Are you ready for a new challenge? 10 Trend sports at a glance
Physical exercise not only keeps you fit and healthy, ideally it should motivate you to move more and enjoy life to the fullest. Trend sports are therefore a fantastic way to breath fresh air into your own sports experience. Whether you are a serious athlete looking for a new challenge or a novice seeking fun ways to start regular workouts – we put together a list of ten trend sports that you can try out right away.
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1. Airboarding – downhill at maximum speed
Airboarding is the new winter trend sport. Descend snow-covered downhills on an inflated air cushion sled, while the wind is whistling in your ears. You simply lie down on the inflated airboard and steer by shifting your body weight. A sophisticated design allows high speeds that guarantee extra thrills. Those who are feeling ambitious can even compete in airboarding events offering various disciplines such as boarder-cross, team race or speed race. In summary, airboarding is the perfect sport for all who love winter and want to go full power in the snow. If you enjoyed sledding as a child, then you should add airboarding to your list of sports to try.
2. Plogging – combine doing good for the environment with running
Combine sports with environmental protection? No problem. When plogging, you take short breaks during your run to collect garbage from the side of the trail, and thus, keep the environment clean. The only extra thing you need for this sport is a garbage bag and a pair of (rubber) gloves. The short breaks during your run have an interval effect that gets your blood flow going every time and stimulates circulation to keep you fit. Also, when you pick up garbage, you can incorporate fitness exercises such as squats or lunges, and thus, create even more effective training. Next time you go for a run, just give it a try, and take along a garbage bag.
3. Hyrox – the extra challenge for sports junkies
If you are always looking for a challenge and enjoy going to the limit, Hyrox is a golden opportunity for you. Hyrox combines functional training with high-intensity interval training and classic endurance running. This combination is not only extremely versatile but is also a full power workout. For this fitness challenge, eight 1-km-running intervals alternate with intensive workouts that demand the most of all muscle groups as well as your overall endurance. In Hyrox competitions, you can also measure how you fare against others and test your fitness in comparison to other sports enthusiasts. This is a great way to get the most out of yourself and to celebrate your success.
4. Trail running – cross country endurance
In trail running, you leave the main paths and find your own paths to follow. Run cross country and explore the fields, meadows, and woods in your area. Trail running improves your sense of orientation and is a very natural way of running. Different types of ground surface stimulate your foot and leg muscles, your coordination improves and your capacity to react quickly increases. This way, every run turns into a small adventure.
When you go running outdoors, please respect nature and observe the limits of protected areas.
When you go running outdoors, please respect nature and observe the limits of protected areas.
5. Rope skipping – an old activity reinvented
Rope skipping is an old activity that most of us still remember from childhood. For modern rope skipping, you don’t use a regular rope, but a special sports rope made of rubber. These ropes are a little heavier, but they allow you to reach greater speeds when swinging. Therefore, they are perfect for intensive endurance training or tricks. Skipping strengthens the entire body muscle mass and, at the same time, it enhances your endurance and coordination. This turns rope skipping into a fun activity as well as an effective workout.
6. Parcour – creative obstacle run outdoors
Speed and efficiency – those are the two crucial factors, because the goal is to find the quickest and most energy-efficient way to the finish. Along the course, you bump into lots of obstacles such as walls, stairs, rails or trees and shrubs that you need to hurdle as skilfully and quickly as possible using various techniques. Parcour is therefore also referred to the ‘art of efficient locomotion’. If you fancy some parcour training, you can either start right outside your front door and test a couple of jumps or you can sign up for a guided training with a professional instructor.
The difference between parcour and free-running is the way obstacles are hurdled. While parcour aims for efficiency, free-running aims for maximum creativity when surpassing an obstacle (e.g. with a salto).
The difference between parcour and free-running is the way obstacles are hurdled. While parcour aims for efficiency, free-running aims for maximum creativity when surpassing an obstacle (e.g. with a salto).
7. Slacklining – balancing on a flat rope
Walking on a slackline can be done in many settings, call it lowlining, highlining, tricklining, waterlining – whatever the setting, they are all about the same sport: balancing on a flat rope. You can easily set up a slackline any time between two trees and start walking on it as much as you like. After a few tries, you adjust to the challenge and then you can start trying more daring tricks, e.g. walk a longer distance or try some new moves. Slacklining is not only great exercise for balance, but also strengthens leg and core muscles and trains your concentration. Many slackliners get hooked on the sport, maybe you will too.
8. Inline skating/roller skating – whiz through town
Inline skating or roller skating are also activities that many remember from childhood. Today, these sports have become popular again among adults. With rollers attached to your feet, you can enjoy speed as well as joint-friendly training. There is, for sure, an inline skating or roller skating discipline you will enjoy. For example, you can do speed skating, fitness skating or figure skating – depending on whether you are more interested in speed, endurance training or tricks. Eventually, you will find out which type of inline skating or roller skating is the most fun for you.
There is no straight answer to the question whether inline skating or roller skating is the better option for beginners. Roller skates allow you to keep your balance more easily and you are more mobile. However, they are intended more for indoor training. With inline skates you can achieve much greater speeds and you can go much further outdoors. However, they are a little bit more challenging to handle.
There is no straight answer to the question whether inline skating or roller skating is the better option for beginners. Roller skates allow you to keep your balance more easily and you are more mobile. However, they are intended more for indoor training. With inline skates you can achieve much greater speeds and you can go much further outdoors. However, they are a little bit more challenging to handle.
9. SUP – navigate the waters and keep fit
SUP (Stand Up Paddling) is ideal for all those who love water sports. A small surfboard and a special paddle is all you need to navigate the waters and explore nature along the shoreline. Continuously adjusting your weight while staying upright on an SUP improves your balance and strengthens your deep muscles. Additionally, the paddling motion entails full body training. With SUP you can take a relaxing tour of the lakes or rivers you want to explore, or you can dive right into sports challenges such as SUP-yoga or SUP-racing. Especially in summer, stand up paddling is an interesting sport, that can liven up your training plan and guarantee many enjoyable moments.
10. Hula hoop – rotate your hips and stay fit
Hula hoop is the perfect activity for office workers. If you work at a desk a lot, a hula hoop session once a day will help you prevent or alleviate back pain. Rotating your body strengthens your stomach and back muscles and improves your posture. You can do hula hoop either as a relaxing break from your desk with your favourite music in the background or you can do more ambitious training and carry out a complete home workout. There are no limits to your training ambitions!
Summary
From hula hoop to Hyrox: There is a huge range of trend sports with something for everyone. Introducing different trend sports can freshen up your training plan, give you the chance to discover new sports or get hooked on a new sport that you can start doing regularly. Take the first step and try out some new sports! And most importantly: Enjoy!
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Image sources:
iStock.com/KaiDunn
iStock.com/Nadasaki
iStock.com/Hi-Photo
iStock.com/Phawat Topaisan