Joining recreation sports leagues or picking up activities such as karate, skateboarding, or jujitsu as an adult can be intimidating because picking up those activities is usually done as a child. By the time everyone is an adult, they know how to play sports or do certain activities and have years of experience. I’m a firm believer of anyone can pick up anything at any point in their life and succeed and thrive at it if they put in the time and practice. Some things, like gymnastics, are definitely meant for more flexible people, but even as an adult you can work on flexibility and try it out, it’ll just take longer! I’ve come up with some sports and activities I think you can pick up and start as an adult.
This is one of those sports (I consider it a sport or activity because you can participate in tournaments and there are professional skateboarders) or activities that I personally grew up terrified of. Moving so fast with little control of steering was intimidating and scary. Even now it’s still pretty terrifying, but I’m confident in my ability to try, I want to try it out and learn, and I’m learning to build a strong foundation before trying anything that “looks cool”.
I definitely recommend getting a friend who has a few years of skateboarding or longboarding under their belt. They may let you borrow one of their boards before you invest in one, which is what one of my friends did. It will help you save money and it’s also more helpful and fun to have someone teach you in person. You can also utilize youtube and skateboarding websites and forums to help guide you! There are so many videos for beginners, and since there’s so many ways to learn how to skateboard/longboard, you can start with what feels most comfortable, while always remembering fundamental basics.
This is one of those sports that you can kind learn and practice alone, but at the end of the day you do need someone to play against you to get good at. It’s a fun sport that puts your agility, endurance, and coordination to the test. I think picking this sport up as an adult isn’t super intimidating because finding an empty tennis court, or even just a wall to start out with getting movements down, puts a lot less pressure than other sports or activities that have to be practiced in areas where lots of people are. I’m one of those people who gets nervous learning something new in front of an audience, so the fact I can practice against a wall in my garage or find a secluded tennis court is what makes tennis appealing to me.
Youtube and friends and watching other people play is a great way to get started. You can even get a tennis coach or look for adult beginner classes to learn with other people and then join a rec league or something! Have fun with it and don’t be afraid to fail.
Swimming is so good for your body, and once you get over fear or uncertainty of your own abilities, you can become an ace at it in no time. Although you can learn on your own, I suggest for your safety and so you learn proper breathing techniques and ways to keep your body safe, on taking a beginners adult class. You’re going to be surrounded by people at the same skill level as yourself, so you don’t have to be afraid of anything. You’ll also have someone there who can help or save you if anything goes wrong. It’s also a great way to meet people and stay active. Definitely look into classes near you if you’ve always wanted to try swimming. Why wait, you know? Go for it now!
This is one of those sports anyone can pick up and play at any time and their skill level honestly doesn’t have to be that good for them to play. That can be a great thing or an annoying one, depending on the kind of person you are or your reasons for playing! Learning how to succeed at it though is what will separate you from anyone else who casually plays. Learning the foundations of shooting, dribbling, and defending are essential to playing well. You can join rec leagues or find a friend who used to play and ask them for tips and drills to improve your footwork and shooting. You can even use youtube, people at the gym who play basketball frequently, or other online resources to help you out if you don’t know anyone who plays.
If you live in an area that has lots of mountains this is a perfect hobby or sport to pick up. Even if you don’t have mountains around you, rock climbing gyms are great ways to meet people, stay active, and have fun. I’ve never done either, but I have friends who picked it up recently and can see their consistency and practice paying off because they’re able to complete difficult routes. Preparing for this can also be easy because alls you need is some climbing shoes and the determination to use your body and climb!
Maybe you learned how to ride a bike as a kid, maybe not. No judgment here for either position you’re in. Every city and even small cities or large towns have biking groups that meet up regularly. It’s a great way to meet people and stay active! There are different bikes that suit different needs, for example are you interested in mountain biking which involves rough terrain or looking to cruise around town and go long distances which is usually a smoother ride that’s much longer? Make sure you know which bike you should get for what your goal is.
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