Ironing has become a lost art. Can you remember the last time you actually cared about your business attire looking pressed and sharp? Well, by the time you remember that time I’ll have finished this blog, so just do us both a favor and keep reading.
There was a guy named Phil Shaw who lived in Leicester, England. He was tired of coming home after a long day and having to iron his clothes for the next day. So, he decided he’d make it more of a challenge. Thus began the sport of extreme ironing.
Basically, Phil would climb a tree with his iron and ironing board and press his clothes. Or he’d climb the side of a mountain and iron on top of it. Pretty much, it’s just the idea of making ironing more challenging and interesting while exerting more energy than normally required.
Phil and his friend Paul started trying this together in 1997 and, they said to avoid criticism from friends, took on the pseudonyms of Steam and Spray. Real cool guys… classy.
I know I would never make fun of my friends who ironed in trees and called themselves Steam and Spray, wink, wink.
The start of the sport was very slow making Spray try other extreme sports. Steam stuck with it and traveled the world to recruit for the sport. After meeting some crazy thrill-seeking Germans, extreme ironing became extreme ironing international.
The Extreme Ironing World Championship was held in 2002 near Munich. German ironist Hot Pants won the individual competition. I think the best part of the sport is the name the competitors take on to relate more to ironing.
The next time you’re in need of ironing your suit for work, just dive into the lake and iron under water or climb to the top of Mount Everest and iron there. Wherever you do it, just enjoy it while it lasts. Just make sure you don’t burn yourself.
Don't try this at home... because you can't.
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