The most comprehensive list of men's hobbies: 77 ways to take free time

In ancient times, leisure time was not considered as a chance to “fall and be cut out”, but as an opportunity to indulge in one's hobbies and interests - a vent for those sides of a man’s character that are not stimulated by his professional activity. Hobbies were considered an important way to strengthen every part of a man’s life. They can bring joy, increase your attention, keep your mind toned, strengthen your creative abilities, help you meet people and teach you valuable skills. In short, hobbies add interest to life and help you become a more formed person.



Unfortunately, we often spend leisure time sitting in front of the TV or computer. We feel that modern life has become so intense and intense (although this is not true) that when we have free time, we can only lie on the couch.



But if you feel depressed, anxious, anxious, and you need to recuperate, the problem may lie in the lack of activity, and not in its excess.



As Winston Churchill wrote, an ardent amateur hobby:

It makes no sense to say tired "muscles of the mind": "I will give you a good rest," "I will go for a walk" or "I will lie down and will not think about anything." The mind is still busy. If you weighed and pretended something, it will weigh and estimate. If you are worried, he will be worried ... It is useless to argue with the mind in such a state. One talented US psychologist said: “excitement is an emotional spasm. Mind clings to something and does not let go. ” You can only gently introduce something else into this convulsive grip. And if this is something chosen correctly, if it is accompanied by a coverage of another area of ​​interest, then gradually, and sometimes rather quickly, excessive grip is weakened and the process of recovery and healing begins.

If you want to get a fascinating hobby, but are not sure how to take your free time, then especially for you we have collected all the ideas known to us into one of the most comprehensive list of hobbies. This is still not a comprehensive list, but some item will surely be able to captivate you, or it will help you come up with something else.



We hope that every man is able to find a hobby, which will turn into a pleasant pastime during the current period of his life, and maybe even become an enduring passion for life.

Reading

It is difficult to imagine a more masculine occupation. Theodore Roosevelt was an insatiable reader, like most of the greatest men in history. Reading allows you to connect with great thinkers and writers who have lived throughout history, gives you new ideas, makes you a more intelligent and well-formed person. If you get a library card, then reading can become a completely free hobby. To select books to read, you can use a variety of recommendation lists.

Amateur radio

Want to become part of a close community, with an emphasis on radio and communication? Stop on amateur radio. Although the Internet has replaced radio as the main form of communication, the amateur radio community still exists. Fans of this hobby enjoy communicating with people from all over the world directly and expanding their knowledge of radio theory. In addition, most radio operators are engaged in socially useful affairs, becoming intermediate nodes for transmitting information in the event of natural disasters or emergencies. Working with radio is subject to the rules of local communications commissions, and for such a hobby you usually need to get a license. Buying a new radio can cost you a pretty penny, but eBay is full of offers for used equipment. For more information, we recommend to visit the site of the League of radio amateurs .

Playing guitar

The ability to play the guitar is a skill that will provide you and your loved ones entertainment for many years. In addition, girls like guys who know how to play the guitar. Personally, I used my ability to pick strings to sing serenades for Kate and apologize for anything. In later life stages, you can gather the whole family in the yard around the campfire and sing along. Of course, learning to play any instrument is suitable for men, but guitars have advantages. They are relatively cheap and beginners easier to learn. On-line you can find mountains of resources with free lessons, including our article on three chords that any man should know.

Dancing

Your grandfather knew how to dance - why not bring your inner dancer into the world and not go dancing? They can increase your self-esteem, improve your posture and balance. It is also a very fun way to get cardio load. And, of course, girls like guys who know how to lead a partner on the dance floor. In most cities you can find dance studios. Googling and go talk to the instructors to see their style and check their resumes. If you are married or have a girlfriend, then dancing is a great way to spend the evening. If a bachelor - a great way to meet.

Parkour

Parkour is a sport in which you jump from buildings and through walls. More precisely, parkour is the physical art of moving through the environment in the most natural and effective way possible. It is exciting to look at a person crossing the terrain in unimaginable ways, and very much inspires the spectacle of how the human body expands the boundaries of the possible. Today we consider parkour to be an interesting way of entertainment, but it was invented as a tactical way of improving the physical fitness of soldiers. The benefits of this hobby are many: it’s fun, it’s great physical exertion, it expands the boundaries of your creative abilities, it’s a challenge for both body and mind, and it can save your life if you ever have to run and jump over obstacles. And it is completely free. You need only arms, legs and cityscape.

Working with wood

I have always admired people who are able to take an ordinary piece of wood and give it some useful and beautiful shape. These people make presents themselves, instead of buying them, and can proudly point out any piece of furniture and say: "I did it myself." You can become such a person by taking a great hobby - woodworking. In addition to useful skills, this hobby reduces the level of stress and trains patience. Bringing a chisel to a tree makes it easier to enter a state close to Zen. Many technical educational institutions conduct lessons with wood. On the Internet you can find many projects for processing wood.

Garden care

Perhaps one of the most powerful male images for America is a farmer. A man relying only on himself, cultivating the land on his own to provide for himself and his family. To work with the land a huge manor is not needed - it will be enough to have a small plot in the yard. If your work forces you to spend all your time in the office with artificial lighting and stagnant air, then working with the earth is a great hobby to exercise and get your portion of sunshine and fresh air. Observing the growth of the garden, from seed to plant, you will find that you have begun to feel the change of seasons better. When you reap your small crop, the pleasure of achieving the goal will surpass any computer game. And having prepared the first dish with products grown independently, you will feel a surge of male pride.

