“So, what do you like to do for fun?” That seems like a silly question these days. Men’s hobbies sound like something from a better time when after-school activities might have been more fun and less harmful than Facebook, Netflix, or five too many pints of pale ale. Let’s make that different.
We need more things to do. Because we could all use a few distractions. Everyone is always on and charged, has a never-ending list of things to do, and is hooked on their screens. A hobby gives you a break. They’re a way to disconnect, unwind, and meet new people—in real life, 3D form!—and they’re suitable for people tired of modern life.
We’ve found at least 50 of the best hobbies for men, and each one is meant to help men deal with a bad thing about the rat race. Enjoy yourself.
HOBBIES FOR MEN THAT LIMIT YOUR SCREEN TIME
These days, most of the time, we just sit and stare at a screen. At work. In the house. On the train or bus. You’re doing it now. And everyone knows what it’s like to have mental screen burn: that warm, fuzzy feeling behind the eyes. Things do happen.
Studies have shown that too much computer time can shrink brain tissue and make it harder to think clearly. A study from the UK found that people spend more time on devices than in bed, and a report from the US confirmed that adults there stare at screens for more than 10 hours a day. Long-term TV viewing has also been linked to a higher chance of heart disease and diabetes.
These men’s hobby ideas will get you away from screens and keep your mind and body active. They’re a nice break from the digital world.
URBAN ORIENTEERING
Staring at your phone’s GPS makes you tired from the screen and stops your brain from figuring things out independently, like routes. Some people like to read an actual map while running outside, part of urban orienteering. It’s the perfect pastime and escape.
PLAY ADULT BOARD GAMES
The ability to think and feel well has been linked to board games in studies. There are also a lot of games that are meant for adults. You could play the historical fantasy Scythe, the space opera strategy Quantum, or the puzzle game Sagrada as a fun hobby. Like social media, joining a club is very addicting, but the people you meet and talk to are real.
START GROUNDHOPPING
Instead of spending your life watching sports on channels that are on all the time, which will slowly damage your brain and make you gain weight, try some fun hobbies for men. Get out to a game and enjoy it in person.
Even better, make it your goal to see as many venues and club grounds as possible for the sport you love the most. This is more than just a hobby; it’s a journey and a way to collect things, making your life more exciting and active.
CREATE ART WITH CHAINSAW CARVING
Turn off the computer, go outside, and make something from a big wood block with a chainsaw. This is one of the most powerful things you can do with your hands. It’s a challenging workout, but it can be fun to do. If you make something extraordinary, you get extra points.
START AN ALLOTMENT
This is good for your health: fresh air, sunshine, light exercise, and a never-ending supply of vitamins and minerals. It’s also the height of manliness to grow your own (food, not a beard, though that does help you look like an outdoorsy hipster). You could at least grow some veggies in a window box.
TAKE PHOTOS WITHOUT YOUR PHONE
There are still great film cameras on the market, even though it seems like a thing of the past or a dead art. With natural light, old-fashioned cameras are still better for taking real pictures. It also saves you time because you don’t have to drop filters or mess around with post-production apps on your phone. It would help if you were here and now.
DO SOME MAGIC
Tinder is all you want, but looking at your phone while on a date won’t teach you new ways to woo them. What’s even more impressive than a magic trick that is done perfectly?
WORK OUT SOME JIGSAW PUZZLES
Many research studies have shown that puzzles keep your mind busy, which delays memory loss in old age and protects against diseases that damage nerve cells, like Alzheimer’s. Visuospatial skills are also needed to put together jigsaw puzzles. These skills use different parts of the brain and improve problem-solving abilities. Especially the ones that get squished by your email all the time.
METAL DETECTION
Finding buried treasure is an excellent hobby for guys who like being alone and the quiet thrill of trying (but failing) to find treasure. You can also join a hobbyist club or a group of people who like to search for things. And yes, there is a (tiny) chance that you’ll find the Lost Ark of the Covenant.
BARE-HANDS FISHING
It’s time to become a hunter-gatherer if all you do with your hands these days is click a mouse and swipe left. Fishing is one of the most popular things for guys to do for fun, so why not begin? “Trout tickling” is a real thing. When you stroke the bottom of a trout, it puts them into a sweet sleep. You’re done with man-skills for now if you can master that. You already won.
