Post: #26

Honestly, considering we love the game, you'd probably be served best by hobbies with a social aspect - either cute conversational girls or cool guys. It'll develop you a lot more as a person than a solitary activity. Being in an all-male scene, once you get out of the toolish "OMG sausagefest" mode, can be fun with the right guys. Parkour is a good suggestion. Some others:

Co-ed sports leagues (coed not so much for the girls but because people join them to make friends)
Independent MMA/Boxing/Powerlifting gym
Language, Cooking, Improv or dance classes
Book of the month discussion clubs
Something involving the local arts or fashion scene

I thought about it, and it seems like most hot girls don't do anything besides eat out and drink with friends. Almost every time I think, "man it would be cool to meet a girl into this stuff," the only cute girl there is there because her boyfriend dragged her.

I joined a beach volleyball class, and I've met loads of people, including a solid 6'7" wingman.

Post: #27

Guitar- Pick up a cheap acoustic w/ light action and learn G,C,and D. These 3 chords will cover most country songs. After a couple months you should be able to play and sing through a few songs and have a sense of accomplishment. Follow through w/ a few 7 and minor chords, as it will expand your songlist. Girls love guys that can pick a little on the flattop. They always want me to play them a song upon seeing the guitar in the corner. I will, but they have to earn it. If you have no musical talent take a few private lessons. The best way to get though is to play w/ others.

Local Pool Leagues- Great way to waste a Wed. or Thurs. night. It'll get you outta the house to socialize and scope out the chicks in the bar. If I took it serious I'd be a semi-pro right now.

Motorcycles- I've owned two softail classics over the years and it was by far and away THE best manly hobby to get into. The initial cost is high but the payout is worth it. Learn to work on your own shit. That's manly too. Find a good crew to roll with and your set. Bike night/week are great to chill w/ your boys but don't expect to get laid here. Bring a girl you met previous to trophy.

Surfing- Great way to get into shape, unwind after work, get laid, ect. Buying a board was a life changing experience. $700 will get you a used longboard, baggies, rash shirt, and leash. That's all you need. Go forth and have fun....and don't be a kook.

Post: #28

Not sure if it was mentioned, but horseback riding seems bad ass too.

Post: #29

1) Try out for Jeopardy! if you're any good with trivia. They have online tests about once a year. Check out their website for more information.

2) Learn to play chess. Join a chess club. Sounds kind of boring, but if you're bookish and enjoy an intellectual challenge, it will definetely build and strengthen your mental toughness. Plus, most chess tournaments have monetary prizes so you'll be making dough if you're good!

3) Write a book. You mentioned you're a chef; write a cookbook and make money. Better yet, write a cookbook on how women can lose weight. $$$ Or, write about whatever interests you.

Post: #30

(06-15-2011 05:38 PM)blurb Wrote:  1) Try out for Jeopardy! if you're any good with trivia. They have online tests about once a year. Check out their website for more information.

2) Learn to play chess. Join a chess club. Sounds kind of boring, but if you're bookish and enjoy an intellectual challenge, it will definetely build and strengthen your mental toughness. Plus, most chess tournaments have monetary prizes so you'll be making dough if you're good!

3) Write a book. You mentioned you're a chef; write a cookbook and make money. Better yet, write a cookbook on how women can lose weight. $$$ Or, write about whatever interests you.

Those are not manly hobbies!!! How about Drag racing, motorcycle restoration, kite surfing, wake boarding, spearfishing in shark infested waters? No?

Post: #31

I'm still liking the idea of doing metal work or something similar, especially because CraigsList has a "free shit" section where people put it on the curb and you just come take it, so virtually no cost.

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Post: #32

Ultimate. Fucking. Frisbee.

Get at me son.

Post: #33

(06-16-2011 10:20 AM)Docter Wrote:  Ultimate. Fucking. Frisbee.

Get at me son.

Just looked this up, I'm gonna start looking for groups in MD lol

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #34

(06-15-2011 05:51 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

(06-15-2011 05:38 PM)blurb Wrote:  1) Try out for Jeopardy! if you're any good with trivia. They have online tests about once a year. Check out their website for more information.

2) Learn to play chess. Join a chess club. Sounds kind of boring, but if you're bookish and enjoy an intellectual challenge, it will definetely build and strengthen your mental toughness. Plus, most chess tournaments have monetary prizes so you'll be making dough if you're good!

3) Write a book. You mentioned you're a chef; write a cookbook and make money. Better yet, write a cookbook on how women can lose weight. $$$ Or, write about whatever interests you.