Canoeing / Kayaking

Unhurried rowing and movement on water is one of the greatest pleasures for a man. Whether you are doing it with a girl, or enjoying nature alone, with this hobby there is little entertainment. And although rowing may seem as natural as cycling, it requires certain skills. You can start with the rental of equipment, and if you like, you can buy a boat. When you master this science, you can go from easy walks to multi-day travel.

Opening locks

Opening the locks is not only useful in emergency situations, it is also terribly interesting to know that you are capable of deceiving a mechanism that everyone else considers irresistible and amenable only to brute force. With certain skills and knowledge, a hacker can save doors and save on a lock specialist call.

Restoration of classic cars

In the past few days, men used to spend hours in garages messing around with cars. Now the machines have become more difficult and began to rely on computers, and the home mechanical work is dying out. However, if you have the desire to become a mechanic, you can always make your hobby a restoration of classic cars. You will learn engineering, improve your problem-solving skills, and you will know this feeling of victory when the engine you have restored is purring like a kitten. Such a hobby can be quite expensive. You have to not only buy a classic car - you need a place, tools and custom-made parts. But time and money can pay off - fully restored cars can be expensive to sell (although you may not want to part with your brainchild). To start, you can visit the site for fans of the restoration of Second Chance Garage .

BBQ / Kebabs

Cooking is also on our list, but cooking meat on an open fire is a separate hobby. Whether it's a grill or grill, grilling a good piece of meat and serving the finished dish brings satisfaction to both the mind and the stomach. The barrier to entry is low - you only need a grill (grill) and meat. When you get used to the tools and food, you can start experimenting with different methods and types of meat (and even fruits and vegetables), make your own spice mixes, and of course make delicious food for friends and family. We recommend our training videos on cooking meat.

Work with metal

Working with metal has all the advantages of working with wood, but instead of the sweet smell of sawdust, you surround yourself with the delightfully harmful smell of burning metal. My brother-in-law became interested in working with metal in high school and does amazing things: front headboards for decorating bedrooms, hanging flower pots, garden arches and more. In a vocational school near you, there can certainly be courses on working with metal. Metalworking.com is a great site to search for such information.

Target shooting

Learn to enjoy shooting in a dash and become an experienced shooter. Shooting requires high concentration and hard hands. There are sufficient numbers of shooting ranges, and you can find different types of shooting in different shooting galleries. Choose between bench shooting, a pistol, a gun, etc. Hobbies can be expensive - pistols are not cheap, and the cost of cartridges is constantly growing. You will also need a place for safe shooting - if you do not have such a site, you will have to rent a place in the shooting range.

Collecting

Collecting is enjoyed by many men and is incomprehensible to most women. Women are able to do several things at the same time, and the male brain is set to concentrate on one subject. We often start to get involved in something. If you combine this feature with the fundamental desire of men to hunt - and you get a male passion for collecting. A man can spend all the time looking for the last item to complete the collection. She becomes his passion, his White Whale. Of course, the completion of the collection usually brings disappointment. The essence of collecting - in pursuit. Choose what you like - stamps, baseball cards, antique typewriters, whatever. Just don't get too carried away.

Singing

If you like to sing in the shower or sing along with the radio on the way to work, you should probably sing more closely. You may think that there are only two options - either you are a professional rock singer, or you cannot use your voice for productive and entertaining purposes. Nothing like this. There are a large number of communities of fans of singing, choirs, karaoke bars (where competitions are often held on weekends), and if you seriously decide to sing, you can even organize your own group. Always try to hone your skills, take singing lessons and delve into music theory and performance skills.

Hikes

Modern man is restless and unhappy because he lost contact with nature. Every man should regularly return to nature for the sake of physical and mental health. He must periodically be distracted from everything and spend the night under the stars. Leave behind your workplace in the office, spend a few days breathing fresh air and sitting by the fire. Another obvious advantage of hiking is the most budgetary way to “get away from everything.” This is a great opportunity to improve your skills living in nature, to find spiritual intimacy with your friends, as well as to be alone with a loved one.

Ship in a bottle

The classic hobby of the elderly is the assembly of complex models in a glass bottle. Surprise the kids with your collection of ships in a bottle! They will spend the rest of their childhood trying to figure out how you did it. Placing a ship in a bottle requires good concentration, patience and a confident hand. Typically, the model of the ship is built from the outside with the masts lying. After inserting it into the bottle, you lift the masts with long tongs. In addition, you can make " impossible bottles " by placing objects such as decks of cards or tennis balls in them.

Candle making

Once making candles was profitable and extremely important. Electricity killed this profession, but the candles still penetrate into many houses as creators of comfort and aromatic devices. Who does not like to watch a flickering light in a cool evening, or to inhale a pleasant scent in the early morning? Candles for sale in stores can be expensive, and homemade will be cheap - besides, they are easy to learn to do yourself. You only need wax, wick and containers.

Rocking chair

Some men lift from the morning of gravity in order to put in perfect shape not only the body, but also the spirit. If you are just starting out, it can sometimes be hard for you to find the motivation to lift weights or go jogging. But when you begin to get in shape, you will figure out how to structure your day to cram an hour of physical activity into it. Instead of going to the garage or working on wood, you try to increase the weight in the deadlift. Being strong is not only practical - it also improves your appearance (hello, girls!) And in general is very cool to know that you can tear 200 kg off the ground.

