Fun Sports You Can Do As an Adult
Remember when you were a kid you could play basketball with friends or (begging your parents a little) sign up for dozens of sports? Those days won’t necessarily be over. In fact, there are many sports and activities open to us adults. Here are a few.
In compiling the list, we have selected the sports and activities available to people with little or no experience. We’ve also left out some of the obvious things like running, weightlifting, and yoga, because you already know you can just do them anytime you want.
Most of them are also associated with some kind of community – you are either on a team or in communication with a group of regular customers. And since the best workout is the one you like (because it’s the one you’re actually going to do), having friends is a big help in your fitness.
Solo Sports
Indoor bouldering is probably the easiest climbing to start with. You don’t need ropes or a mate, and you won’t get far off the ground; The challenge is to follow the marked route without falling. Of course, once you start spending time at climbing walls, you may have friends who will captivate you with other types of climbing. Here is a list of climbing walls .
Social dancing is on the “solo” list because you don’t need a committed partner, although bringing in a buddy can provide psychological protection. Start by combining activities with dancing. To practice dancing as a sport and hobby, try to find a group of dedicated dancers who give hands-on sessions and master classes. I’m partial to lindy hop, a form of swing, but you can find similar communities built around salsa, tango and more.
Circus art creates physical and mental stress. Aerial silk lessons are available in many cities (you will be climbing and twisting fabric suspended from the ceiling), but you can also find a circus school offering lessons in other skills such as unicycle and trapeze.
Traditional team sports
You can practice almost any traditional team sport on a recreational basis. Google your favorite along with your location and the ‘adult league’ effect words and you can find exactly what you’re looking for, either as a standalone league or as part of a group like Zogsports or Sports Monster . Softball , basketball and flag football are typical suggestions.
Competitive sports may also be available in your area, and this is where I need to add women’s soccer to the game. There are leagues like the IWFL for full contact American football for women , many of which were not allowed to play as girls or did not realize they could. As a result, samples often do not require prior experience.
If you love swimming or want to learn how to swim , head over to Masters Swimming , but don’t let the name fool you – these are not really good “masters” swimmers, but just adults who swim. Some have experience as a competitive athlete, but many Masters clubs offer beginner-oriented lessons and practices.
Unusual sport
Available for women and increasingly for men * , roller derby is a full contact sport played on wheels, although more often on flat surfaces than on slopes. Leagues tend to be cohesive social groups that reinforce the addiction factor. Derby lists competitive leagues around the world . Some also offer non-contact or less-contact entertainment, or find them through organizations such as Derby Lite .
Based on the Harry Potter pages, Quidditch is a true sport that doesn’t include magic spells. (The Snitch is not a flying golden ball, but a ball carried by a neutral player wearing gold.) Many teams are college-based, but US Quidditch also has “public” leagues.
Adult kickball leagues are becoming more and more popular; you can find the league through the World Adult Kickball Association . And if you still have fond memories of skipping your lesson to throw a frisbee on the university lawn, you can check out the best Frisbee leagues listed on USA Ultimate .
This is not a complete list, so tell us in the comments – what exciting sports have we missed?