MANLY HOBBIES TO STOP THE BURNOUT
“Burnout” is a 21st-century health problem that can happen because of stress, exhaustion, or working too much. These signs are very similar to those of depression. They include extreme anxiety, trouble sleeping, and being mentally and physically tired.
In 2015, a YouGov study found that 51% of full-time workers in the UK had felt burned out. It is too simple to make things worse and add more work. But the only way to deal with the effects is to calm down. The following hobbies are relaxing and can help you forget your to-do list.
HOW TO GET A BLACK BELT IN ORIGAMI
Origami is more than just making paper aeroplanes. It has become popular again because of its ability to help people be more thoughtful and calm and even meditate through the art of folding tiny pieces of paper.
MAKE A CITY OUT OF LEGOS
The number of adult LEGO fans is growing all the time. One of the best things about LEGO is that it’s one of the best hobbies for guys to do alone. Taking on a manly project and spending some quiet, childlike time with yourself are both great when designing and making something—the exact opposite of putting together flat-pack furniture.
GET SOME SNEAKERS
If you don’t want to collect souvenirs or stamps, you could collect the best and rarest sneakers from all over the world, including sports, hip-hop, and custom-made styles.
A great collection, especially one that makes you look so good, gives you much pleasure. If you want to join one of the best hobbies for guys, don’t just use eBay. Look for stores in your area as well.
TAKE UP KNITTING
Yes, knitting. Recently, more young guys have taken up knitting as a hobby. They do it not only to be creative with coloured wool but also because it helps them relax and calm down. On top of that, it’s totally in style right now.
MAKE YOURSELF A SPOTTER
People used to just look at trains, but now there are many other things they like to look at, like birds, cars, butterflies, trees, and even fungi. You only need a notebook, yourself, and some pretty good weather.
NO GRAVITY COCOONING IS A GOOD IDEA
It sounds like a craze, but this is one of the most fantastic hobbies for getting in the zone. You do a light yoga-style workout as you lie in a hammock hanging from the ceiling. After, you take a short nap to wake up your body and mind. It does its job.
DRIVE SPEED CARS
Find nearby track days or driving adventures and drive something unique that won’t require you to refinance. For fuel heads, getting behind the wheel of a fast or old car can be both physically and figuratively enticing. It’s also the perfect hobby for a little thrill.
COLORING
Adults who like to colour have become very popular, and colouring books have become some of Amazon’s best-selling items in recent years. People say psychologists give their patients colouring as a way to relax. Colouring has been shown to help fight stress and anxiety by calming parts of the brain and restoring attention.
HAVE A LOT OF FISH
Aquariums have long been linked to health and rest, probably because watching fish calms us down. Researchers in 2015, on the other hand, found that tanks with more species made people happier and lowered their blood pressure and heart rate.
HOW TO BAKE LIKE A MAN
Kneading some dough and making something fancy that’s bad for your stomach but good for your soul is a great way to handle stress. Also, everyone knows that real guys bake these days. The skill is valuable in everyday life.
HOBBIES FOR MEN WHO WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR FITNESS
Often, we hear about how people are becoming overweight and how worried they are about not being fit. It’s sometimes more challenging to stay in shape than it should be, especially when there are 12 years’ worth of box sets to watch.
It was recently said that Brits spend more time going to the bathroom each week than they do working out. Plus, 64% of us sit down for at least six hours a day. Being fit doesn’t have to be as complicated as we make it out. You’ll start to enjoy exercise if you pick an incredible and exciting fitness trend and make it your hobby.
GIVE YOGA A TRY
People have already changed their lives with DDP yoga, which former wrestling champion Diamond Dallas Page created. It is a mix of traditional yoga and bodyweight routines that have helped veterans who were told they would never be able to walk without help again run. It’s easy on the joints and a great way to lose weight. They were worried that your tight yoga pants would show everything. Different kinds of workout pants can help you feel good about your new hobby.
DO FITNESS LIKE A MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE
Fitness and martial arts based on boot camps take you outside and focus on functional strength, which is the kind of real-world strength and skills you can’t get from just using gym tools. This happens a lot in class, so you’ll probably meet other people who are just as tired as you are.
DO A MARATHON
Want to reach your best fitness goal? Training for a marathon takes a lot of hard work, but it might be the most satisfying thing you can do. It is also possible that a little hard work and organized training can help your mind and your legs if they aren’t working well together.
LEARN HOW TO FIGHT WITH A SWORD
It looks fantastic to swing a longsword around like in Game of Thrones, but it’s also a real test of your strength and endurance. You should know that those swords are much heavier than they look. Take classes in your area to get into this fun sport and discover your inner Jon Snow.
TRY SOME MOVANT
Outside, it’s normal to move in ways like running, jumping, climbing, and wrestling. The goal is to get their bodies back to how they were when humans evolved, with a focus on natural settings to avoid being stuck inside all the time and the mental effects that come with it.
TRY AUDIO EXERCISES
Online fitness platforms like Daily Spot offer downloadable audio workouts that can help you do better in cardio by giving instructions, tips, and hot music right in your ears. It’s a fun hobby and better than having a real personal trainer yell at you, right? Also, if you want to get in shape, this is one of the cheapest hobbies you can do for guys.
CLIMB THE WORLD BY RUNNING UP AND DOWN STAIRS
One significant new style of running is to run up and down a long flight of stairs instead of in the park. It will raise lactate tolerance, strengthen your legs, and improve muscular endurance. It will also make flat-level running better and burn a lot of calories.
GET INTO WORKOUTS IN VIRTUAL REALITY
Another trend in digital fitness is getting geeky while working out, which doesn’t happen often. Some VR fitness programs are out there, such as headset-exercise bike combos that let you ride through virtual settings. You can also put on some body weight and play your favourite shooter.
TURN INTO A JEDI
LudoSport, which people call the art of lightsaber fighting in real life, is now a real sport. It’s not just grown men hitting each other with sticks and making noises anymore. You must be loyal to the Light or Dark Side of The Force and skilled and quick. No, really.
GET MUAY THAI
Anyone who has done boxing training will tell you it’s one of the most strenuous martial arts workouts out there. It’s also great for cardio, strength, endurance, balance, and learning self-defence. Now is the best time to learn Muay Thai because it is the newest and most popular fighting style.
THE TOP HOBBIES FOR MEN AND THEIR PARTNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN
Dates are changing. The percentage of young Americans using online dating rose from 10% in 2005 to 27% by 2015. This number will likely keep increasing since there are so many sites and apps to choose from. It’s becoming too easy to date: read the description, swipe right, and then meet for dinner (though a third of people who use online dating never even go on dates; how boring is that?). The average married couple says they get bored after two years.
People are having a more challenging time connecting in this world where everything is linked. We need some creative and fun ideas for date nights to keep things interesting.
GET GEOCACHING
A GPS-based treasure hunt app that helps you find a secret “cache” of goodies. Caches are hidden in different places worldwide, like Pokemon Go, but for grown-ups.
TAKING COOKING CLASSES WILL MAKE YOU HUNGRY
It’s a nice change from going out to eat, and a poll from last year found that couples who cook together tend to stay together. 87% of those polled said that cooking together strengthens relationships, and 88% of those already in a relationship said cooking helped them talk to each other. You can even learn to cook online to have a nice night in. If you want to try something new, you could learn to cook over a fire pit or in a chiminea.
ATTEND BALLROOM DANCE CLASSES
There’s always something satisfying about shocking and impressing your friends by ballroom dancing around the room at a party. Plus, learning will be a lot of fun and keep you in sync with each other.
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LEARN HOW TO DRAW LIFE LIKE AN ARTIST
Taking drawing lessons together will help you get creative ideas. It might also help your sex life. When you look at naked models all night, who wouldn’t feel wild?
FINE-TUNE YOUR SOUND WITH DJ CLASSES
You and your partner would have a lot of respect if you could play the decks together and scratch, mix, and drop bombs while in a relationship.
TAKE PART IN SUPPER CLUBS
A regular restaurant might not be the best choice for partners on the cutting edge of culture. Instead, go to a supper club. There are a lot of cool pop-ups and unique hidden restaurants that serve tasty food in broad daylight for people who already know what’s going on; tasty food is often served with a side of the theatre.
GET LOST AT DIFFERENT CINEMA EXPERIENCES
Every Friday and Saturday at the movies, people talk, use cell phones, and throw popcorn all over the place. Take your partner to a pop-up movie theatre—when the weather is nice, you can find great ones on rooftops and beaches—or join a club just for movies.
TRY SOME CHEESE
Cheese tasting, or cheese scoffing, is one of life’s best pleasures dressed up as a fancy party. It shows that you’re thinking outside the box on a date, and you can surprise her by being able to smell a good cheddar from 10 yards away. Don’t forget to bring mints.
VISITING MANY MUSEUMS
There are museums for all kinds of strange things, like pencils, penises, and art, that are meant to be offensive. For a memorable day out, go on a mini-museum trip and see something crazy.
GO ON A RANDOM VACATION
They’ve often said they’d like to take a weekend trip, and you’ve agreed but never done anything about it. Vacations are not only fun but also good for your health and can help keep heart problems at bay. Help your partner (and ticker) out by putting a pin somewhere random and taking a few days off yearly.
HOBBIES FOR SELF DEVELOPMENT
We all want to be better at work, love ourselves, and have better life skills. But the truth is that self-improvement is hard. Many apps can help your mind, body, and spirit, and we’re told all the time that being productive is what makes someone great. Of course, it shouldn’t cover everything. That is a quick way to ensure you never reach the end goal.
Psychologists say that setting small, attainable goals is the best way to improve yourself. So why not start with a hobby? There are many ways to start improving yourself, but the most important thing is to have fun with it.
GO TO A SURVIVAL SCHOOL
At its most basic level, starting fires, building shelters outside, hunting, and tracking animals are all ways to improve yourself. All guys want skills they would secretly rather have than editing photos on Instagram and fixing the WiFi router. Group survival training can also help you learn essential teamwork and communication skills you can use at work (but don’t bring the skinned rabbit here, okay?).
LEARN HOW TO FIX AND MAINTAIN CARS
You’ll know what to do if you get a flat tyre or something starts to steam up under the hood next time. Fixing your car is valuable and less expensive than going to the shop, but reaching Peak Bloke and starting one of many manly hobbies is also a must.
TRY SOME RUM
It’s old news to taste whisky. So now is the perfect time to start one of the best hobbies for men: becoming a rum expert. This is the time to develop a taste for the hottest and tastiest spirit around.
GO TO A STEALTH FITNESS CLASS
It’s not just about sports and fitness in this bodyweight HIIT class at Gymbox; it will get you in shape super fast. It’s also about improving mental strength through team exercises and individual competitions. You’ll work out your body and mind while you try a new activity.
GETTING TO KNOW A NEW LANGUAGE
Everyone wishes they had read more books and learned a new language. That way, you can kill two well-behaved birds with one stone. Researchers have found that learning a second language improves your brain by helping you do more than one thing at once, solve problems, make decisions, and even understand English better.
DO IT YOURSELF
There are a dozen little jobs around the house that need to be done, but you can’t do them yourself. Doing simple DIY projects can help you save money, teach you something new, and make you feel more powerful.
EVERY WEEK, CHOOSE A WORLD CUISINE AND LEARN HOW TO DO IT RIGHT
This will push you to learn new things and help you eat better and different foods. A fun way to impress a date is to be able to cook a lot of different kinds of food.
GET GOOD AT QUIZMASTER
It is a scientific fact that all men want to be the king of trivia and general knowledge. Okay, maybe that’s not scientific, but an absolute trivia master would know it to be true. Learning more about history and pop culture to get serious about the pub quiz scene would be best.
OLD-SCHOOL GAMES
A famous study from the 1990s found that people who played Tetris for the first time had a thickening of the cerebral cortex. This meant learning the game stimulated the brain and turned on neural pathways. It’s not just with Tetris; it happens with all games. Being able to play old games again is a great reason to learn how to play Mario, Street Fighter, and Pac-Man again. Who says that guys can’t have fun with their hobbies?
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO PLAY A GUITAR
It’s one of the most popular hobbies men say helps them get more intelligent. And there’s proof that playing an instrument changes how your brain looks and works. For example, the grey matter that controls your memory, hearing, and motor skills becomes more active when you play an instrument. Playing “Sweet Child O’ Mine” on the accordion at a party is also fun.
