Competition is one of the most engaging activities for many people. The desire to be the best in something is a necessity that can be explained psychologically. People from the USA are interested in the NFL, while European citizens are fond of soccer. However, there are people who prefer other sports that are not so popular but really engaging. Read this article if you are curious to learn about the weirdest sports in the world.
9. Extreme Ironing
When was the last time when ironing a blouse or a t-shirt made you excited? Probably it happened in your childhood when you decided to iron something, although your mom had no idea about your plans. However, if you burnt that outfit, you probably decided not to do these risky things anymore because of the mom’s reaction. You will be surprised but the Extreme Ironing Bureau was created in Great Britain to develop such challenges for people who are still excited about it. Here is the idea of such activities: players should compete to distinguish who can iron a shirt in the most extreme location or situation, for example, in caves, in the wood, right near waterfalls, etc. Right now it is popular in Great Britain only but we will see how it goes.
8. Jai Alai
Probably every single person threw a bouncy ball at a wall once trying to catch it later. This feeling is the base of a new game called Jai Alai. This game was created 2 centuries ago in Spain, and it became surprisingly popular because of the excitement and danger that it brings to players. This game means that 2 players should have rackets and hurl the goatskin ball at the beginning of the game. After that, it is necessary to catch and return this ball. The stadium should have walls on the back, front, and left. Every time when a point is scored players should rotate as soon as possible. This game is dangerous, as sometimes the ball can have a speed of 200 miles per hour which is truly traumatic and probably can lead to death.
7. Chess Boxing
Everyone knows that chess is a great game to develop mental skills, while boxing is all about the fighting skills, but do you have an idea of what Chess Boxing is? These 2 sports are completely different and they have nothing in common. The idea of Chess Boxing is having 2 players who will compete in 2 sports at the same time. There are 11 rounds and each of them lasts for 4 minutes. So at first, players should make chess moves, after that, the chessboard will be removed and boxing will happen. Then, this board will be given back to make the next moves. Such sport sounds too weird, but it can help to develop skills in chess and boxing during the same practice or competition.
6. Worm Charming
The excitement of this game is connected with looking at a competitor who is laying in the mud with multiple worms right near him. People need to get as many worms as they can without digging. However, players get a fork, wood, a boom box with 30 minutes. In 1980 a man set a record: he got 511 worms; can you imagine? Right now this sport is very popular in England but it can appear anywhere soon.
5. Octopush
What features of hockey can you notice if you are watching a game? Probably the speed, violence, and professionalism come to your mind. Octopush is very similar to hockey, but its main difference is that players need to compete…underwater. The aim of a team is to win by making goals, although you can’t touch other players. The difficulty of the game is connected with the necessity to get to the surface regularly to get some oxygen. It sounds weird but pretty interesting, so people in Singapore adore it. They love this game as it is a not cruel hydro version of hockey.
4. Buzkashi
This game will probably never become popular in the USA because it includes some dead animals. So here are the rules: two teams need to ride horses dragging a dead goat behind. Players need to drag this goat across a line to score a point. Buzkashi was invented in the 10th century, but people from Afghanistan still love playing it. However, US people updated this game, called it «Kav Kaz» and made it more humane. In this version, two teams need to drag a huge sheep skinned ball through a goal post, so this game in the USA is really similar to soccer.
3. Hurling
Hurling was created in Northern Ireland by some sportsmen. This game is a combination of lacrosse and field hockey, but one of the main aims of hurling is to beat someone during playing. The most extraordinary thing is the fact that this game almost doesn’t have any serious restrictions and security measures. Hurling players prefer not to wear any headgear to feel the danger and be driven more, although the speed of a ball can be 100 miles per hour. To be honest, no one will be surprised if players come to the field being drunk or high.
2. Bird Chirping
Even if you never thought about coming to Suriname, you will probably want to do this after this information. People in this country mostly don’t care about traditional and popular sports. You won’t find any sports stadiums, golf fields, or anything like this here. But people are incredibly interested in birds and their voices, although it may sound weird. Paramaribo is the capital of this country, and this city allows you to see a surprising competition every Sunday morning. Competitors bring their birds, put them in cages in front of each other, and after that the audience should be completely silent for 5 minutes. A judge also sits there being completely attentive. The thing is that when a bird chirps, its owner gets a point. The more points you have, the more chances you have to win this bird chirping competition. A competing bird’s price can be several thousands of dollars, can you imagine that?
1. eSports
Nowadays, many people spend their free time playing different games on Xbox, Playstation, or computer, so this thing is not unique anymore, it is completely normal. But eSports look really strange. Professional players of some games, for example, Starcraft or Call of Duty, can be offered a deal, just like it usually happens among football or basketball players. There are huge arenas, for example, Madison Square Garden, that are full of people who came there to watch how other people would play games. eSports can even be discussed on famous channels and programs like ESPN! Of course, it will be stupid to believe that eSport will become as popular as the NFL, for example, but its future is going to be impressive.
