10 Out of the Box Sports to Try This Summer!
Its Summer! And whether you have a few weeks away from work, are enjoying the long days, or are looking for a fun school holiday activity for the kids, here are our favourite easy and accessible sports to try for the first time this Summer!
- Foot-Golf: 50% Golf, 50% Football (Soccer), 100% Fun! Often played at golf courses using the same fairway, Foot-Golf uses a soccer ball and your own feet instead of a golf ball and clubs. This means less equipment and less time hunting for a tiny white ball in the rough! It’s also easy to set up your own mini-Foot-Golf in the backyard or park and is much safer for young kids.
- Rock Climbing: It’s not just for kids birthday parties! Rock Climbing is not only great fun, but a serious workout, so beware that you might be a little sore the next day. Make sure you go to your local rock climbing centre so that you have access to all the correct gear.
- Running: I know what you’re thinking, ‘yuck!’, but there’s no better time to get started on your jogging journey! Summer is when lots of towns host fun runs, or more exciting events like 5k Foam Fest, a 5 km run that features obstacles, slides, mud pits and way more, so it’s a great time to sign up for an event to help motivate yourself.
- Lawn Bowls: It’s not new to most of us, but Aussies often forget about Lawn Bowls! Over Summer, most bowls clubs in Australia run ‘Barefoot Bowls’ in the evenings, allowing new participants to enjoy a drink and a relaxing friendly game of bowls. Bowls is low impact and perfect for a summer evening.
- Volleyball: Either on the beach or indoors at a stadium, Volleyball is a lot of fun! It doesn’t require any specialist equipment (once you have a ball) and it is easy to play a modified version in the backyard, or at the beach or park.
- Yoga: Why not shake things up with some Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi or similar. There’s may be an indoor or outdoor class in your area, or you can find a video online to teach you all the skills at home. Yoga is a great way to strengthen your muscles and build flexibility.
- Tennis: Another sport most Australians have heard of, but a sport that a lot may not have tried. There’s no better time to try tennis than while you’re gripped with Aus Open fever and many local clubs offer clinics and ‘come and try’ days throughout the summer!
- Swimming: It’s a lot of fun floating from end to end in an inflatable donut, but many local pools will also have lessons or lap sessions available. Swimming is a great way to build your cardiovascular capacity in a way that is very low impact on your joints and muscles, so why not change things up and see just how good your lap times can be! (Make sure you are swimming in safe conditions with a lifeguard present).
- RC Racing: The worlds fasted remote control cars have been known to travel faster than 160km/h! Although you probably won’t start your new favourite sport with a RC Car (boat, plane, drone or helicopter) this fast, RC Racing is a lot of fun! Once you have your set of wheels (or other vehicle), it’s a lot of fun to create your own track at home or head out and about. Once you’ve mastered your skills at home, you can look into a racing club nearby.
- Roller Hockey: Using roller skates on a smooth surface with ice hockey style equipment, roller hockey is a unique sport that you can play with a small or large group.
