"Your body is so wrecked, don't you worry what you're going to feel like when you get old?"

I get that question all the time. And though it always gets me strange looks, my answer has always been a confident "NO." I have no regrets. I wouldn't change a thing. Not even my burliest crashes, my worst injuries, or one surgery. It all has had too much meaning to me and it would change my whole experience of the life I chose if any of it was different. Yes, I will hurt when I get older, I already do! But so will everyone else. That's just part of getting older. I admit I will probably hurt more, but regret causes injury too. There have been studies that show people that have regret are more tense, and being more tense causes inflammation of the joints which causes arthritis. So yes, I will hurt, but just differently than the majority of people. Yes, my risky hyperactivities have caused the destruction of my body and joints, and that won't get better with age, but the great thing about it is that I will have way more practice with pain management than the majority of people, so the ironic part of it is that I will probably hurt less.

You don't stick tricks like this without beating yourself up a bit.

I would have not picked this sport and my actions if it weren't entirely the way I enjoy life. I love the intensity of rolling in for a new trick and wanting it so bad that I can completely justify any and all harm that it may cause. In retrospect, I love the determination it took, and still takes, to get back on my bike after major injuries because it has shown me the definition of "heart" and taught me the power of will and passion. It has shown me that you only need one person to believe in yourself and that is you, and you don't have to have anyone agree with you to be right. It has taught me that your vision can only be fully understood by yourself and the definition of progression is defined by your vision.

My whole life I have witnessed many riders retire because of their injuries. When the day comes that I choose to not ride anymore, it won't be because of injury. It will be because the challenge of injury will have become more than what my will and determination can overcome. I truly believe that you can do anything you want as long as you are willing and able to face whatever challenge is presented to you. And I believe that you can succeed at anything as long as your ability to face these challenges is what success means to you.

I think this question has been coming up more often because times have changed with the introduction and progression of our sport with ressi-ramps and foam pits. Now, the next generation of riders has the ability to learn a lot of the tricks we have and more without the painful intensity or sacrifice, but that doesn't mean I would want to change the way I learned it. With the future holding advanced ways to learn tricks with a fraction of the pain and risk, it only means I can progress my riding skills longer than I had thought with my feeble body. When my body causes too much of a challenge to ride, then that is what my video game is for, so I've got it made, except for the occasional thumb blister.

I wouldn't trade my life, my pain and my experience for an un-scathed body. I think people that die with a perfectly preserved body never used it up to its full potential and let fear and pain deny many adventures they may have had?. But then again it may be easier to chalk it up to the fact that I may be crazy.

Here's to the progression and the continued advancement to help us master our sport! Thank God for foam and video games...

- mat hoffman

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