Those are not manly hobbies!!! How about Drag racing, motorcycle restoration, kite surfing, wake boarding, spearfishing in shark infested waters? No?

Whatever. Manly hobbies don't have to mean something like weight lifting or boxing and becoming a meathead. You also have to train your mind. Your mind is your most powerful weapon.

Getting onto Jeopardy! might get you noticed and win you money. You saying that's not manly? I'm sure Ken Jennings still gets attention from women.

Quote:What about volunteer work. Hippie chicks?

Animal shelter?

Post: #35

(06-15-2011 05:51 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Those are not manly hobbies!!! How about Drag racing, motorcycle restoration, kite surfing, wake boarding, spearfishing in shark infested waters? No?

Tell that to the Wu-Tang clan! haha Chess can be pretty fuckin' gangster. But seriously, being good at Chess can definitely translate into real world success.

Post: #36

If your serious about getting into shape for parkour I'd recommend Scott Sonnons TacGym. It may seem pricey at $150 but it is very thorough and includes some great supplementary material. The 50 minute video on how to use a tennis ball or small medicine ball to give yourself a full body massage pays for the course in 2 uses as opposed to going to an LMT. His bodyweight exercise programs Tacfit Commando and Tacfit Warrior are awesome as well.

(06-13-2011 03:37 PM)Chad Daring Wrote:  

Quote:I've always been amazed that Parkour hasn't taken off with late teens/early 20's guys. It's urban cool personified.

I know right, its like kinetic yoga, very intense, but in a individually liberating way. I did some research on getting started into parkour and I'm working in the gym to get myself strong enough to start at the basic level. I dont want to go off half cocked and hurt myself, hopefully within a month by mid summer I'll be ready. (this is nice to because its a goal, makes working out more fun)

Quote:Metalworking can earn you some money since you can sell your custom-made furniture and knives and all sorts of crap:

This is brilliant, Im sure an amateur could throw something like that together with just a tube of JB Weld, might have to go junk diving in the 'burbs and find some cool scrap. By far my favorite idea yet. (would make for good conversation if you got a girl over to your place too)

Post: #37

Great info man, thanks for the link, I'll definitely check it out

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #38

(06-17-2011 03:49 PM)Khaleth Wrote:  

(06-15-2011 05:51 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Those are not manly hobbies!!! How about Drag racing, motorcycle restoration, kite surfing, wake boarding, spearfishing in shark infested waters? No?

Tell that to the Wu-Tang clan! haha Chess can be pretty fuckin' gangster. But seriously, being good at Chess can definitely translate into real world success.

Chess is very manly. It trains your logic, strategy and dedication to the game. There's also a psychological aspect that makes it even more interesting.

Post: #39

I love muay thai.

I don't actively do hip hop dance anymore but nothing has impacted my game and success with women as much as being able to tear up a dance floor.

Post: #40

Metal work is a sic hobby. All you need to start is a Mig welder, Acetylene torch and a angle grinder. Take a few welding classes at the local college. I do some metal work occasionally in my profession.

@thekiller- I'm seriously considering tackling the tacfit rope next month. Not sure about this Scott fellow but his workout program is solid.

Post: #41

Swedish massages, golf, gambling, lounging poolside, yoga, boxing, eating at fly restaurants, smoking and watching movies with a hardbody...

Post: #42

I forgot about this thread, heh, working out (for now) has become my hobby. Both the grunting iron lifting side, and the nutrition side both fascinate me, been learning a lot, and getting in damn good shape in the process, win/win.

@YMG

Hip-hop dance or even break dancing are two things I've thought about, trying to strengthen myself up a bit more before going for something like that.

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #43

I dunno about parkour,looks cool in music videos,and during the redbull contests but when i see a group of dudes taking turns jumping over walls and down stairs in the city it always looks like pretend rollerblading to me....
whatever floats your boat though....
fishing is good especially if you know a homie with a boat or live close to the ocean/lake...

Post: #44

Music is definitely a good hobby. DJ-ing used to be far more of a craft than an art, though times have changed. I'd recommend playing drums, personally.

I'd also recommend rock climbing/mountaineering - this would be one of my main hobbies if music didn't take up so much time.
Lifting, surfing, skiing, and longboarding are high on my list too.

Regarding parkour - the reasons I think it's not too popular yet are:
1. It requires a very high level of fitness right off the bat - most newcomers would probably do better to get in shape before starting- and it takes a lot of discipline and time, more than most sports (in my view), to get to a competent level.
2. The risk of injury is fairly high compared to other sports, and it's hell on your joints if you don't know what you're doing.
3. Connecting to that last point, if you want any sort of training not from the internet, you have to find someone who knows what they're doing, and those people aren't in every city.
That said, it looks really fun if you have the time and discipline (I don't).

