Clair Marie is an adventure sports athlete, professional BASE jumper and skydiver. She has made her mark as one of the top females within the sport of BASE jumping as well as continues to progress in her other action/adventure sports, stunts for commercials/movies as well as modeling and climbing.
BASE Girl aka Clair Marie was born and raised in a small mountain town outside of South Lake Tahoe, California. The second eldest in a family of nine siblings she knows all about “getting your piece of the pie”. Clair, in a 2009 interview was explained as “a powerhouse in a pint sized package and mature beyond the years recorded on her drivers license”.
At the ripe old age of 3, the then toddler was first exposed to rock climbing with her father who had taken her on climbing trips throughout California. Indoctrinated into skiing at age 4 and snowboarding by the age of 13; Clair’s love of the outdoors and athleticism lead to her becoming one of the youngest BASE jumpers on record.
Convincing her mother that she had an opportunity she couldn’t pass up and then locating a jumper to assist her in making her first jump, at 16 years of age she got a taste of life on the edge. Clair’s BASE jumping has taken her throughout the US and overseas to the big walls of Norway, Switzerland and an Indoor BASE jump which few have experienced just outside of Berlin in Germany.
After 9 BASE jumps, she decided to take to the sky and completed her first skydiving tandems, which in the normal scheme of things should have predated the BASE jumping. It wasn’t long before she became a full-time staff member at a California Dropzone packing parachutes for the tandem instructors. Acquiring the jump numbers and experience level she began filming tandem videos and loving each jump more than the last. At 19 years old, she decided to study to become an AFF instructor and earned her certification a few
months later, adding the ability to teach students to her list of skills.
Clair is an incredibly accomplished BASE jumpers and one of the top female athletes in the sport! In addition she manages to balance her life as a professional BASE jumper and a successful career as a model and stunt woman, appearing in commercials, print advertisements and online media.
As an adventure sports athlete Clair is always looking to try her hand at a new and exciting sport! Her passion to experience new aspects of life have led her down a path that few experience. She became a featured athlete through EpicTv in 2013 and continues to produce BASE videos of her travels and experiences.
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Clair Marie is an exceptionally talented and accomplished professional BASE jumper and skydiver. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You at the age of 3 first did rock climbing with your father, started skiing at the age 4 and snowboarding by the age of 13, your love of the outdoors and athleticism led you to become one of the youngest BASE jumpers on record at the age of 16 and you later reached the pinnacle of success by establishing yourself as a respected authority in the sport of BASE jumping. Tell us about this fairy tale journey of yours?
Ms. Clair Marie:
Growing up I was always encouraged to explore. I was born and raised in a very small mountain town in northern California. There were only 52 people who lived in my town and the nearest “city” was 40 minutes away over a mountain range. I was one of 9 kids, the oldest girl, yet there were no other kids who lived in my little town. The only thing I had was the outdoors to occupy my time. I was homeschooled my entire life which just aided in my ability to spend the majority of my upbringing outside adventuring. Climbing was my number one sport as a kid.
I loved being outside and high above the ground, looking down at all the trees and houses that looked like a kids play thing. It always made me feel so different from the world. Separate from the issues and the trivial. I credit my BASE jumping to my deep desire to experience more in life then the average person. By the time I started BASE jumping at 16 I had already graduated from High School (I was a part of a system that legitimized home schooling and monitored education) and was ready to start the next chapter in my life. I had been attending a Community College for almost 2 years and felt ready to venture out into the world as an individual. Immediately after starting BASE jumping I got a job as a parachute packer at a local Dropzone (skydiving center).
I packed for a while and eventually became a videographer, filming first time jumpers so they had something to show of their adventure. I continued to BASE jump just as a passion during that time. It wasn’t until later that I shifted my focus towards making a living as a BASE jumper. Although from an outside perspective my journey may come across as a graceful sprint to success, it however has not been. I have had many incredible highs and equally as intense lows. Facing harsh criticism and judgement from the majority of people in and out of the sport yet at the same time some support from people whom I never would have imagined would support me. Regardless of the hard times I look back and see how far I have come and the things that I have accomplished and all the pain and headache has been very worth it! I have had the pleasure of seeing and experiencing so many different locations, cultures and sports.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
BASE jumping and skydiving are sports of extreme courage and gut. How you have been able to overcome that feeling of fear and hair raising emotion involved in it?
Ms. Clair Marie:
In the beginning I tried to ignore the fear, to push it aside and act as if it wasn’t a factor in what I was doing. I tried to convince myself that I didn’t have fear, that I was above it. However I quickly realized that fear is a very important part of what I do. Fear is what keeps us alive. It can also be what limits us if we allow it to. There is a normal amount of fear that I need to recognize and respect. Fear makes me pay close attention to detail, but I don’t let that fear dictate or control my experiences. I think fear is massively misinterpreted in the world today.
