Sports
Endurance & fitness
Sports and training built around sustained physical effort.
Mobilus In Mobili / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Bouldering
Climbing short, hard problems close to the ground, with mats instead of ropes — the lowest-friction way into climbing.
£25–£100 to start · indoors or out · very demanding
Running
Covering ground on foot — the cheapest sport there is, and the parent of a very large family of disciplines.
Under £25 to start · outdoors · very demanding
Florian Pépellin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cycling
Riding a bicycle for transport, fitness or pleasure — the parent of a large family of quite different sports.
£300–£1,000 to start · outdoors · demanding
Orienteering
SportHobbyNavigating between control points on a detailed map, at whatever speed suits you, against the clock.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsDemanding
Yoga
SportHobbyA family of movement and breathing practices with a long history, now most commonly met as a class in a hall — and far more varied than that suggests.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
Indoor climbing
SportRoped climbing on an artificial wall — the route into the sport for almost everybody who now does it outdoors.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
Wild camping
SportHobbySleeping out in open country away from any campsite — legally straightforward in Scotland, considerably less so almost everywhere else in Britain.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
Marathon running
SportRacing 42.195km on the road — an ordinary distance to train for and a genuinely hard one to finish well.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Calisthenics
SportStrength training with your own body as the load — pull-ups, dips, handstands, and the long ladder of steps between them.
Free or near-free to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
Half marathon
SportRacing 21.0975km on the road — far enough to need preparing for, short enough to run rather than survive.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
Triathlon
SportSwim, bike and run in one race, with the transitions counting too — an endurance sport where the hardest part is usually the water.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Mobility training
SportDeliberate work on active range of movement — distinct from stretching, and distinct from strength work, though it overlaps with both.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsModerate effort
Bikepacking
SportHobbyMulti-day riding with everything you need strapped to the bike — camping, navigation and cycling combined into one problem.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Road cycling
SportRiding drop-bar bikes on tarmac, solo, in clubs or in races — the discipline where distance and pace become the point.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Bodybuilding
SportTraining and eating for how the body looks rather than what it lifts — the largest gym pursuit there is, and the worst served.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
Athletics
SportTrack and field as an organised club sport — running, jumping and throwing under one roof, and open to adults at every level.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
Indoor cycling
SportStructured training and virtual racing on a smart trainer — a season of its own rather than a wet-weather substitute.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
Indoor rowing
SportTraining and racing on the ergometer — a measurable sport in its own right, not a substitute for a boat.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
Recumbent cycling
SportHobbyRiding seated and reclined, on two wheels or three — usually taken up to stay cycling rather than to go faster.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
Fastpacking
SportCovering multi-day routes on foot at running pace, carrying everything — between thru-hiking and trail running, and served by neither.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Thru-hiking
SportHobbyWalking a long trail end to end in one continuous push — a logistics and attrition problem far more than a walking one.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Fell running
SportRacing up and down open hillside on unmarked routes — a navigation sport with running attached, where GPS is banned outright.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Olympic weightlifting
SportThe snatch and the clean and jerk — a technique sport rather than a strength sport, what a session actually looks like, and why the coach is the whole thing.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
Trail running
SportOff-road running on unpredictable ground — what actually changes from the road, how the sport divides by surface, and where the boundary with fell running sits.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Downhill mountain biking
SportRiding gravity tracks at uplift-served bike parks — what the sport actually is, what it costs, and why this page covers everything except how to ride it.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Also in this category
Classified but not yet written up.
118 activities in the catalogue, 25 written up so far.
