding,andBMXandiscloselyassociatedwithmarketingeffortsaimedatyouth(e.g.theadcampaignsofMountainDew),andwiththeirfavoredstylesofclothingandmusic,especiallythekindofurbanba