As the warm weather hits, it's time to get outside–and get extreme

Were you blown away while watching high flying skaters and mind blowing stunts at the recent X Games Asia? Maybe you're itching to get into the extreme life yourself but are not sure of where to go or what is available in this city to get you started. City Weekend brings you a run down of some of Shanghai's hottest extreme sports clubs to get your blood sugar levels pumping and give you a taste for living life on the edge. –Matthew Harrison and Max Walters

BMX Biking

The SMP Skate Park caters to another extreme sport: BMX biking. "Shanghai has so many buildings with good rails and marble for sliding – it’s unbelievable," says Aussie instructor and BMX announcer for X Games Asia, George Jackson. The guards won't kick you out and will actually applaud you–as long as you aren't bothering any of the people entering the building.”The Science and Technology Museum and the park near the Shanghai Concert Hall are also great places for BMX stunts. SMP Shanghai, 6590-7622

Climbing to the Summit

Forget sports with wheels. Instead, try something that'll work calluses in your hands and put dirt under your fingernails. Not for the faint-hearted, Shanghai offers several artificial rock climbing centers based at Shanghai Stadium and Hongkou Stadium. Members also embark on wilderness trips in order to scale the real thing. "The best local spot is South High Hill in Hangzhou, just four kilometers from the West Lake, but the mecca in China for rock climbing is in Guangxi's Yangshuo," says Felix, a local rock climbing enthusiast, during his practice run at Shanghai Stadium. "Don't be hasty. Always warm up and start slow. Have respect for your surroundings because it's very easy to get hurt." Shanghai Stadium Sports Center, 6426-5178

Inline Skating

Skaters' wildest dreams are realized at SMP. The largest of its kind in Asia, this skate park has it all: A mammoth half pipe, huge bowls with a spacious street course and most importantly, it’s free. This USD$12 million course was built by the government and is now owned by a local businessman. The intermediate to advanced level course is usually covered with experienced foreigners and dotted with up-and-coming locals, but you’ll also find skaters wheeling around downtown. Eric Loriot, a telecommunications engineer, recently started a local inline skate club that meets near the Shanghai Concert Hall and skates around the city. Bring your helmet and be prepared to dodge taxis. SMP Shanghai, 6590-7622; Eric Loriot, 139-1713-6401

Fly Like a Bird

Ever wished you could fly? If a panoramic bird’s eye view over some of China’s most beautiful countryside is what you’re after, then get strapped in and taken to the skies with paragliding. While gliding serenely through the air you can see fantastic locations such as beautiful Hangzhou and the city of Jinan. "Paragliding is an easy and cheap way to enjoy all the advantages of flying," says orchestrator Jim Qin. "You are out in the open skies enjoying the view rather than being in the metal box of an airplane feeling depressed." Dates are weather dependent, yet on a clear, calm day it is common to wind down for hours and hours as you and fellow gliders drift through the air getting a taste for the "high" life. Beginner’s classes cost •5,000 for eight hours over six days. Jim Qin, 133-1174-0909

Pedal Pumping with Prodigy

Hopping up the stairs of your own building or attempting to get your wheels stuck in the grass, is pretty much as close as you can get to mountain biking in the city. To find people who can take you to the great outdoors, pedal over to Prodigy Mountain Biking Club. For the past three years, this 300 member strong group has offered everything from 40km evening rides to weekend adventure trips. However, you'll spend as much time off the bike as you will on it. "Practice trips prepare you for future 80km mountain biking adventures and sometimes falling into a river," says Prodigy group leader Yuan. If you've ever dreamed of becoming a true blue stump jumper, then they may sponsor you to join their team. Besides, what could be more exciting than flying down hills of loose soil with the possibility of wedging your tire into a rock flying through the air and imprinting your face into the soil? Prodigy Mountain Biking Club, 6437-7559

Extreme Pudong

Pudong’s flat stretches might be ideal for marathons and bike rides, but its daring architecture inspires the extreme.

Cruise Control

While filming the blockbuster movie "Mission Impossible III" in Shanghai, Tom Cruise performed his own stunts, including a dramatic leap over the gap between the Bank of China Tower and the Insurance Building in Pudong.

Jin Mao Jump

A group of 15 skydivers leapt into the record books by parachuting off China's tallest building, the Jin Mao Tower, on October 6, 2003. Jumpers from the U.S., Norway, Mexico, Holland and Sweden took part in the exercise from the 425.5 meter-high structure. Base jumping is considered more dangerous than conventional skydiving and is banned in most countries. "It is more dangerous because there are many more factors involved in jumping off a building," said Juan Manuel Saavedra Serrano, before successfully completing his two dives in Shanghai. "I flew like a bird and enjoyed the view. Shanghai is really beautiful,'' said Lisa Denise Boger from the U.S., one of two women jumpers who took part in the event.