Acrobatic gymnastics
SportBalance and dynamic routines performed in pairs and groups, where partners are the apparatus.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Acroyoga
HobbySportPartner acrobatics with a base, a flyer and a spotter, practised in jams rather than performed.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Adult gymnastics
SportRecreational gymnastics classes for adults, which most clubs now run and nobody advertises.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Adventure racing
SportMulti-discipline team racing over long distances, navigating throughout.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Aerial hoop
SportCircus performance on a suspended steel ring, taught in classes and genuinely strenuous.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Aerial silks
SportClimbing, wrapping and dropping on suspended fabric. Upper-body strength is the barrier.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Aquathlon
SportSwim then run, with no bike — the cheapest way into multisport racing.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Backyard ultra
SportA last-runner-standing format: a fixed loop every hour until only one entrant remains.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Biathlon
SportCross-country skiing interrupted by rifle shooting at a racing heart rate.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bicycle frame building
CraftBrazing or welding bicycle frames from tubing, to your own geometry.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bike trials
SportRiding a bike over obstacles without dabbing, judged on balance rather than speed.
Over £1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bikejoring
SportBeing towed on a bike by one or two harnessed dogs, on forest track rather than road.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
BMX
SportRacing and freestyle on small-wheeled bikes, at tracks and skateparks.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
BMX freestyle
SportTricks on a small strong bike, in a park, on street or on a ramp.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Breakdancing
SportHobbyToprock, footwork, power moves and freezes, battled one against one and now an Olympic sport.
Under £25 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Canicross
SportRunning attached to your dog by a bungee line and harness.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cargo cycling
HobbyUsing a cargo bike for loads, children and shopping, as a hobby and a car replacement.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cheerleading
SportCompetitive stunting, tumbling and pyramids performed to music, now a sport rather than a sideline.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Circus skills
HobbySportAerial hoop, silks, trapeze, acro and hand balancing, taught in classes.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Coastal rowing
SportRowing stable open boats on the sea, in crews, often in community clubs.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Combined events
SportDecathlon and heptathlon — scoring across ten or seven disciplines over two days.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cross country running
SportWinter league racing over mud and grass, the oldest and cheapest competitive running in Britain.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cross triathlon
SportSwim, mountain bike and trail run — triathlon moved off the road entirely.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cross-country ski touring
SportTravelling on skis over rolling country rather than descending pistes.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cross-country skiing
SportTravelling over snow under your own power, classic or skating.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
CrossFit
SportConstantly varied high-intensity training in a coached class.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cyclocross
SportShort, brutal winter racing on mud, sand and barriers you carry the bike over.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cyr wheel
HobbySportA single large ring the performer rides and spins inside, learned at circus schools.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Duathlon
SportRun, bike, run — triathlon without the swim, and a common way in.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Endurance riding
SportLong-distance competitive riding with veterinary checks that decide as much as speed does.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Enduro mountain biking
SportTimed descents linked by untimed climbs, the dominant modern MTB race format.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Finswimming
SportRacing in a monofin or bifins, on the surface or below it, at very high speeds.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Grass track cycling
SportRacing on grass ovals at village sports days and dedicated meetings.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Grassroots coaching
SportHobbyCoaching a club or junior side, which is a taught qualification and a genuine second hobby.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Gravel cycling
SportRiding unsurfaced lanes and tracks on a drop-bar bike built for them.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Grip sport
SportCompetitive gripping — grippers, pinch, thick bar and holds — with standardised implements and records.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hand balancing
SportHobbyHandstand training as a discipline in itself — line, wrist conditioning and slow strength.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
High jump
SportA curved approach and a back-first bar clearance, learned almost entirely through drills.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hurdling
SportSprinting over barriers to a fixed rhythm, which is a technical event disguised as a running one.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hyrox
SportA standardised indoor fitness race — eight runs alternating with eight stations.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Inline skating
SportSkating on a single line of wheels, for distance, slalom or urban travel.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Javelin throwing
SportThe most technical of the athletics throws, and the one where poor technique reliably injures shoulders.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kettlebell training
SportBallistic and grind lifts with a single implement, in a corner of a room.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kickboxing
SportStriking with hands and feet, widely taught as a fitness class as well as a sport.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Longboarding
SportCruising and downhill on longer boards, closer to surfing than to street skating.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Marathon swimming
SportLong-distance open water racing and channel crossings, ratified by observers rather than timed on a scoreboard.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Masters athletics
SportAge-banded track and field from thirty-five upwards, with its own records and championships.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Masters swimming
SportStructured adult squad swimming with age-group competition, open to anyone over about twenty-five.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mountain biking
SportRiding off-road trails, from forest singletrack to alpine descents.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mountain marathon
SportA two-day self-supported navigation race over mountain terrain, carrying camp between stages.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Night orienteering
SportOrienteering after dark by headtorch, where map reading and route choice change completely.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Nordic walking
SportWalking with poles that recruit the upper body, taught as a technique.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Obstacle course racing
SportTrail racing broken up by walls, water, carries and mud.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Outdoor gym training
SportTraining on free public outdoor gym equipment, which is a genuinely different problem from indoor kit.
