The ABSOLUTE ADVENTURE ROPES COURSE (AARC) is an innovative product of Ekoing d.o.o. that is the fruit of experience acquired by working in the agency for adventure tourism ABSOLUTE ADVENTURE.

It is a completely new project conceived and designed by experts from our team, suitable for all ages and levels of physical ability and the new demands of the market. It is an elevated course with elements made from wood and rope.

It is positioned between two wooden poles or on trees at a height of 8 to 12 meters.
It is comprised of 20-30 exercises (elements) based on different techniques to overcome obstacles.

Everyone who uses the AARC can be equipped with the necessary safety equipment (belts, helmets and a double safety connection).

The goal of these exercises is to overcome fear, practice in balancing, motor skills, and concentration. It is fun and completely safe. All exercises are conducted under the supervision of an instructor.

Ropes Course

The ropes course is a challenging outdoor team-building activity that is made up of high and low elements. The low elements take place 3-6 meters above the ground, while the high elements are positioned in trees or made with wooden poles and require a belay for safety. 

Terminology

Ropes courses have several different names: a challenge course, a ropes challenge course, or adventure parks, but in Croatia the most well-known term is adrenaline park.

History

It is not clear when and where the first ropes courses were built. Obstacle courses have been used by armies from the time of the ancient Greeks to train soldiers. These courses were used to train individuals who were already in very good physical condition and were not intended for the development of normal people, which is the purpose of ropes courses today. Safety against risk on such courses frequently did not exist.

Many experts cite George Hébert as the originator of the "modern" ropes course. In the early 1900s, Hébert, a French naval officer, developed his own mental and physical training methods, apparatuses and principles, which he called the "Natural Method," and which developed mental, physical and moral qualities through outdoor activities. Some of the obstacles were found on the decks of naval vessels. "Herbertism" advanced during and between the two World Wars and it became the standard for physical training in the French army. Many ropes courses (challenge courses) in France, Canada and Europe are today known as "Herbertism" courses.

Many people cite Marble, Colorado, the site of the first Outward Bound course, as the first ropes course in the United States, although this is probably not true. Patterned after a military obstacle course, this course was made with hemp ropes. Safety features were minimal or non-existent. There is some evidence that the American military used commando courses similar to modern ropes courses before World War II, and that they were also used in camps in New England in the 1920s.

Ropes courses have developed significantly since the 1960s. Modern ropes courses ensure safety by the use of wire ropes, friction devices, and climbing harnesses to eliminate risks. The technological advancement of climbing equipment and industrial technology and design have greatly reduced the risk to users and to the natural environment. Modern courses use steel construction in addition to wooden poles. Today's courses can be found in many locations, including forests, fields and heated buildings.

A more recent trend is theme courses (for example, the ropes course at Disney World). They have created an entirely new genre of challenge aimed at recreational users. New, mobile ropes courses and artificial walls constructed on flatbed trucks have made courses more accessible to the public for recreational purposes and for generating additional publicity.

High ropes courses

High ropes courses can be pre-fabricated, made from poles, cables, and bolts, or they can be built or made in a forest, where ropes and wires are attached to trees. Ropes courses can also be static and dynamic. In static courses the participants are attached to an upper, belay, wire with ropes or carabiners for safety. If the participants fall, they will be held by the carabiner.

In a dynamic course the participants are connected by a rope, which someone on the ground holds to belay the participant on the course. The advantages of dynamic courses are that they need less equipment and they can handle more participants at one time. Dynamic courses allow participants to be lowered to the ground more easily. Some participants might have difficulty passing through the course, depending on the height and their physical preparedness. Courses are usually between 7 and fifteen meters high. To reach the course, participants can use a net, ladders or an artificial wall.

Low ropes courses

Low ropes courses are comprised of several real and imaginary obstacles made to challenge groups and individuals to work together to carry out a task. Low ropes courses can be divided into several types of activities:

Cooperation game, socialization activity, an "ice breaker": an interesting activity designed to break down barriers. These activities frequently are not based on a predetermined task but on a series of events. The participants are generally put into situations in which they have to try new things, which can put them outside of their usual comfort zone, for example, name games, people to people, Raccoon’s Circle.

Group initiative: the problems include real or imaginary obstacles on the ground (natural or artificial) that force the team members to pool their resources and work together to find a solution. Success is achieved only when all of the team members have contributed to the result, for example, the Spider Web, the Carpet Maze, the Crocodile Pit, Whale Watch, Peanut Butter River, Raging River, T.P. Shuffle, Nitro Crossing and Group Wall.

Trust activities: Activities that give the participants the opportunity to show their trust in other members of the team through a series of activities, for example, Willows in the Wind, 1:2 Trust Fall, and Trust Fall.

Elements of low ropes courses: a series of cables, ropes and obstacles strung between trees or poles 30-45 cm above the ground.

Elements of low ropes courses present a test of physical endurance, resilience, agility, balance and flexibility, and they confront the participants with emotional issues, such as fear of heights, fear of falling, and fear of losing control. Risk is managed when group members assume key spotting roles, for example, Swinging Balance Beam, Triangle Traverse, Tire Swings, and Mohawk Walk.
Definition from A Facilitator's Guide to Adventure Challenge Programming, Mike Smith and David Brassfield.

Purpose

Ropes courses can be made so that they bring together a number of educational, developmental, and recreational goals.

High ropes courses and climbing programs are generally based on personal achievements by individuals, who are expected to confront their own fears and anxieties. The challenges can be physical and mental. In certain cases, high programs include the development of technical skills to ensure the safety of other participants as they pass through the course. Such situations frequently include trust, good management and coaching ability.

Programs on low courses are used most frequently to examine team interaction, problem solving and leadership issues. Some of the most frequently mentioned results are:

• Better cooperation
• Better decision making
• Increase self-reliance
• Positive risk taking
• Greater togetherness
• Confidence
• Greater self-esteem
• Better leadership
• Better goal setting
• Better team work
• And, of course, being in the fresh air with physical activity