9 Sports To Pick Up At Any Age + Expert Tips For How To Get Started

Remember the days of running around the park as a child, eagerly joining in on any activity? Or trying out for volleyball simply because your school had a team? 

“As children, we're always playing, learning, trying new things, and have significantly less fear of failure,” says ACE personal trainer and CrossFit Level 1 Coach Gabrielle Bolin. And yet, as we grow older the idea of picking up a new sport can seem daunting, especially for women.

“The fear of failure, looking silly or being laughed at can stop us from trying at all,” Bolin adds. But the truth is: It’s never too late to rediscover the joy of movement—and that doesn’t need to mean lifting weights at the gym. 

Youth sports participation (for both boys and girls) is declining across the board—with 70% of children quitting sports by age 13—and teenage girls are dropping out at twice the rate of boys.

“I think a lot of girls stop playing [sports] due to body confidence,” says Katie Austin, fitness entrepreneur and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. “If a girl is dropping out of sports, statistically, it’s around when they get their period.”

“What’s most shocking to me is that girls often drop out of high school sports due to social stigmas,” she adds, noting that she’s even had young women thank her for inspiring them to keep playing their sport through high school, even when it wasn’t considered to be “cool.”

There’s no question these issues need to be addressed in order to support children’s health and well-being, but it also trickles into adulthood, when picking up a new sport can truly feel like an uphill battle.

“[As women], the fear of being exposed as less-than-perfect is a real thing,” says Bolin, adding that we’re faced with significantly less opportunities to try something new as adults than when we're children.

On the simplest level, “Sports can help support women’s mental and physical well-being by encouraging regular physical activity,” explains sports physical therapist Leada Malek, PT, DPT, CSCS.

Malek says this becomes even more important as our bodies go through perimenopause and menopause. “Aging with a better physical baseline is a major advantage, and sports can help do that.”

“The beautiful thing about sports is that they are outcome-driven activities,” Bolin adds. “They celebrate what your body accomplishes, as opposed to what it looks like.”

“Rarely do sports focus on the aesthetic of your body,” Austin agrees. “Instead, the focus is on training and getting stronger for your sport.” 

And that strength goes beyond the physical. 

Austin says sports can also teach women skills such as time management, teamwork, leadership, and determination. “[Playing a sport growing up] was great for me to experience losing games, how to pick myself back up, and how to get mentally stronger,” she says.

Many sports come with the built-in perk of community involvement, which supercharges the benefits (as social connection has been linked with a 50% lower mortality risk1).

Not to play favorites, but longevity experts have pointed to pickleball as the number one sport for longevity—especially for older adults. 

One study linked pickleball with significant improvements in personal well-being, life satisfaction, depression, stress, and happiness in people over 65. And another found that racket sports increased life expectancy more than any other sport (including cycling and jogging). 

Every expert we interviewed mentioned pickleball, pointing to its community aspect as a major added benefit.

Truthfully I wasn’t expecting this sport to come up in my interviews, but it turns out it’s never too late to unleash your inner Simone Biles. In fact, Bolin points to gymnastics as “one of the most challenging and rewarding sports” she’s picked up in her adult years.

“Golf is great, especially for getting out in nature,” says Malek. Research backs this, too, with numerous studies indicating the mental health benefits of exercising outdoors. 

Speaking of low-impact sports, Malek suggests swimming as an amazing way to improve your cardiovascular health without pounding the pavement. 

Another fun perk? One recent study found that cold water swimming reduced a host of menstrual and menopause symptoms3, including brain fog, anxiety, lack of focus, night sweats, sleep troubles, decreased sex drive, and more.

Per Malek, masters sports in general (e.g. swimming, golf, curling, etc.) “can be good options for those who want to compete.”

In high school, I joined the track team solely as a way to spend time with my friends, but years later I picked the sport back up as an adult—and I never could have predicted the impact running would have on my physical and mental well-being.

I’ve now run four World Major Marathons and over a dozen half marathons, and I truly can’t imagine my life without this sport. 

What I love most about running is it requires very minimal equipment. All you need to get started is a pair of good running shoes and some exercise clothes.

“Yoga is great for flexibility and mindfulness,” says Malek. “Pilates is great for strength, awareness, and may be helpful for back pain."

Regular aerobic exercise comes with many benefits, including decreased risk of heart disease and lowered symptoms of depression46. Cycling is a low-impact option that’s easy to pick up at any age and fitness level.

Local leagues are a great way to meet new people and try something new, merging together the benefits of exercise with those of community. Most cities have leagues and clubs for sports like soccer, kickball, softball, ping pong, and more.