Fear is used as a limiting factor, a reason not to do something. At the end of the day I believe that most fear is irrational and stems from an in-education, Once you get past that aspect of fear the only thing that is left is a logical representation of what the possible outcomes can be which provides a base for me to evaluate what I am doing on a jump by jump basis. Every jump I make I am presented with the option to make the right choices for me. I get to choose if the weather is with in my comfortability level, if the object is in line with my ability level and if I generally feel good about the jump. There have been several times where all of those didn’t line up and because of that I chose to walk down and not jump. Accepting the emotion that I experience but not allowing it to limit me is something that I work on every day, Some days it is easier than others but at the end of the day it is worth it!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are a BASE jumper, skydiver, AFF instructor, model, stunt woman and a tv celebrity. How you manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional lifestyle?
Ms. Clair Marie:
Life for me is always about balance and not getting too far ahead of myself. I, unfortunately have a tendency to think too far in the future some times and the result is me getting stressed out and overwhelmed. I have been fortunate enough to see this in me and when I start to do that, force myself to be more in the moment and focus at the task at hand.
I believe that is the only reason I have been able to have such diversity in my life and my sports. Looking back 10 years ago if I would have been told that I would do all that I have I never would have believed it. But looking at each individual task as its own thing I have been able to accomplish much more then I ever thought I would. Now that I have each one of these traits and abilities in my arsenal it is easy for me to pick and choose which ones to dive into for projects, sometimes mixing them up to create fun once in a life time stunts like my modeling and BASE jumping. The key for me is to have fun. When I am having fun I accomplish so much more and the outcome is usually much better than anticipated.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Elaborate about your endeavour of being a AFF instructor and teaching students your skills at the age of 19 years?
Ms. Clair Marie:
I always loved teaching. From a young age I realized there weren’t a lot of people who did what I did and if I wanted to socialize and have friends but still do what I loved I would have to teach them. For me I feel very fortunate to do what I do, jump out of planes and off cliffs. I can look back at the way I was taught, how hard it was for me to find instruction and how frowned upon I was for what I was doing. It was not an easy time, so I wanted to do my best to eliminate that factor for those who wanted to learn.
The fact that I was young was never a big discussion in me becoming certified as an instructor as my ability spoke for itself. The biggest thing I knew was I want to have an active roll in introducing others to the wonderful sports that have changed and shaped my life over the years. The sports that have provided so much happiness and laughter to last 10 lifetimes. These sports changed my life and the way that I view it. I wanted to give that back to others so they too can understand why I do what I do and give them the opportunity to experience something that could potentially change their lives as well!
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Clair Marie:
Physical fitness is a huge part of my lifestyle. Although it is not necessary to be fit in order to fall out of a plane of jump off a bridge, Being fit and healthy is curtail to getting to different exits in spectacular locations. I am not much of a gym person. I feel like I am wasting time if I am in a gym even though I know I am getting in better shape.
I try my best to do most of my exercising outside. Climbing is one of my favorite ways to stay physically active. Generally to get to climbing locations there is some kind of cardio first such as hiking and then the act of climbing is an amazing upper body and core exercise. When I am at home and I don’t feel like going out or it is bad weather I do some at home workouts as well. I love butt exercises but unfortunately I have mad knees from all of my high impact sports so I can’t do squats. Instead I do weighted leg raises and bridges as well as kick backs and others that target my butt (I love my butt it is my favorite part of my body). I also do ab workouts that are comprised of planks, bicycle crunches, oblique raises and such as well as hanging leg lifts.
For upper body I do pushups and pull-ups as well as some other hanging hand work for climbing strength.
For cardio at home I like to jump rope or if the weather is good I really enjoy cycling. There are some amazing hills near my house that kick my butt!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Clair Marie:
I was raised very healthy. My family ate strictly organic, we almost never had sugar and we actually grew a lot of our own veggies, so health has always been a very integral part of my life. When I moved out as a teenager and was on my own my diet worsened as I started eating processed foods and lots of sugar. I immediately noticed a difference in my performance level as well as my mental clarity. It then became very obvious how important diet is for me.
I got back on track eating well but my biggest shift came when I went vegan. I initially became a vegan because of my boyfriend but quickly realized how great it was for me and my health but also for the environment. Now being vegan doesn’t automatically mean you are healthy, I still have to make daily choices to fuel my body with proper nutrition and make the right vegan choices. One thing that has made that really easy for me when I am super busy running around are Raw Revolution bars. I loved Raw bars even before I was vegan but I can appreciate them so much more now that I am.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hair to make them look so stunning?
