Extreme sitting: Is German stool-based craze Sporthocking the next big extreme sport?



It is best described as a cross between skateboarding and sitting down - and takes extreme sports to new and even more ridiculous levels.



The German brains behind the Sporthock, a colourful plastic stool with rubber lining, hope it will become the next must-have for street-savvy teenagers.

But the rest of the world may need some convincing.

Sporthockers send their days performing a range of tricks by juggling and balancing their Sporthock on ledges of the sort used by skateboarders before sitting down on the stool to mark the end of their routine.



Michael and Stephen Landschutz, who invented the Sporthocker in 2007, claim that street sports enthusiasts will be attracted to their stool because it is lightweight and tough, allowing a range of tricks to be performed, but also provides a convenient place to sit down.

The aim of a 'hockerer' is to perform as many tricks and as hard tricks as possible with their stool.



Take a seat: Hockers perform the hardest and greatest number of tricks before the sitting down to signify the end of the routine German craze: The Sporthocker, right, lets participants perform a variety of sliding and jumping tricks that are a combination of skateboarding, juggling and sitting

And at least some people seem to think its a good idea - the sports industry trade show ispo nominated it as one of the best new products for this year.



Hannes Roth, who performs the sport for a team run by the Landschutz brothers said he became in interested in Sporthocking after seeing it at a juggling convention.

He is one of 16 young Germans on the Landschutz's Salzig Spothock team.













