5 unusual sports to try
Leaning against a wall yoga, crawling on a frozen lake or finding your balance on a float board? This is possible! Get out of your comfort zone with these five relatively new or original sports.
1. Yoga wall
What is this ?
Yoga Wall is a flying form of yoga. Literally, because it is hung from the wall with ropes and straps. It sounds intimidating to say, but it’s very accessible. Thanks to the straps, you have more stability and support than a regular yoga session. And the postures we chain feel tighter and more effective.
How?
To practice the yoga wall, you need a specially designed yoga wall, a pelvic girdle – a strap around the pelvis, and a few other accessories such as handles and rubber bands. By attaching the handles to the wall, you can adopt positions to stretch the muscles or exercise. “By practicing the Yoga Wall, you’re actively developing your range of motion,” says Canadian Julie Henneberg, a yoga instructor at Neshama in Hasselt. “You can adjust the resistance of your straps and thus create more space around the joints. »
For whom?
You don’t have to be an ultra-flexible yogi to get started with Yoga Wall. Even beginners can try simple poses with a little help from an experienced trainer like Julie. In his studio, it is possible to watch courses accompanied by a Yoga Wall. “Is it open to everyone? Of course, anyone can do something on the Yoga Wall. There are also many postures where you are in contact with the ground, which is less impressive. But the more experienced you are, the more options there are, of course.”
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Where?
- Neshama Yoga – Joris van Oostenrijkstraat 44, Hasselt
- Yogalovers – Berthoudersplein 34, Mechelen
2. Pickle ball
Pickleball was born in 1965 in the United States, when fathers from Bainbridge Island imagined this game for their children.
What is this ?
Have you ever played tennis, badminton or table tennis? Pickleball is a mixture of all these and is already called the “new padel”. This racket game – born in the USA – is the biggest trend right now. And there are good reasons for this: the technique is easy to learn and not at all tiring for the muscles.
How?
Although pickleball is very similar to tennis, there are still some differences. The court is smaller, the rackets are square, the balls are plastic and the rules are slightly different. All rules are detailed in detail on this site.
For whom?
Pickleball is described as a sport “for the whole family.” And if at first it was more popular among the elderly, in recent years it has pleased all age groups.
Where?
3. Ice Floating
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What is this ?
We have a lot to learn from the Scandinavians. Including how to swim across a frozen lake to find absolute peace. Ice Floating – that’s the name of this popular winter practice – requires very little physical effort and, on the contrary, leads to a state of zen. But unlike ice baths where you swim in the lake without a wetsuit, with Ice Floating the body does not come into contact with the water.
How?
To attempt Ice Floating, you need a waterproof suit that will keep you completely dry while floating. The water pressure surrounds your body and allows you to expect total relaxation, physically and mentally.
Where?
As frozen lakes are not very common in Belgium, you will need to reach colder areas to do this activity.
- Floating ice in Val Genis, French Alps
- Floating ice on Mont-Blanc in Savoie
- Floating ice in Rovaniemi, Lapland
4. Float Fit
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What is this ?
Float Fit is a very trendy British fitness unit that was brought to us some time ago. What to expect? In a group class on water, a simple pool where you often stand on a board.
How?
During a Float Fit session, the goal is to do 30 minutes of endurance and weight training on the board without losing your balance. Even if the unpredictable movements of the water make things even more complicated. The goal is to keep it balanced throughout the session. In this way, we not only work on our balance, but also on our endurance, coordination and muscles.
For whom?
Float Fit is suitable for both beginners and advanced athletes. This discipline is also recommended for those with knee or joint problems. The context is actually less stressful when training on a hard surface.
Where?
5. Bossabol
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What is this ?
Bossabol is a mix of soccer, volleyball and gymnastics. And we play this sport accompanied by Latin American music. Bossanova is a Brazilian music genre, hence the name “bossaball”. You may find it hard to believe, but this game was invented in Spain in 2005 by Belgian Philippe Eikmans, former manager of the Belgian dEUS group. Since then, it has become an internationally recognized sport.
How?
This single sport is performed on an inflatable field equipped with trampolines. The court borrows several features from volleyball, while the technical aspects come from volleyball and soccer. What about large airbags? They stimulate the acrobatic and “samba” side of the game.
For whom?
This sport requires a lot of technique, but anyone can do it. Curious to see what it looks like? Watch the video below.
Where?
Bossabol is practiced at sports centers or you can bring it home, as this club in Mortsel offers.
In the Netherlands, bossabol is a little better known: you can practice in almost any city.