Hunting

For millennia, the role of men was to provide for the family. Most of the history for this was required to track down and kill animals. Many cultures and tribes conducted a ritual of growing up for young men through hunting and provided men with the opportunity to make connections in a purely male company. Today, most men get their meat wrapped in a piece of paper with the inscription "Big Mac" or in a plastic container in the store. Usually this meat is stuffed with hormones and antibiotics. The connection between a man, his food and nature was broken.



If you want to return to the "circulation of life", it's time to go hunting. The advantages of hunting are numerous. Firstly, it gives your family a chance to get access to high-quality lean meat without antibiotics and hormones ( and even ammonia ), which are found in most products sold in stores. Secondly, it returns you contact with nature. Thirdly, you will support wildlife as funds spent on licenses and equipment are transferred to environmental protection agencies. Fourthly, even if you don’t shoot anything, hunting gives you the opportunity to enhance friendship with your buddies, on which your happiness in general depends greatly.

Wood cutting

What if you are interested in working with wood, but you have no money for organizing a full-fledged carpentry place? Try cutting with a knife. It will take only a knife, a piece of soft wood, a rocking chair, a smoking pipe, and most importantly, a lot of time. Knife planing is one of those pastime options that help you relax and calm your nerves after hard work. A book on this art can be taken in the library. There you will find many ideas and plans to begin with.

Geocaching

You have not passed the children's love of playing hide and seek? Ever wanted to go on a treasure hunt? Then geocaching might work for you. People around the world are hiding objects or containers in different places and posting their coordinates online. Others, armed with GPS-navigators, are looking for these "treasures". This is an excellent reason to leave home and explore those parts of the city and suburbs where you have never been before. More information on this subject can be found at geocaching.com .

Modeling

Modeling, or making copies of cars, airplanes, ships, may have been interesting to you when you were still a child. But what's stopping you from renewing this hobby when you grew up? Modeling sharpens your attention to detail and motivates you to study the history of the things you work with. In addition, you will have something interesting that can be placed in the office or the "men's corner" of your home. This is very easy to do - go to Amazon or to a local hobby store, and buy a set that almost always has all the instructions and necessary items.

Gold mining

This hobby will not make you a millionaire, but it can be an interesting entertainment with self-sufficiency, and maybe a source of additional income. Gold mining is no longer a purely commercial enterprise as it was before. In the modern world, this is usually one of the outdoor activities that the whole family can do, usually on a small stream. You can start with a simple shovel and a gold rinse bucket, and over time you can move on to a more professional rinse chute and suction dredger.Being on the bank of any stream is already entertainment, but an experienced gold digger knows that the lion’s share of his profession is taken by the research phase: where gold was before, where it goes and where it will accumulate, how precious metal behaves in nature. Only after that you can go on nature, knowing that you have increased your chances of success. In this way, you can become both a tourist and a gold miner.

Work with skin

The smell of the skin excites primitive feelings in a person and the part that has always enjoyed stories about cowboys and Indians. Working with leather is a great way to reunite with your inner cowboy and learn how to truly masculine craft. An experienced tanner is able to create a variety of goods: wallets, bags, belts, holsters, saddles. The downside is that this hobby is quite expensive. You will need all sorts of special tools. For starters, you can buy a starter kit in the store Tandy Leather Factory . It has everything you need to make small items like a wallet or a key fob. With the help of the starter kit, you will be able to evaluate your interest before hitting large sums on large projects.

Bowling

Fred Flintstone , Homer Sipmson , Ralph Cramden and the Dude . What do these famous characters have in common? They played bowling. In the 1950s, men gathered at bowling clubs and joined sports teams. It was a way to spend time with other men, drink a beer and smoke a cigar. Bowling became a haven for masculinity, while the house was feminized by the constant presence of housewives in it. Bowling is good because this hobby can be shared with your friends. In addition, it allows you to wear an exclusive men's bowling t-shirt. So call your friends and put together a team.

Archery

Firearms almost replaced bows and arrows in both hunting and self-defense. But the feeling associated with returning to the roots, can bring you a special pleasure. If a gun can be compared with a sledgehammer, then a bow and arrows are painted with an artist's brush. Bow allows you to create a connection with one of the most primitive types of weapons, which only works from human power. This is a quiet, repetitive exercise that requires concentration, which can truly calm the nerves. Bows and arrows are rarely used in hunting (although no one forbids it), great satisfaction can be obtained from shooting at targets, sharpening skills to the level where you can knock an apple off someone's head (figuratively speaking). Simple bows for beginners can be bought cheaply, so you can practice this hobby right away,in your yard (but make sure that this activity is safe). There are special shooting ranges with targets in the form of animals scattered among the trees.

Survivalism

Survivors often have a bad reputation in popular culture, they are bullied on TV - but this can be an interesting and useful exercise for a person who wants to ensure protection and survival in the event that shit hits the fan. Survival is not only the acquisition of reserves for emergency situations, but also the acquisition of the necessary skills, as well as knowledge of coping strategies. This hobby can become expensive, but not necessarily - especially if you take the most necessary things as reserves and then concentrate on acquiring skills (many of which can be trained in the yard).

