Are extreme sports people as fearless as they seem? HELLO! speaks to snowboarder, author and TV presenter Aimee Fuller to find out
WELLBEING
Two-time Winter Olympian Aimee Fuller is no stranger to pushing herself out of her comfort zone. Competing as a professional snowboarder for 13 years, she became the first woman to land a double backflip in a competition, and finished in the top three at the World Cup Big Air Standings.
But after a brutal crash in the 2018 Winter Olympics, she decided it was time for a change and perhaps the start of her biggest adventure yet.
Since hanging up her snowboarding boots, Aimee, 31, has gone on to join the BBC teams hosting 2022 Winter Olympic coverage and Ski Sunday, run a marathon in North Korea and publish her first book, Fear Less, Live More.
“I always believed I was more than a snowboarder,” she tells us. “I didn’t go out on the high I dreamt of, but I was happy to leave it because there was something else I wanted to explore.”
We caught up with Aimee to find out how she stays fit away from the slopes.
Aimee, tell us about your book…
“It’s a practical look at wellness. There are so many takeaways from my own journey, like tips on reframing your mindset to get you moving, or ways to feel grateful for the body you’ve been given. My favourite chapter has to be the last one, which is about owning your own time. It’s all about energy preservation and the importance of having good people around you that inspire you and pick you up.”
How do you prepare yourself for a challenge?
“It’s about perspective and having the ability to pull out and realise how small you are – and using that to realise what matters. I think a big one for me is looking at my career and realising it doesn’t define who I am. It’s a moment in time and a snapshot of my story.”
Have you always been fearless?
“I think it’s something that’s changed as I’ve got older. I started to become more aware of injuries and how they could impact my life down the line.
“You can look at extreme sports and think: ‘Whoa, that’s crazy,’ but everybody that operates at that intense level still feels fear. It’s all just down to years and years of experience. It’s about constantly reassessing where you are and operating in your comfort zone.
“I’d do the same trick again and again, so there was a lot of repetition to the point of boredom. Then the fear turned into excitement.”
How does living with fear affect your mental health?
“It actually puts me in a very good position. It’s complicated, but for me, it’s allowed m
