Calcio Fiorentino – The Ultimate Manly Sport
Imagine a sport that’s a mix between soccer and rugby, with absolutely no rules whatsoever. Man, that’s got to be brutal! And that’s exactly what Calcio Fiorentino is. It’s the ultimate sport to prove your strength, power and courage. The game originated in Italy during the 16th century in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Florence. The […]
Blind Tennis – Yet Another Amazing Sport from Japan
The Japanese really do seem to invent a lot of sports, especially for the disabled. Not long ago, we told you about Doglegs, a wrestling sport for the handicapped. Now, we’re going to introduce you to Blind Tennis, which is of course, tennis played by the blind. The creation of the sport is largely credited […]
Bamboo Drift Racing – A Combination of Speed and Balance
I couldn’t stand still on a cane of bamboo even if it was on land. To think that there are people who can balance themselves on a bamboo pole floating in water! It’s probably the world’s thinnest boat. Bamboo Drift Racing is actually a sport in Southwest China’s Guizhou province. Competitors stand on a bamboo […]
Ferret Legging – A Truly Bizarre Animal Sport
Most people couldn’t stand something as small as a cockroach up their trousers. And then there are the brave ferret leggers who endure not one, but two fully grown adult ferrets trapped in their pants. The weird sport, called Ferret Legging, is a test of endurance or just the ability to “have your tool bitten […]
Groin Ball – Fun to Watch, Painful to Play
Groin Ball is a crazy game that supposedly originated in Japan, is played by men, and obviously involves the hitting of testicles. Curious to know how the game is played? Well, we’ll tell you. Two teams involved in a game of Groin Ball each consist of two players – a ball thrower and a target […]
Doglegs – Japanese Pro-Wrestling for the Disabled
Physical disabilities have never stopped the resilient from pursuing their passion for sports. And wrestlers are not to be left behind. The Doglegs wrestling group founded in Japan gives the disabled an opportunity to fight, although it has been called a ‘freak show’ by some critics. Unlike other sports for the disabled, Doglegs seems more […]
Bossaball – Volleyball Meets Football on a Trampoline
There is no dearth of bizarre sports in this world, new ones are probably being invented everyday. One of the latest additions to the series is Bossaball. Sounds like baseball? Well, it’s nothing like that. Bossaball is in fact, a cross between volleyball, football and Brazilian capoeira, and it’s played on a trampoline. Bossaball is […]
Hockern – Germany Reinvents Sitting as an Extreme Sport
Hockern is a game from Germany that can be classified under bizarre sports. Bizarre, because it involves a lot of things at once – sitting, dancing, spinning, and it’s hard to tell what it is exactly. A typical Hockern player would do something like this: sit on a specially designed stool called the Sporthocker, twirl […]
Yukigassen – Competitive Snowball Fighting from Japan
If you grew up in a place where it snowed, you probably would have mastered the art of throwing snowballs. Bet no one thought much of your talent back then. Too bad you never heard of Yukigassen, a snowball fighting competition that is held in Japan every year, and now in other parts of the […]
No Snow? No Problem, We’ll Just Ski on Rocks
Although it’s December and the skiing season is officially open, there is no sign of snow in the Tyrol region of Austria. But that’s no reason not to ski, at least not for those brave enough to practice the winter sport on a rock-covered slope. 45 kilometers west of Innsbruck, near the picturesque village of […]
In Indonesia Football Is Played with a Ball of Fire
Sepak Bola Api, or The Fireball Game, is a unique game Indonesians play to welcome the month of Ramadan. It’s a lot like football only they have to kick a flaming fireball. It seems regular football is pretty boring. At least that’s the feeling I get after discovering similar games like Footdoubleball, Cycle Ball or […]
You Think Football Is Too Easy? Try Footdoubleball
Invented by a group of Ukrainian students who apparently thought regular football wasn’t exciting enough, footdoubleball is a wacky sport played with two balls of different color, at the same time. Footdoubleball isn’t exactly new, since it was first played in 2007, but it’s definitely new to many people in western European countries, and especially North […]
Sepak Takraw – A Combination of Football, Volleyball and Kung-Fu
Invented around 500 years ago, in Malaysia, Sepak Takraw remains one of the most spectacular sports in the world. It combines elements from football, volleyball and martial arts, and is real fun to watch. It is believed Sepak Trakaw is based on the Chinese game of “Cuju” (kick-ball), after it was introduced to Southeastern Asian […]
Chessboxing – The Thinking Person’s Contact Sport
Chessboxing is a very unique sport that consists of alternating rounds of boxing and chess, allowing players to win either by knockout or check mate. You probably think it’s a joke, but those who actually practice chessboxing take it very seriously. In order to be a world class chess-boxer, one must have extensive boxing experience […]
New York Hosts First Pillow Fight World Cup
Most people think of pillow fighting as a fun childhood game or some scantly clad women putting on a show, but for the women participating in the Pillow Fight World Cup it’s a real sporting competition. Eight women armed with fluffy pillows and dressed like athletes could be seen stepping into the ring during this first […]