Writing letters

There are many advantages to returning to the forgotten art of writing letters, and this can be a pretty enjoyable hobby. You can purchase cool writing tools such as various stationery and ink pens. Write letters to friends and relatives. Someone will write back to you, and you can start a long correspondence with them. Participate in correspondence programs, for example, " penpal friendship with soldiers (US)". Soldiers love to receive letters, write something encouraging. Find other chat communities.

Martial arts

The advantages of studying martial arts are the mass: the acquisition of self-defense skills, the strengthening of discipline, the improvement of concentration and health, the establishment of a connection with the male tradition, the satisfaction of his inner warrior There are thousands of martial arts - you can choose what suits you personally. Investigate, visit schools, find the discipline and instructor suitable for you. You can get carried away with mixed martial arts, or such a popular type of it, like boxing.

Throwing knives and axes

Knives and axes are cool. Still would.Therefore, throwing them as a sport and a hobby is also cool. Men love to throw things - baseball and basketball balls, stones, snowballs, etc. Why not add blades to this set? You can compete with friends and relatives, with yourself - for the length and accuracy of the throw, and, of course, prepare for a zombie apocalypse. This is a relatively inexpensive hobby with a low learning curve. Take throwing knives and axes, and learn the subtleties of this lesson.

Hiking

There is nothing better than hiking in order to relax, breathe air and restore the spiritual strength of a man. In most cases, you can go hiking for free. All you need is a pair of sturdy shoes and a place to stroll, whether it be fields near the house or a park trail. Usually a place for hiking can be found near the house, or quickly reach it by car.

Smoking pipe

Most men have vices - some kind of pleasure in life, unsafe or unhealthy, which can be practiced moderately. For many men, it is tobacco - usually in the form of a cigar or pipe. You can, of course, come to the store and buy something cheap. And you can become a connoisseur and connoisseur of tobacco, find out how one tobacco differs from another, where they come from, and find what you like. Let the specialist in the store explain to you that yes how. Of course, this requires personal experience. Smoke tobacco (washing it down with whiskey), and find the best varieties that will help you relax and smile until the end of the day.

Bicycle

When you first ride a bike without supporting side wheels, you experience an euphoria that is hard to forget. The feeling of the wind on the face when you twist the pedals, and the whole range of feelings from meeting the hard asphalt after a fall. We didn’t get out of the bike with the kids. But, having received a driver's license, we throw a bike in the garage - they stand there alone and are rarely used.



Why abandon this occupation of youth? Now cycling is actively being revived, both among urban hipsters and among novice athletes. All in a row engaged in five-kilometer runs; But participation in the bike ride is a rather rare thing. Yes, and simple walks around the city using only the strength of your legs can give you pleasure. Another option - mountain pokatushki, among the advantages of which can be noted the time spent in nature. You can even take long trips on two wheels - such an adventure can be a great idea.

Coffee roasting

Today's high-tech and large coffee roasting institutions produce thousands of kilograms of beans with the same appearance and taste. Of course, mass-produced products are easier to use, and they are palatable - but roasting the coffee on your own can provide you with the best cup of drink you have ever tasted. It is also cheaper than the store product. You can buy a machine for roasting, or do it on the grill using dishes for cooking popcorn . To develop a hobby, you can roast coffee for friends, relatives, and even sell the finished product to your neighbors. You can supplement it with a search for antique coffee-making items, such as manual coffee grinders, or by studying various methods of making a drink.

Aquaria

Aquaria is at least 1500 years old - it lasts much longer than most of the activities described here. In the XIX century it was a hobby for the rich, because aquariums needed to be heated with gas, and later with electricity. It was only in the 1950s that this hobby became accessible to everyone. Today it has become popular and can be found both in homes and at the dentist’s reception.



This hobby is good for its scalability. You can start with a classic round aquarium with a goldfish and an underwater castle, and see how interesting this is to you. Then you can develop, arrange aquariums of ever increasing size, with more exotic fish, with more elaborate decorations. A 90-liter aquarium takes all your free time - it is not a simple daily feeding of fish. Details can be found on the Marineland website. .

Team sport

Every man, even a nerdy, even an athlete, should play sports in a team. Exercise helps to increase testosterone levels (modern men need it very much, our average testosterone level is constantly decreasing), maintains your health and fitness, drives off depression and relieves mental stress. Sport, in which the competitive spirit of men can find a way out, is especially important for the education of masculinity. Play football, basketball or something else with your friends, or go to a special section. The sport does not matter, as long as the blood accelerates and the heart beats.

Online Courses

Every man should study throughout life. Reading is a great hobby that can contribute to learning, but online classes provide you with many learning methods (videos, reading, discussion) and test your progress with surveys and assignments. Experts in their field can answer your questions and help you in case of difficulty.



What is great, in most cases this hobby will be free. Sites like Coursera and EdX offer a variety of topics, from programming to critical thinking to classical music. The most difficult thing in this case is not to miss classes, because you have not paid anything for them. To maintain motivation, try doing it in parallel with someone of your friends.

