Marcus Kleveland would be the first to inform you he’s not match within the conventional sense. The snowboarder prefers freshly groomed snow over a cramped and sweaty health club. Even arising with new methods whereas taking part in video video games is best than the considered pushing and lifting iron. Given all he’s achieved at simply 24 years outdated, it’s arduous to argue together with his philosophy.
Identified for his creativity and elegance, Kleveland might be a favourite in Large Air, Slopestyle, and Knuckle Huck this weekend on the Aspen X Video games, which runs from Jan. 26-28 and can televised on ESPN.
Muscle and Health caught up with the Norwegian star to debate why he’s not sweating the health club at the moment, how he overcame a probably career-ending damage, and the way he’s been capable of make the most of his gaming to land methods.
From The Sticks to the Snow
One in every of Kleveland’s favourite video games is I-Phantasm’s Shredders. The studio says the sport is their love letter to snowboarding and was created with a “for riders, by riders” ethos. Given the absurdity motion sports activities video games can have, Shredders is lifelike in its strategy to the main focus being on touchdown methods.
“I keep in mind taking part in SSX and doing these loopy methods that I assumed had been undoable,” Kleveland says. “However now we’re mainly doing the methods that we thought had been undoable, which is type of loopy as a result of video video games must be loopy. And it simply tells that the extent of snowboarding is loopy proper now.”
All it takes is viewing a loopy trick from a number of angles on the online game for Kleveland to switch that over to when he’s really on his board. He additionally enjoys taking part in Name of Obligation to assist take his thoughts off of snowboarding and even likes to observe on a Formulation 1 simulation rig. With one other ardour being vehicles, he says he’d like to at some point get behind the wheel of a automobile to compete.
No Health club, No Downside
Marcus Kleveland remembers 2020 being the final time he was routinely coaching within the health club. It had nothing to do with testing his deadlift or bench press max. It was all a part of programming to assist return energy to his proper knee after he had shattered his kneecap whereas training for the 2018 Dew Tour. It’s not that Kleveland is averse to the health club. He simply feels the one means for him to get higher on the sport he loves is to proceed doing it and revel in it as a lot as attainable.
“I by no means actually checked out snowboarding as a typical job or one thing that I have to do,” he stated. “I like the game. I’ve at all times had tremendous enjoyable once I exit. You are able to do it with family and friends. “When you begin considering of one thing as a job, it’s straightforward to lose the enjoyment in it.”
Marcus Kleveland By no means Actually Processed How Dangerous His Knee Damage Was
For any athlete, listening to that you simply would possibly by no means have the ability to compete once more from a physician must be even scarier than any potential damage. This was Kleveland’s actuality in 2018 when his kneecap was “crushed into a variety of items.” Perhaps it was youthful defiance or that snowboarding had been his love since he began on the age of three. However when Kleveland heard these phrases, he went about getting his physique ready to be able to be able to compete once more.
“I feel I by no means actually processed how dangerous it was,” he stated. “For me, I didn’t need to let that sink in. It was like, I’m for positive getting again and I’m gonna be 100%. I didn’t care regardless of the docs had been telling me.”
Marcus Kleveland says he by no means doubted himself or obtained to a spot of despair throughout his rehab. His household and buddies helped maintain his spirits excessive. He additionally performed a variety of video video games and saved his thoughts busy. He missed the following two years earlier than making his return on the X Video games in 2020. That yr he took residence silver in Large Air competitors. Given the damage occurred earlier than he may even step foot right into a bar, when he speaks on coming back from an damage, he sounds clever past his years.
“I really feel like when you get injured, you simply gotta assume optimistic,” he says. “No matter’s occurred has occurred already and there’s nothing you are able to do about it. You simply must be optimistic and look ahead.”
Nerves Include The Territory
The X Video games is among the greatest occasions of the yr. Opponents need to placed on an excellent efficiency and present their greatest. Even with being a 13-time X Video games medalist, Kleveland says he nonetheless will get nervous. The nerves are extra so a results of being hyped as a result of crowd and making an attempt to high himself. His confidence by no means wavers as he’s actually already ready from the work he places in earlier than approaching the beginning gate.
“I simply attempt to trip a variety of snowboard earlier than the competition, simply to have the ability to actually do the fundamental issues and actually visualize the runs that I’m about to do,” Kleveland says. “That lets you imagine in your self since you’ve executed these methods hundreds of occasions earlier than. It’s only a matter of placing them down when it counts.”
Music from Travis Scott and Don Toliver often additionally helps Kleveland mellow out and concentrate on the duty at hand.
Comply with Marcus Kleveland on Instagram @marcuskleveland. Additionally tune into reside protection of the X Video games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.
