Whether you’re bored of the weekend ball game, looking to climb off the couch, or get fit in 2017, there are exciting new sports just waiting for you to try. So, leave that tennis racket where it is, and check out our list of top sports to play in the new year.
Follow on from Rio
Remember the Rio Olympics? And all those strange sports you saw for the first time. Well, if Teddy Riner inspired you to try judo. Or you watched Kyle Snyder take Olympic Wrestling Gold for the USA and want to try it out, you can find your nearest clubs at the Team USA website.
Get over your injury
Connor Fields won Team USA’s first-ever BMX Olympic gold in Rio, just four months after surgery on a broken bone in his hand. With help from a specialist such as an Orthopedic One’s Sports Injury Doctor, athletes of all ages and levels can get fixed up and back to the sport they love. If you want to follow Connor’s trail, USA BMX can steer you towards your nearest track.
Embrace winter
It doesn’t get more extreme than skeleton. Face-down, millimeters from the ice, and with a baking tray to protect you, you’ll speed through twists and turns at 60mph. And at the Whistler Sliding Centre in British Columbia, you race down the world’s fastest ice track. Going with mates? They do four-man bobsleigh, too. Discover more winter sport experiences from National Geographic.
Get a kick of adrenaline
If you’re after an even bigger rush, nothing beats the thrill of climbing. You can get to grips with the basics at your local indoor wall, then progress to rock faces and mountaineering. From traditional trad climbing (with ropes) to cloth-touching free solo climbing (no ropes), discover all the different types of climbing you can try out. Heights not for you? Explore more thrill-seeking sports to get the adrenaline flowing.
Play Ultimate Frisbee
If you’re more beach bum than Sly Stallone in Cliffhanger; ultimate Frisbee could be for you. Teams of seven score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposition’s end zone. You can’t run and can only move one foot (or pivot) while holding the Frisbee. A non-contact sport, this offers a great cardio workout and the opportunity for Hollywood catches to impress watchers-on. The first team to 15 points wins.
Go obscure
Sepak Takraw is a mishmash of soccer, volleyball, and gymnastics in one crazy game. With three-player teams on opposing sides of the net, you use your feet, knees, shoulders, or head to return the ball to the other side. No hands or arms are allowed. Check out the sport’s official site to learn more and get involved.
So, if your New Year’s Resolution is to get fit, or try something new, forget the gym. Go toe-to-toe with an opponent. Experience a burst of adrenaline. Or kick back with an easygoing pastime. Whatever you do, try something new from our list of sports for 2017.