Riding a motorcycle

Many men love motorcycles and riding motorcycles - from picking in the garage to driving through rough terrain. The pleasures of this hobby extend further than mere kilometers and technical knowledge. Books like “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance” [Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance] and “Moto workshop as a craft of the soul” [Shop Class as Soulcraft] state that motorcycle rides have philosophical and moral advantages:

Traveling on a motorcycle, everything around is seen very differently in comparison with other types of travel. In the car you are always in a confined space, and since you get used to it, you almost do not realize that you see only one more picture from the car window on TV. You're just a passive observer, and everything tediously floats past you as in the frame.



There is no frame on the motorcycle. You have a connection with everything around you. You yourself are on stage, and not just watching her from the side, while the feeling of presence is simply amazing.

- Robert M. Pirsig, “Zen and motorcycle care art”

You can start with the purchase and learning to ride a motorcycle.

Baubles and antiques

The popularity of the Pawnshop Stars and American Collectors shows led to the return of the passion for old things. Hobby is the purchase and sale of various antique trinkets in stores, supermarkets, garage sales, etc. In many cases, this also means reselling them for profit, sometimes after some recovery work. You can buy things not from intermediaries, but directly from collectors, amateur historians, skopidom - and then sell to stores.



The best way to do this is to choose a specific niche. This will make your job easier and make you feel the excitement of hunting for something specific instead of idle reeling in search of a bargain. This may be, for example, antique shaving accessories, pocket knives and more. Select the appropriate topic and you can find related items.

Delivery of scrap and search with a metal detector

The search for antiques is based on things of value. But you can also turn someone else's garbage into money. What was previously just thrown away is processed and converted into your money. You need only a small magnet and the simplest knowledge of various metals and their values. After that, you can begin to collect scrap metal and take it to the acceptance.



You can walk with a metal detector , but then usually you will come across coins, old rings and other decorations. In addition, this implies walking, which means physical activity. Also, such activity introduces you to the story a bit, which is extremely important for a man.

Golf

Golf is a magnificent and sublime sport. Neat clothes, elegant movements, trimmed lawns. The game of these gentlemen. Few ways to get together and spend a few hours in each other's company will be better than golf. He is hard to learn, but it adds interest to the game. You almost always compete against others and yourself. In other sports you often just need to be a better opponent, but in golf, part of the fun is in improving your game. You can always do something to improve their qualities, regardless of other players.

Airsoft [Airsoft]

Shooting at a range of firearms is expensive. Previously, only children played airsoft, and today you can find exact copies of almost any existing weapon on the market. If the police and military use airsoft for training, you can do it. You can have fun, improve tactical skills - just find a community of fans of airsoft, participate in competitions and simulations. It's almost like paintball, only more realistic.

Woodburning

If you are not ready for carpentry yet, but you want to work with wood, this is a great hobby option. Burning, or pyrography , is the drawing of a pattern on a piece of wood or other organic material using a pen-like instrument. It is very easy for him to learn, and entry will cost you no more than 2000-3000 p. For burning out, finding online training materials is harder than working with wood - but they are there. It's not as great as making a chair yourself, but burning out requires attention to detail, patience and mastery of the tool.

Writing and keeping a diary

There were too many men trying to write and keep a diary to be counted. Some write to sell a book or an idea, while others just to organize thoughts, build connections, solve problems, or even get rid of stress. You can experience a real catharsis, transferring thoughts from head to paper.



Many men will try to write more often, but in my experience it is much better to treat it as a hobby - like what you do in your free time, even for a few minutes a couple of times a day. This is not always possible to boast, as is the case with other hobbies, but it brings satisfaction and helps to get rid of the clutches of reality for a while. Someday it will be very interesting for your great-grandchildren to read what your life was like in the good old 2017.

Sailing

Many men dreamed of being able to go to sea at will. Sailing involves mastering the ancient arts: weather prediction, navigation, rope skills, etc. You return to the days of tough bearded men who fought stormy seas and angry whales, even when you just cross the calm waters of a small lake. This is literally a breath of fresh air, as well as an abundance of physical and mental exercises. This hobby may seem expensive, and it certainly can be so, but this feature can be smoothed out by attending classes, renting boats, etc. No need to buy a boat for a lot of money just to start sailing. Also, your whole family can enjoy it, not just you alone. Bring your spouse and children with you and make it a weekend tradition!

Sommelier

Choose your poison: craft beer, wine, scotch, tequila ... The possibilities of enjoying a glass of alcohol are limited only by your imagination. People who understand alcohol do not follow the Budweiser, but go to a local small brewery. Choose an alcohol niche and learn. You can become an expert on the procedure of making alcohol, an expert on quality brands and know when and what products will enter the market in the near future. You can get pleasure from gathering - the search for a new brand of whiskey and sharing it with friends can be a lot of fun.

Diving

Sailing takes place on the surface of the sea, and diving takes you to its depths. This hobby is different from others in that you need to first learn and get a certificate, and then begin to engage them. Of course, you are limited in opportunities if you live far from the sea, but there may also be diving shops and schools in your area. Many people learn not far from home and then use their skills on holidays in the clear waters of coral reefs or elsewhere. In most cases, the sea or other deep water can be reached by car.



You can immediately become an amateur archaeologist and biologist, enrolling in a diving school and taking up the study of fish and ancient shipwrecks. Few hobbies give such excitement - so look for a school and start!

