Sports can be a roller-coaster ride of emotions. The thrill of victory is a euphoric high unlike any other, while the agony of defeat is equally profound in its crushing lows. But win, lose, or draw, the heightened feelings we experience while cheering and competing come thanks to adrenaline.
Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the body. While engaged in sports, an adrenaline rush provides blood flow and oxygen to our muscles. In the short term, this extra oxygen helps maximize strength and pain resistance. But even after our competitive juices stop flowing, adrenaline boosts our immune system and cognitive abilities.
Exploring the world of sports is a great way to tap into the body’s stash of adrenaline. Let’s look at some thrilling and unique sports!
Formula 1
Formula 1 has seen a significant rise in popularity thanks to the award-winning Netflix documentary Formula 1: Drive to Survive. The show introduced this heart-pounding motorsport to millions and showed what an adrenaline rush it could be!
Some race tracks offer ride-along experiences and training courses that get you close to the feeling of being an F1 driver. But you don’t have to hop into the cockpit of one of these turbocharged vehicles to revel in their glory.
Rooting for the teams is a rush in and of itself. Not only are the drivers skilled, but the cars are unique to each squad. That’s why fans become so invested and show off their fandom with F1 clothing—it’s an entire team they’re rooting for.
Chess Boxing
Photo by Zachary Kadolph on Unsplash
Individually, chess and boxing couldn’t seem more different. One is a display of strength; the other is pure strategy. This dichotomy is why chess boxing offers such a compelling challenge.
Each match is set for 11 rounds, alternating between a chess game and a boxing match. A player can win by checkmate or knockout. Because the sport requires a high level of both skills, each participant must have an Elo rating of 1,600 (the calculation of a chess skill level) and fifty amateur bouts in boxing or equivalent martial arts.
Chess boxing is the ultimate mix of brains and brawn. If you think you have what it takes, you can find local gyms to match wits and fists. For the rest of us, the sport has become very popular online. You can cheer on your favorite brainy brawlers over several streaming channels.
Bowling
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It might surprise us now, but in the ’60s, the best pro bowlers made more money than star NFL players due to lucrative endorsements, prize money, and televised high-stakes matches.
Even though bowling’s salad days might be in the rear-view mirror, what made the sport so exciting in the ’60s and ’70s remains. While it is often associated with drinking beer, renting bowling shoes, and hanging out with friends, competitive bowling is a surefire way to score some adrenaline.
Bowling remains popular with athletes on the local level, with over 1.2 million people regularly facing off in certified league play in thousands of regional leagues. Joining a team and getting serious at the lanes is easy. The hard part is honing your skills and avoiding a 7-10 split.
Balloon Keep-Up
Balloon keep-up is exactly what it sounds like: two competitors taking turns batting a balloon into the air until someone loses by allowing it to touch the ground. If you’re thinking, “I played that when I was a kid,” you’re not alone. Many of us unwittingly spent our youth training for this game. Only now, there’s the Balloon World Cup.
The brainchild of a former soccer player and a Twitch streamer, the Balloon World Cup is an annual event that pits the world’s best balloon keep-up players against each other. But this isn’t simply done in a ring or cage—players must keep the balloon up amidst a room full of creatively placed obstacles like couches, chairs, tables, and even cars.
Skydiving
Photo by Kamil Pietrzak on Unsplash
Few things will get your adrenaline pumping like jumping out of an airplane. Skydiving is an extreme sport typically reserved for thrill seekers, and there are few competitors when it comes to the rush it provides.
Skydiving gives a whole new meaning to the body’s “fight or flight” response. As scary or intimidating as it seems, it is relatively safe. This is especially true for novices who jump in tandem with an instructor. On average, there’s just one fatality per 500,000 tandem jumps. But even if the risk involved is less than we perceive, there’s no doubt that jumping out of a plane is thrilling.
Pickleball
Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. Its popularity stems from exciting gameplay that combines tennis, badminton, and ping pong, along with health benefits similar to outdoor activities.
Since pickleball can use pre-existing tennis courts, you only need to buy a pickleball paddle to start playing. The rules are simple and, unlike tennis, the ball can’t pick up extraordinary speed.
But just because the barriers to entry are lower doesn’t mean you can’t get a thrill from pickleball. The best picklers compete in Major League Pickleball, and famous athletes have taken an avid interest in the sport. Investors in Major League Pickleball include Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and LeBron James.
Final Shot
One of the best parts about sports is that it allows you to embrace playing. Even though professionals make a lot of money thanks to entire industries built around sports, at their root there’s one constant: a game.
The world of sports is vast; there is truly something for everyone. You can cheer for cars whizzing by at 150 mph, lace up your boxing gloves to play a game of chess, or even jump out of a plane. Regardless of your choice, there’s no doubting the euphoria that an adrenaline rush can produce. Even something as simple as keeping a balloon from touching the ground can keep your mind sharp and your body fit.