If you like chess/board games, you could try your hand at go. Computers aren't beating experts at go yet.

Regarding Jeopardy! - it's not really a hobby. You can only appear on the show once in your life, and you only make big bucks if you win ($2000 for 2nd place and $1000 for 3rd before taxes is nothing to sneeze at, but that's only a few months' rent at most). Trivia nights at local bars could be a hobby, though.
(I was on Jeopardy! a few years ago, I can go into detail about the process/experience if anyone wants to know.)

Post: #45

In addition to metalworking, woodwoork and forging, there's also dyeing. It doesn't require much equipment, and you can make unique clothes with it.

See http://www.ritdye.com/ . Definitely going to give this a look, I've had some colors in mind that I've always wanted in my clothes, but I never see them.

Post: #46

(10-04-2011 12:21 PM)5K2D Wrote:  Regarding parkour - the reasons I think it's not too popular yet are:
1. It requires a very high level of fitness right off the bat - most newcomers would probably do better to get in shape before starting- and it takes a lot of discipline and time, more than most sports (in my view), to get to a competent level.
2. The risk of injury is fairly high compared to other sports, and it's hell on your joints if you don't know what you're doing.
3. Connecting to that last point, if you want any sort of training not from the internet, you have to find someone who knows what they're doing, and those people aren't in every city.
That said, it looks really fun if you have the time and discipline (I don't).

This actually happened to me over the summer. I went hard into trying parkour and found out quick I wasn't ready. I've dropped another 30 lbs since then and added more muscle and strength, gonna keep that trend going strong through the winter and try parkour again next year.

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Post: #47

(06-13-2011 03:37 PM)Chad Daring Wrote:  

Quote:I've always been amazed that Parkour hasn't taken off with late teens/early 20's guys. It's urban cool personified.

I know right, its like kinetic yoga, very intense, but in a individually liberating way. I did some research on getting started into parkour and I'm working in the gym to get myself strong enough to start at the basic level. I dont want to go off half cocked and hurt myself, hopefully within a month by mid summer I'll be ready. (this is nice to because its a goal, makes working out more fun)

You have to be in excellent shape already when getting into parkour or you risk hurting yourself real bad. Add to that that there are extremely few formal classes taught on this makes it a fringe hobby/sport. I suspect that in the US it would be shut down pretty hard by authorities in urban areas as well..

Edit: Didn't see 5K2Ds thorough reply until now.

Post: #48

I think that ANYTHING that a man can do that leads to creating something with his hands is the natural instinct of men. Think workshop, time away from from the wife/girlfriend, and crafting something that is valuable to yourself and /or others.

Metalworking
Furniture Making (wood or metal)
Guitar Building (Luthery)
Jewelry Making (like designer metal with kilns, I'm not talking beads)
Building houses
Building boats
Building surfboards
Model building
Model trains (better if you have kids or grandkids - I'll never forget my grandfathers model train platforms)
Gas powered remote controlled airplanes / helicopters
Bonsai tree horticulture
Hardcore Life/Tech hacking projects (subscribe to '2600' through your Kindle)
Astronomy (cool, but a rather passive hobby, imo)
Learn an Instrument
Learn to Sing (you can train your voice through professional methods)
Ham Radio (good for the zombie apocalypse)
Metal engraving / Wood carving (make great money engraving guns, or make huge wood animal sculptures for your yard)
Fishing / Lure Making
Wine / Beer Making
Cheese Making
Homeopathy (if your open minded - its just something to learn that might pique your intellectual interest and could theoretically be useful)
Build Guitar Amps (there is a strong market for boutique amps)
Build your own High end tube driven amps for your stereo (cool hobby, imo, and there is lots of info out there on how to do it)
Classic car restoration (the quintessential male hobby)
Motorcycle restoration
Watch Making

Post: #49

-I Work out nearly every day. Solid way to spend my time. Get into distance running if you want to kill a lot of time.
-I play saxophone and recently took up the flute (not sure how manly the flute is, but it sounds nice)

-If I lived closer to a rock gym or the mountains, I'd probably spend a large chunk of my free time rock climbing

Post: #50

Home brewing I forgot to mention. Im making my own hard apple cider. Its simple cheap and makes a good product. I've got a couple posts up on how to do it.

Chef In Jeans
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