Rail Modeling

This hobby can be attributed to the usual modeling, but its uniqueness is that you can build not only one item for the collection, but make the whole scene along which small trains will move. Johnny Cash , Joe Di Maggio , Walt Disney, Tom Hanks, Frank Sinatra, Warren Buffet and many others enjoyed this hobby. You will learn many disciplines, including the basics of mathematics and physics, electrics, scene creation and design. This is not just a children's railway with a train traveling around the Christmas tree. You can start with the site of the National Association of Railway Modellers.

Rock climbing

In this list you can meet hiking and mountaineering. But rock climbing is a separate sport. You do not climb the slopes of the mountains, you conquer the sheer cliffs, and often not for the beautiful view, but because of the physical excitement associated with the fact that you just climbed the sheer wall. When you look for the next small foothold and make your way up, not only your physical skills are used, but also your analysis and problem solving skills.



The easiest way to learn climbing is learning indoors. Having mastered the basics of safety and technology, get out. Even if your area does not shine with majestic cliffs, you may be surprised to find good places for climbing nearby. Most climbers work with their partner's insurer - this can be an obstacle to entering the hobby if you do not know anyone who could go with you. But climbers are friendly people. Hang out in the gym and you will find people there who will gladly get to know you and take you on a hike.

Historical reconstruction

Men need to cultivate a nostalgic attitude towards history. Is there a better method of immersion in history than to take part in historical reconstruction? You can play a specific battle, or to represent a common historical period. They were engaged in reconstructions for a long time, since the times of Ancient Rome, when men reproduced famous historical battles. This gives you a chance to feel the clothes of the warriors of those times, their thoughts, and learn many things, regardless of what you recreate. This hobby really allows you to be in someone else's skin of a man of bygone days. It is also a chance to teach the audience a little bit.



On eBay, there is a great article on how to become a reenactor, as well as many suitable products.

Beekeeping

The first evidence of bee breeding dates back to 4500 years ago, to ancient Egypt. This hobby became very popular in the USA in the 80s when Burt Shavits successfully brought his passion to the market under the Burt's Bees brand (Netflix has a good documentary about him, Burt's Buzz). This combines a little danger and overcoming fear with a good return on investment - honey! But first you need to familiarize yourself with the local rules for keeping bees, especially in urban areas. This hobby is easy to scale - you can start with a single hive, and then expand as needed. Details are on the Brushy Mountain Bee Farm website.

Vinyl

In the 50s and 60s, parties often revolved around a turntable. People could get together to listen to the new album. Like many nostalgic occupations of the time, vinyl returns. Over the past few years, sales of vinyl have jumped up, and CD sales continue to fall. For a music lover, switching to vinyl means new sensations with familiar melodies. Vinyl lovers claim that it has a richer and more accurate recording sound.



Listening to vinyl also makes you concentrate on the album as a whole, rather than jumping between your favorite singles. You absorb it as a work of art, and do not perceive it as four minutes of entertainment - and often this is exactly what the album meant to the album.

Bird watching

Amateur ornithology offers many advantages of gathering, an organized collection of knowledge about a particular subject, and even the excitement of hunting - all for free. Instead of buying items and littering the house with them, you keep a diary of finds or cross out the species from the list. For young people, this hobby seems to be the pastime of old people, but even to me, at the age of almost 30 years, the birds already seem a bit more interesting than before. It is possible that the whole thing is in their peacefulness or in the envy of their ability to fly - in any case, these are beautiful creatures with the same diversity in color, shape and habits as humans. Bird watching is fun and enjoyment that can be obtained during a short walk and during a long search for certain rare species, as well as the study of these creatures, which we humans try to imitate so much. Take the binoculars and go!

Housework / DIY

Some men with all their might refuse to do something around the house, and consider it an unpleasant duty. But for many others this is quite a pleasant way to spend a day off. Finishing the basement, doing the necessary maintenance at home, repainting the room, cleaning up the garage is a chance to work with your hands and gain a new skill.



Homes need to love and care for them as well as our bodies, in order for them to remain healthy. If you learn to enjoy it, it will benefit you, and you will probably save money by not hiring specialists. Of course, you need to be careful - safety is above all, and you don’t want to pay more to repair what you break. On the Internet you can find a lot of resources on this topic, articles and videos, as well as books and TV shows.

Board games

Dwight David Eisenhower loved to play bridge with his colleagues until morning. Winston Churchill liked to play mahjong and gin rummy home with before dinner. Many of the founding fathers , including Franklin, Jefferson and Madison, loved chess. The presidents of the United States, from Roosevelt to Truman, played poker with advisers. Abraham Lincoln played backgammon with his sons.



Virtually every great historical figure had a favorite board game — as well as almost any ordinary man, whose names were lost over the centuries. Join them and discover the many benefits that come from participating in board games with your friends and families.

Volunteering

Even men who do not consider themselves self-serving can be greedy about their time. But if in the short term, the reluctance to share your time and resources seems to be the path to happiness, in the long term this selfishness destroys the soul. A certain service should become a part of the life of every man - going headlong to helping others, we often find that our life has improved.



Instead of devoting all your time to your goals, why not help others through volunteering. By helping another, you can find your purpose, take a different look at your problems, overcome prejudices, etc. And although men, of course, need some time to be alone, to spend time helping others - this is also a great way to recover.

The photo

If you always wanted to draw, but you did not succeed - try a photo. Digital cameras and editing software are getting cheaper, and photography is becoming a more popular and affordable hobby. Its advantage is that it can be combined with other activities. Do you like walking? Take a photo of nature. Like to go to restaurants? Take a picture of them all. Online there is an active community of photographers , and many fans of this hobby are free sites that teach photography.

