Sports Then and Now

2016 has been a relatively good year for sports, right? From the Chicago Cubs actually going all the way to win the World Series of Baseball (their first in over 100 years!) to the Denver Broncos slugging out the Carolina Panthers in the 2016 Super Bowl – it’s been a pretty good one!

That being said, what about you, personally? Have you been sticking to the general stuff like soccer or softball to boost your fitness and have fun? If so, that’s amazing! What you should look to do in the coming year though, is try something new.

Now, by new, we don’t mean something that has been recently developed but a sport that may have been overlooked for the mainstream sports this year.

We’ll get started with skateboarding. Now, skateboarding isn’t really looked at as a typical sport, but it’s great fun if you learn a few tricks and there’s an amazing community behind it. It’s also good for fitness levels, and it’s cheaper than say, football, to get started in. You don’t have to buy expensive helmets or cleats just to get involved, just a board and a general helmet to protect your skull! Skateboarding is a fantastic way to start off 2017 with something new, but it’s far from the most extreme options we’ve found…

So extreme? Wrestling is pretty unique. It’s less about combat and more about the theatrics and strength involved to perform amazing feats. There are two types of wrestling, the professional style which involves the theatrics, and the amateur style which is all about real grappling and combat. The choice is yours, and the equipment is cheap, after all, you probably only need a basic shirt, a bottom, and some wrestling shoes and you’re good to go with the grappling. There are many schools that can get you started off, and if you’re any good at all, you might be able to earn a bit of money with the touring wrestling shows. The WWE awaits!

If you fancy real combat, a trip to a mixed martial arts school might be of interest. You’re going to get hurt and feel sore in the morning, but it’s a booming sport and you’ll make a lot of new friends thanks to the surging community. The equipment is basic, and the most expensive outfit option will be the gloves. It’ll increase your confidence and your fitness and may even change your workout plan to focus on combat sports.

If none of the above are grabbing your fancy, then Finland has the most outrageous option of all. Wife Carrying is genuinely a thing in Finland. You must carry your wife upside-down to the end of the course. Of course, there’s a prize at the end! You win your wife’s weight in beer. Maybe it’s not that great for fitness, then.

There’s an abundance of sports to try in 2017 and we can’t list them all. Get out there, make some new friends and get fit and you’ll have a hell of a time trying them all.