Sport swap: What would you give up / take on?

The Game Room
#1

Whether it’s due to age, lack of time, loss of interest, lack of convenience, whatever else - what sport are you currently considering giving up and/or taking up?

I’ll start.

I’ve been an avid downhill skier all my life. Skied competitively, slalom and GS, in college. Taught my kids and a number of friends to ski over the many years that I’ve enjoyed the sport. But in recent years, perhaps due to my age and the slowly dawning realization that I’m never going to be at my best again, added to the fact that I simply can’t tolerate the cold as well as I used to, I’m seriously thinking of hanging up my boots for good. I know my wife would rejoice at the thought.

Century bike rides are also a thing of the past. I’m lucky to get 25 miles out before I turn around to head back. Just don’t enjoy suffering the way I used to.

What I’ve been thinking of trying recently is paddle boarding. Just standing up and paddling along seems to have this zen type appeal to me. Not to mention that it looks like a hell of a good core workout.

#2

My lifting partner (a guy 20 years younger than me) is trying to get me to do a marathon or Ragnar with him.
I’m really not a runner - never have been. But, I’m thinking about it, just for the challenge.

#3

Tennis – both full sized and table. My shoulder and neck just aren’t what they used to be.

Bicycles are starting to catch my attention. Age 5 or so I went straight to mini-bikes and small motorcycles and pretty much skipped the kids bike stage. And with the amount of rails-to-trails around me it has a certain appeal.

#4

I’ve taken martial arts of various styles from about 18 until about 30. Now I’m 40+ and haven’t been to a gym/dojo in 10+ yrs. Been wanting to start fencing.

Or motor racing of some kind.

#5

You might want to research that hobby…

My best friend used to fence in College, and when he came out to visit one time (years ago) I asked if he wanted to go skiing, and he said “I can’t - fencing ruined my knees…”

#6

I don’t plan on doing it competitively. Just some classes to get some exercise and learn something new. It can’t be too much worse on my knees than all the other martial arts styles I’ve done. And really, it’s my ankles that are shot from high/long Jump in high school, when I WAS doing it seriously competitively.

#7

Lifting to running sounds like a tough transition. I’ve always viewed running as a means to an end, a necessary evil, something I did to stay in shape for other sports.
Good luck with your goals. Let us know how it works out.

#8

A painful realization sets in every week I play basketball. I hope to keep going for a few years, but it will probably be the next sport I have to give up.

The sport or activity that is intriguing to me right now is kayaking. I’ve canoed and white water rafted, but never kayaked. Saw some people on the river the other day and thought, “that looks cool.” I think I might like to try it out now that we’ve got awesome weather. Not exactly sure where to start. I might just buy a used kayak and paddle, hop in the river or lake and see what happens.

#9

I’m backing off running after a knee injury, and it was a lousy snow year so we didn’t do much skiing this year. My wife and I both have skiing relate knee injuries that mean we don’t ski first to last chair anymore but we still try to get out as often as we can.

Mountain biking is our current passion, along with road biking which we’ve always done. Might consider rowing at some point, we’re right near several boat houses. I’ve taken up triathlons and expect to compete in a few this summer.

Hiking is a lifetime sport - the distances and difficulties may change. Not sure how much backpacking is left in the tank, but dayhikes and long trail runs are still fun.

#10

My kids are finally old enough that I have a little more flexibility in doing my own activities. I’ve spent a while thinking about what that might mean and was kind of sad to come to the conclusion that probably taking adult gymnastics classes wasn’t a great idea. (I was a competitive gymnast as a teenager and have the crappy knees to show for it.) I’m 4 weeks into a Couch to 5K, which I initially learned about here on the SDMB. Not sure I’m going to love running, but I’m doing it with my husband and I think it’s the first time we’ve ever really exercised together. It’s nice to have him as a running buddy.

I’m also continuing to take karate, but I’ve been doing that for 4 (?) years now.

#11

You could try pickleball- a whole lot easier on the body and serving is underarm. I quit tennis a couple of years ago and have just started pickleball.

#12

I gave up hunting this year. We sold the family cabin (our lease memberships were tied to the ownership) and I haven’t gotten interested enough to find another deer lease. I was weary of hunting things that get up so damned early anyway.

I gave up barefoot skiing about 10 years ago. I could do it OK but the falls were really starting to hurt. Ditto for slalom skiing (about 5-6 years ago). I’m sixty and I need more sedate hobbies, I guess.

I’ve nearly stopped flight instructing. I have a few long-time students who I fly with for Proficiency/Currency checks, but I’ve refused any new ones. Again, I’m sixty and have been instructing for almost 35 years. I told my wife I wasn’t going to renew my CFI next time it comes due. Flight instructing is a young man’s game, I think.
I still love boating and RV-ing. And I’ve taken up fishing in the last couple of years. It’s calm, comfortable (on a boat anyway) and I can have a cooler of brews beside me.

It’s surprising how much I’ve slowed down in the last decade. But I think it’s wise to do so when age becomes a factor, and especially if slower reactions impact safety.

#13

I know you posted this a few months ago; however, I just heard about this sport today while killing time “desk-warming” at school today. I checked a few sites for rules, and am now watching the inaugural pro men’s double match on youtube. The sport looks like quite a lot of fun! Are you just a player in your local league or do you play and officiate? What advice would you give someone who wants to pick up the sport?

ETA: In line with the OP of this thread, another sport besides pickleball I’d like to pick up is rounders (both the English and the Irish versions). I’m already a cricket player.

#14

Punted over to the Game Room.

#15

Recently had to give up soccer, ankles and knees just couldn’t take the pounding anymore. I’ve also been looking at something to backfill. Being in the greater Seattle area, I’ve found the worst hurdle now is the commute to get to an activity :(. I’ve had to cancel a couple of rec gyms and a martial arts class (indoor soccer, tennis) because the hour-plus drive wasn’t worth it or the short period of exercise and fun.

#16

I am not far enough into it to help you, I’m afraid. I have only played three times. We will be moving to a community later this year where pickleball is thriving. They have internal leagues, external/traveling leagues, social mixers, open play evenings at different levels. When we move there, we will be active to whatever level we are capable.

They have their own pickleball website here.

I’ve only ever come across English rounders as a girls’ game. How about softball?

#17

AFAIK, rounders is played by single gender teams and mostly by youth; however, there are adult clubs. The English and Irish rules (aka codes) are different enough to consider them separate games. Something I just learned last year is that there’s a game called British Baseball (also called Welsh Baseball) that is not rounders nor American Baseball.

I grew up playing softball. Interesting aside: one of my cousins was quite good at softball (fast pitch) until she retired. She played on a team which regularly rose to the top of their city and regional competitions.

#18

My community just put an outdoor pickleball court in place where a basketball court used to be. Frankly, I can’t see the pickleball court being used much. As someone who used to play a fair amount of racketball, it does look like fun. But I only know one guy who plays and I think he’s the one who pushed to build the court.

And to follow up on my post from May, I did get a kayak and went out on the river several times. Loved it. Got a tandem 'yak just in case anyone else ever wants to join. So far only my son has been interested.

#19

I used to climb mountains almost every weekend for years. (Not Everest-like climbing - Colorado 14er’s) Then my climbing partner moved away. I could have joined a club and kept going, but I realized I didn’t really like it. It hurts, it is scary, and the altitude makes you fart like a Billy Goat. No thanks.

#20

Unless you live in Hawaii or some other tropical location, how many months out of the year do you plan on paddle boarding? If the wind picks up even in Hawaii, it gets cold standing up on a board, especially if you fall in and get wet.