Free or near-free to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Outrigger canoeing
SportPaddling a stabilised ocean canoe, individually or in crews, over long open-water distances.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Para swimming
SportCompetitive swimming within a functional classification system, from club galas upwards.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Parkour
SportMoving through built environment efficiently, taught in gyms before it is done outdoors.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Parkrun
SportA free, timed, weekly 5k in a local park — the usual on-ramp into running.
Free or near-free to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Penny farthing riding
SportHobbyRiding and racing the ordinary bicycle, a small revival with its own clubs.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pilates
SportControlled core and postural training, on a mat or reformer.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pole fitness
SportStrength and technique on a vertical pole, with competitive and fitness branches.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pole vaulting
SportClearing a bar with a flexing pole, and the athletics event with the steepest coaching requirement.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Powerlifting
SportSquat, bench and deadlift, contested on total weight moved.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Race walking
SportCompetitive walking under strict rules about contact and knee lock.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rhythmic gymnastics
SportApparatus work with hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and rope, judged on difficulty and artistry.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rogaining
SportLong-format team navigation events, scoring controls over many hours.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Roller skating
SportQuad skating in rinks and parks, revived hard and with a strong social scene.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rowing
SportSweep or sculling on flat water, individually or in a crew.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rucking
SportWalking distance with a weighted pack, borrowed from military training.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sculling
SportRowing with two oars, solo or in small boats, on rivers and lakes.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shot put
SportPutting a heavy metal ball from a circle, by glide or rotation, on strength and sequencing.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Skateboarding
SportStreet and park riding, now an Olympic sport with a large adult beginner population.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ski mountaineering racing
SportTimed racing up and down mountains on light touring kit, with transitions as a discipline of their own.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Slacklining
SportBalancing on flat webbing between two anchors. Cheap, portable, and harder than it looks.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Speed skating
SportRacing on long or short track blades.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sprinting
SportThe short track events, where start, acceleration and mechanics matter more than fitness.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stair climbing
SportTower running as a sport, with a race circuit and no need for good weather.
Under £25 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Strongman
SportLifting, carrying and dragging awkward heavy objects against the clock.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stunt scootering
SportPark and street riding on a stunt scooter, a discipline in its own right rather than a children’s version of BMX.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Surf lifesaving
SportA competitive sport built from beach rescue skills — swims, board races, runs and rescue drills.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Surf ski paddling
SportPaddling a long sit-on-top ocean racing kayak, in open water and downwind runs.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Swimming
SportPool swimming for fitness, technique or competition.
Under £25 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Swimrun
SportAlternating swimming and trail running in the same kit, usually in pairs.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Time trialling
SportRacing alone against the clock over a set distance.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Track cycling
SportFixed-gear racing on a banked velodrome, no brakes.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trail mountain biking
SportRiding singletrack for its own sake, on natural and built trails.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trail orienteering
SportPrecision navigation without a running element, designed to be inclusive of mobility.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trail ultrarunning
SportRunning beyond marathon distance off-road, with its own pacing and nutrition problems.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trampolining
SportA gymnastic sport with graded skills, coached at clubs and requiring a proper rig.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ultra-distance cycling
SportSelf-supported races of several hundred to several thousand kilometres, ridden with almost no sleep.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ultrarunning
SportRacing beyond marathon distance, where eating and pacing decide the result.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Unicycling
HobbySportRiding one wheel — for transport, trials, or the sheer difficulty of it.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wild water racing
SportRacing long unstable kayaks down whitewater against the clock rather than through gates.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet