Men and hobbies have gone together since the early days of traditional society. Many scholars believe that hobbies were eventually what lead to the division of labor that is so crucial to the success of modern society. Throughout their lives, many men pick up new hobbies to learn and enjoy. Once retirement comes, the added free time leads many men to seek out new activities. Here are five hobbies men can start at any age.
1) Golf
Golf is one of the quintessential activities that combines hobby with sport. Its physical demands are light, and even men well into their senior years will be able to learn to swing a golf club. Further, the sport provides great exercise. The game of golf is considered to be largely mental, and many of the world’s best golfers continued playing competitively long after their counterparts in other sports retire. While the sport has a reputation for being notoriously frustrating, it is also known to be a great relief and and wonderful way to get out and enjoy the natural scenery.
2) Chess, Go and Backgammon
Research has been showing that challenging one’s mind can help slow the aging process and delay the onset of dementia and other age-related mental problems. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to take up a new board game. Chess is a classic choice, and it is considered the thinking game of the West. The Eastern counterpart to chess is an ancient Chinese game called go, which challenges the mind in a different manner than chess. Many mathematicians argue that go is the more complicated game than chess, but both offer plenty of challenge. The game of backgammon is another strong option for men who love to gamble a bit; with both point and money play, backgammon is a challenging game with plenty of literature to satisfy serious players.
3) Art and Writing
There is no age limit to learning an art. Painting, drawing and calligraphy are all skills than are both enjoyable and can help those who learn sharpen their minds and improve their hand-eye coordination. These art forms provide the freedom of self-expression that many cannot experience while working. Art is also a social activity, and men can join their local art communities for inspiration and advice. Another popular option many choose is writing. Whether writing poetry, novels or nonfiction work, writing provides opportunity to express whatever one wishes. With the Internet, new writers can share their writing or sell their work to others and get free advice from expert writers online.
4) Collecting
While those who do not collect items claim to not understand the appeal, finishing a collection can be a tremendously rewarding experience. With the Internet, men can find the last few items for their collections they have been working on for years or decades. There is no age limit to collecting, and many find the nostalgic aspects of it bring back great memories of their childhoods. The online collecting community is strong, and men will find helpful experts and tremendously valuable information thanks to the Internet.
5) Playing an Instrument
Music, according to many who know how to play an instrument, is one of life’s most rewarding activities. Whether one has not played in years or has never played at all, picking up a new instrument can be a truly rewarding experience. Private lessons are affordable, and men can choose any instrument they want to play; some of the world’s greatest musicians are well into their senior years. Again, the Internet provides useful resources. Downloadable sheet music and online playing tips can help one learn the basics and begin to master their instrument.
James Duncan is an author at PhaseFrame.com, a site with health, fitness and lifestyle tips everyone, especially men, can use.