Ms. Clair Marie:
A good diet and exercise does wonders for skin and hair. One of the biggest things I have noticed is when I am properly hydrated not only do I feel great but it is super visible in my skin. I don’t wear a lot of makeup so I think that helps with the quality of my skin and its overall health and when I do wear make up I always do my best to take it off every night using a homemade coconut oil based makeup remover. It removes nasty dirt and makeup and also hydrates my skin at the same time.
For my hair I take a biotin supplement to help with growth and strength. I also avoid heat styling tools as much as possible because i have noticed they weaken my hair and promote breakage. I also do a weekly coconut oil deep hair conditioning treatment. I just coat my hair in organic coconut oil and leave it in for several hrs or over night. When I wash it out my hair is shiny and smooth and smells great.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about your experience on being as featured athlete through EpicTv in 2013 ?
Ms. Clair Marie:
Being featured as an EpicTV athlete was a great experience. In addition to getting my sport out there for a wider audience I learned a lot about film and production!. The things I took away from it were huge. Seeing how the industry works, how films are made. All about the back end of film production. That plus I got to travel around to beautiful locations and do one of a kind jumps. It was amazing to have the support that they offered. BASE jumping is still a relatively small sport and is not yet widely accepted. Most people view what we do as reckless and dangerous but they don’t see the preparation behind everything we do, there fore there is little support. To know there was a company that supported what I did and wanted to promote it was incredible and I will eternally be grateful for the experience.
Clair Marie on WomenFitness: Women Fitness is an amazing resource for motivation, inspiration and support! Don’t separate yourself from the stories you read and things you see. Understand that you are so capable of attaining what ever level of health, fitness or success you desire. Just keep a positive attitude and keep working towards your dreams. Use the resources you have surrounding you like Women fitness.net and you will succeed!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words for our inspiring and budding BASE jumping women who all are your fans, what should they do for their climb to the ladder of success in field and sport of BASE jumping?
Ms. Clair Marie:
Stick with following your dreams. Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it! Always operate within your ability level and remember that it takes time… Lots of time, so don’t rush it. Take your time and make sure that you are always enjoying it. If you are not enjoying it then the risk we take is not worth it! Just stay true to yourself and follow your passion. Everything else will fall into place eventually!
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your inspiration and motivation in choosing BASE jumping as your choice of sports?
Ms. Clair Marie:
I don’t think there was one specific person who motivated me to take up BASE jumping. I had always wanted to but once I started I had the support of some amazingly inspirational people who reminded me to stick with it and ignore the haters. People like JT Holmes (professional Skier and BASE jumper), Shane McConkey (professional skier and BASE jumper) and Miles Dasher (professional BASE jumper). Those three really encouraged me to keep charging forward and the energy that they always put off was so fun and motivating. Although Shane is no longer with us they will always be an inspiration of mine!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
With exceptional hard work you are credited with all your achievements. Do you believe that does the hand of Providence (Supreme Being) played a role in your success?
Ms. Clair Marie:
I believe we are in charge of our lives, we have this amazing ability to take the energy that surrounds us and use it to our advantage. I don’t believe things just happen, but I do believe the law of attraction paired with hard work will yield amazing results! We are powerful beyond imagine and we are so capable if we just keep a positive attitude and always work towards our goals and live our passions!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Elaborate a memorable ‘BASE Jump’ you still remember and the experience about which you wish to share?
Ms. Clair Marie:
I am fortunate enough to remember most of my BASE jumps. Each jump is memorable for its own reasons. I have had the pleasure of jumping in some spectacular locations with some amazing people, all which have left a lasting impression on me. One of my many favorite jumps was in 2006 in Norway. It was off a 3,000ft cliff above a beautiful fjord.
I was with JT and a few other people and we decided, instead of jumping the normal exit, we would jump an exit a little lower and hidden. We walked down and ended up on this little pinnacle right above a small waterfall. When we jumped we all jumped right after the other so we were all in the air at the same time! We fell right next to the water fall, in-between two pillars that stuck up besides us. Eventually we gained enough speed that we could track (a body position that lets us move forward away from the object we jumped) away and open our parachutes further away from the wall. That feeling of falling so close to the amazing features, the visuals I had along with the mist of water that covered me as I was falling made for the most sensational memorable experience. When I landed I had a million watt smile for days to come! It still excites me even to this day just thinking about it!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?
Ms. Clair Marie:
Women Fitness is an amazing resource for motivation, inspiration and support! Don’t separate yourself from the stories you read and things you see. Understand that you are so capable of attaining what ever level of health, fitness or success you desire. Just keep a positive attitude and keep working towards your dreams. Use the resources you have surrounding you like Women fitness.net and you will succeed!
To know more about Clair Marie check out at: http://basegirl.com/
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Women Fitness Team thanks Clair Marie for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and made this interview happen.
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.