Surfing

This hobby can be enjoyed only by a certain part of the population living on the banks - but these people often build their entire lives around this occupation. A boat trip on the sea is fine, but it is very different from the feeling of being directly on the water with a surfboard. You feel every wave, adrenaline, and suffer from defeat when you lose the board. You are competing with yourself and with Mother Nature itself. Few activities will so much unite you with nature as riding the waves. Where this hobby is common, it’s impossible to miss outlets. Visit one of them, tell us what you want to start surfing, and get ready to look stupid during the first few attempts.

Billiards

Every time I watch the movie " Billiard ", I am tempted to go to the billiard room filled with smoke and become a cue master. Billiards combines strategy, geometry, psychology. It is also a great way to spend time with friends. If you could not convince your wife that the game room would be incomplete without a billiard table, go to the nearest billiard room or bowling. You won't have to pay a lot for the game - of course, if a professional doesn’t beat you.

Mountaineering

If you like hiking, hiking, and looking for new adventures, then turn to mountaineering. Why climbers climb into the mountains? Because the mountains exist! Few things deliver as much satisfaction as getting to the top after a tiring climb, enjoy the bewitching view and the fact that you have just conquered the mountain. We recommend a good article with tips on mountaineering.

Tightrope walking

This hobby began in the 70s on the campus of one of the colleges, when a group of alpinist friends pulled a rope between two trees and started telling each other not only to walk along it, but also to perform some acrobatic tricks. Since then, it has become not only a popular way to spend time with students, but also one of the lessons on team building. In today's variation of this hobby, the rope is pulled between trees at a height of 30-50 cm above the ground. Usually, people try to just walk along its entire length and not fall, and not to even show some tricks. This requires not only physical fitness and practice, but also mental concentration and stamina. It is also a great way to be in nature without being distracted by electronic devices, and, of course, any number of people can do this.which makes tightrope walking a great social experience.Learning to walk a tightrope , you can try to learn various tricks. Getting started is quite simple - find a rope, a couple of trees and go!

Cooking

We do not get tired of repeating: every man should be able to cook. The advantages of this skill are thousands: it makes you independent, saves money from purchases of ready-made food, makes an impression on girls, helps you stay healthy (have you seen the composition of fast food?), And it just brings pleasure. You have to eat every day, so you can learn and enjoy it. This coma is an inexpensive and affordable hobby. In the future, you can switch to more exotic tools and products, but since you can find the main ingredients and tools in the kitchen, send the prepared food away.

Piloting

Many of the most courageous men in history have conquered heaven - Charles Lindberg , Chuck Yeager , Wiley Post . Maybe you will not break records, but still can soar like an eagle. Of course, the biggest obstacle to this hobby will be its value. It is expensive.Flight lessons will cost several thousand dollars, and a license - a few hundred. And you will need a plane. Some people combine the love of flying with a love of mechanics, constructing their own aircraft. But still, you will need a place to store it, for which you will have to pay the rent on a monthly basis. But despite the high cost of the hobby, many familiar amateur pilots tell me that it is definitely worth it — a feeling of complete freedom in the air.

Tricks

Every man should learn a couple of tricks to surprise friends, hit girls and entertain the kids. Few hobbies are as fun as practicing magic tricks. And after people ask you to reveal the secret of the trick, you will walk for a long time with a smile on your face. To train in the focus show again and again, so that everything goes absolutely smoothly - this is a job that does not look like work. And every man knows that the only interesting way to shop is shopping at a magic store. Magic tricks are an inexpensive hobby, you need a good book and a deck of cards. And then you can gradually increase the complexity of the tricks until you cut the mother-in-law in the living room in half.

Learning languages

Few hobbies can be so clearly attributed to useful activities as the study of foreign languages. How often do you want to be able to communicate with the waiter, student, parent, victim - and do not pray. And how often would you like to speak the local language while traveling? Learning a language can be difficult, but if you think that being able to speak different languages ​​is very cool. You can find courses in schools or try self-study methods such as Rosetta Stone. The key is in constant practice, or you will never improve your skills or save what you have already learned. It also helps watching movies, television and listening to songs in the target language.

Blogging

Writing is a man's hobby. But the blog brings new opportunities to this activity. A blog can be an outlet for your desire to share something that you enjoy and understand, with others. You can meet people from all over the world who share your interests and lead interesting discussions, as well as make friends. In your blog, you can notify relatives and friends about what is happening to you (moms love reading children's blogs). A blog can be used as your diary - an inexhaustible source of thoughts and photos that you will later look at. A blog can be used to promote a career, create a network and your personal brand. No matter why you start a blog, he can teach you technical issues like downloading pictures and videos, web design, online marketing, and so on. This is such an activitythe advantages of which can be underestimated, until you start doing it, but then it can completely capture you.

Paintball

Remember, as a child, you played a war game with your friends, using imaginary grenades, bazookas and bullets? Now that you have become a big boy, you can still play war games - but this time you can feel the impact of a paint ball flying at a speed of 150 km / h. Believe me, it greatly enhances the emotional response. It is not too expensive to play paintball - renting a pistol, cartridge with CO ₂ , masks and balls all day will cost you about $ 30. And if you get carried away, you can buy your equipment and pay only for the use of sites.

