When the winter comes around, the question of sport tends to die back a little. The warm, balmy summer months are over in the Northern Hemisphere, and most people just want to stay in their homes.
With that said, sports continue. While it might sound like an oxymoron, some activities are seriously hot, while others aren’t.
What’s Hot?
1. Snowshoeing
Topping the list of hot sports to try in the winter is snowshoeing. This concept is quite old (something they’ve been doing in Scandinavia since time immemorial), but it has only recently grown to prominence thanks to the power of social media.
Snowshoeing involves walking along trails in lightweight gear in the snow. It’s a way of exploring icy landscapes while burning off the Christmas turkey.
2. Ski Touring
You also have a trend toward ski touring this winter, something many people will be indulging in as the season progresses. Instead of using a gondola, you ascend mountains wearing special skis that allow you to climb, building fitness and experience.
Ski touring expeditions often have helpful guides who are there to keep people safe and watch out for potential avalanches. Groups work together to reach the summit (or close to it) and then ski down the piste to the bottom.
Of course, it’s a lot of hard work, so you’ll need some reasonable fitness. But that’s okay.
3. Equipment Gathering
It’s hard to enjoy outdoor sports when the temperatures are freezing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go shopping for the things you’ll need next season. Quieter times are often the best for making important purchases.
For example, if you’ve been eyeing a cricket bat for next season for a while, go ahead and buy it. Spend some time feeling the weight and the grip to see if it is something you could use.
Or how about going shopping for a new kayak? Finding something that’s suitable for your white-water plans next year could be perfect.
4. Indoor Rock Climbing
Indoor rock climbing is another activity that’s hot this year. While it might be unpleasant grabbing onto freezing cold cliffs outdoors, the same isn’t true in indoor spaces.
Indoor rock climbing is something that’s growing in popularity all the time. People are really getting into it and want to explore it more, with centers opening their doors across the country. Even small towns seem to have them.
5. Functional Fitness
Lastly, there’s a hot trend toward functional fitness this winter. People want to prepare their bodies in useful ways for the challenges 2025 is inevitably going to bring.
Functional fitness isn’t something that’s confined to gym bros anymore. It’s now mainstream and supports millions of people’s health and longevity.
What’s Not?
1. Extreme Winter Sports
A few years ago, people were obsessed with ideas like heli-skiing and wingsuit diving. But these sports aren’t so much in the limelight these days. Sure, they still attract a hard core of individuals seeking thrills. But they don’t appeal to the average person in the way they once did. People want safer and more relaxing experiences.
Newspaper articles covering deaths are some of the reasons extreme winter sports are falling out of fashion. Ever since F1’s Michael Schumacher had his accident, there’s been a decline in interest.
Furthermore, many countries are making it more challenging to engage in these activities. They’re either expensive or disallowed except at very specific times of the year in particular places.
2. Sledding
Old-fashioned sledding might be nostalgic, but it’s also not in vogue right now. While it was something that was exceptionally exciting to younger generations, it no longer seems to appeal to older folks who often have the money to go to these fabulous ski destinations.
3. Traditional Ice Skating
The decline of traditional ice skating rinks is also something that is shocking a lot of people as we head into 2024’s festive period. People just aren’t as interested as they once were in going to an ice hockey pitch and skating around in a circle with dozens of other people. It’s not what it used to be.
4. Treadmill Running
Lastly, the idea of basic treadmill running also seems to be a thing of the past. People no longer want to run, bored stiff, on a machine for up to an hour just to burn some calories.
Yes, you still sometimes see it. But you’ll notice that gyms are having to change their approach to cardio, with many now offering circuits instead to get people interested in endurance exercise.
So, there you have it: some insights on what’s hot this winter, and what’s not.
