Those of us working a regular nine to five may well assume that the life of a pro BMX rider is easy. It isn’t. They spend most of their time driving from one contest to another, with barely a chance to spend their winnings in between. They might give the impression of living on permanent vacation, but the reality can be, well, exhausting.

Because, despite what on the surface looks like a life of excitement and a peculiar kind of glamour, once they find themselves at the top of the tree, pros realise that the pressures just keep on mounting up. The filmmaker believes another run at the same trick they’ve already landed seven times will be “just right”. What he really means is that it will be “really dangerous”, because the rider hasn’t slept properly for days with excitement, and has only had cold pizza for breakfast.

And then there are the shots which would have been perfect, except for all the passers-by who were scurrying in all directions just because they happened to glimpse something unusual in their peripheral vision. To put it mildly, it can put anyone’s nerves on edge. When you consider the very real risk of injury, and the constant demands from sponsors, a BMX pro’s life is no picnic.

But if anyone can make it look like one, it’s Bruno Hoffmann, as this fantastic video of the super-chilled German in action proves. Whether at a photo shoot or the BMX World Championships, Bruno can make the most fiendishly difficult stunts look like a breeze, from outrageous freestyle moves to perfectly executed stalls or slides. So watch, enjoy, and spare a though for Bruno next time you’re filling in your expenses form.