Fencing

An guard! What do the three musketeers, Zorro and Luke Skywalker, have in common? Of course, unbelievable possession of the sword! This sport exists since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and is a truly masculine occupation. Take part in the tradition that knights and lords of old times were taught in the last real duels. Cultivate a sense of balance, coordination, flexibility and concentration, learning the ancient art of repelling the blows of the enemy. In fencing, three types of weapons are used: rapier, saber and sword. They have different weight and different rules of use. Do a little fencing research and watch a video from a duel to see what it is. This is different from the long cine fights with the sound of swords. Most of the fencing is jumping, searching for unprotected places and the possibility of hitting your opponent.

Brewing

Saturday morning. A match with your favorite team will be shown on TV, and you have invited friends to watch. What drinks will you treat them? You can, of course, drive to the store, take the Miller High Life package - but wouldn't it be cooler and somehow braver to offer them a beer of their own making? This is possible if you start to brew beer as a hobby. Getting started is pretty easy and inexpensive. On The Simple Dollar website there is an excellent step-by-step instruction with photos and all expenses are listed. When you get better acquainted with the process of brewing beer, you can start experimenting with flavors and hand out your variety, released in limited quantities, as gifts.

Drawing

Winston Churchill was an avid artist. He could sit for hours in the garden or in his home studio, draw and smoke a cigar. In this way, he dealt with depression. He understood what a life-giving effect a creative work has on a man. Many men are not engaged in drawing, because they believe that they do not have an innate talent for it. Maybe so, but courses and practice can improve your abilities. Drawing - the most accessible of the arts. A few pencils and an album will take you a long time. For painting you need a little more equipment and tools, depending on its type. Watercolors are cheaper (and easier to clean) than oil paints. Most hobby and art stores offer drawing workshops. If this is not enough for you, you can always watch video tutorials from a white man with the greatest afro hairstyle in history,Bob Ross , in his program "The Joy of Drawing."

Amateur astronomy

Cosmos, the last frontier. You probably will not be able to visit space, but you can still be struck by its grandeur, even if you are in your yard at this time. You will be surprised how many different things you can see in space with a small telescope or powerful binoculars. If you want to look into deep space, you need a powerful telescope that will cost you about $ 1000. But this can be followed by a long-awaited result, when you find something, being in your yard, that even NASA specialists missed. Amateur astronomers have made several major discoveries. Doing astronomy - does not mean just stare at a telescope. It means to learn as much as possible about the amazing Universe from books, shows, lectures and articles on GeekTimes.. You can start before buying a telescope, having jagged the constellations and related stories.

Genealogy

Genealogy is a fun thing. This hobby seems terribly boring from an observer point of view. But when you get carried away with it, it can completely capture you and become what you truly love. An apple does not fall far from an apple tree, but how do you know which apple you are, if you don’t know where you fell from? Every man should know and understand their roots. You will understand more about why you are what you are and why your parents, and their parents, etc. You will learn to appreciate the people who made you appear. When you start building your family tree, you will be surprised at the length of the lines leading to you. You are not just an individual - you have a long pedigree, and your ancestors are in some sense a part of you. Start building a tree, talking to relatives who could already do this, and you can also use the ones available on the Internet.specialized sites .

Knitting

Knitting? Knitting?! What your grandmother loves, and what your great-aunt made you a Christmas scarf? Yes, knitting. This is not such a womanish occupation as men imagine it to be. Men invented knitting, and it's time to regain a place in its history. The first professional knitters were men, they worked in Europe in the 16th century. And, of course, the sailors knotted the knots. They knit fishing nets and sweaters so as not to get cold. Today knitting returns as a male occupation. It is both helpful and relaxing. A friend of mine learned to knit when he served in Bolivia, and was the only man in a knitting club at law school. And his masculinity is indisputable. Watch this video about knitting and men.

Programming

What the amateur radio hobby of the 1950s was programming today. Many men have made it their profession, but there are millions of those who at work do something else, and in their free time programs for pleasure. There are people making stupid online games, useful open source applications and cool web projects. You can learn a lot of programming languages. I personally like web programming, and the lessons at W3Schools will allow you to learn and related languages, and technologies such as SQL and CSS, are completely free.

Hurdling and multi-race

Obstacle race has grown from training courses for the military, and it is an ideal sport for runners who are bored running 5-10 km. Running for many kilometers, overcoming walls, crawling under barbed wire will strengthen your strength, cardiac system and agility, and test you for physical and moral stamina.



Another kind of loads - adventure, or multi-race. They last all day, and they include different activities. You may have to run 15 km, then participate in rowing for 15 km, and then ride a mountain bike through the forest for 30 km. Along the way, you must stop at the control points, which can be detected only with the help of a map and a compass. Physical activity, nature, orientation is a very masculine occupation.

Fishing

Maybe killing a deer or a bear is not yours. But you can still get all the benefits of the extraction of food in the home and unity with nature, if you go fishing. Fishing is a classic hobby for men. A great way for friends to make friends stronger, and for fathers and sons to spend time together. The cost of a hobby for a beginner is not too great. A decent fishing rod and reel will cost you $ 50, and the bait and bait - a few dollars. In some places, fishing requires a permit, so you need to check the rules before you go fishing. In addition, I recommend immediately learn how to unhook from the hook.