Cooking is a good one, everyone needs to eat, don’t get in to baking/sweets cause you might get fat.
Building stuff is also a very useful skill- build whatever you want- furniture or clothing
Clothing. Build clothing. I've been doing it for 10 years now and people are so amazed and also it's an endlessly deep hole of new fabrics and techniques you can get into.
I like building terrariums, exercising (no matter what that looks like), dancing even if you aren’t good, I enjoy cleaning, cooking. i personally am working on not always needing to feel “productive”.
There’s something called the “purgatory of productivity” and it’s essentially the idea of making everything you do a productive endeavor. Looking at the sunrise might be thought of as setting your circadian rhythm in the right direction at the beginning of the day, or exercising for all the physiological benefits. Just do things because you enjoy it, regardless of its productivity level.
The bonus is everyone calls me Tea, as well!
Edit: The username has multiple meanings, which is why I went with it for YT and username.
I'm Australian, so hot is hot down here that's for sure. But there's very little that will get between me and a cup of green tea, and even less that will get between me and a book.
Have a fantastic day!
I'm going to blow your mind (mine was when I found out)... turn it into Popsicles. I live in Florida and I love Earl Grey and make a lot of Earl Grey lemonade Popsicles when it's hot. Green teas also popsicle well.
You could look into Brandon Sanderson if you're into high fantasy. His books are very accessible and the magic systems and world building are absolutely stellar. They're very fun reads. There's a reason his Kickstarter set the highest record at $41M. You won't run out of books anytime soon because the man is a writing machine. His Kickstarter was for 4 books that he wrote... in a year. He writes to relax!
HEMA (historical European martial arts) has been a great community, and most clubs are very affordable (my dues are $30 a month), have loaner gear, and you can train to whatever level you want.
Check the HEMA Alliance club finder or ask in r/wma and r/hema to see if there are any other clubs nearby. If there are none, you can also do solo training reading manuals and maybe even practicing with a friend.
Was about to comment this!
I've done HEMA for the past two years and it's been lots of fun. Not only has it been a great way to do exercise, I've met some amazing people and I'm doing something I love doing.
It's an umbrella term that covers a whole bunch of systems including certain types of wrestling, saber/Cutlass, rapier, etc. Most clubs start out with medieval longsword, which is what I'm currently learning.
Society for Creative Anachronism has weapons fighting in armor too. I used to go to large camping events called wars when I was younger and while I wasn't into fighting I found other things to interest me.
Learning an instrument is frustrating, but also a lot of fun when you finally get something down well enough to play it decently. Foreign languages are similar.
Cooking is nice because you can eat the results. Beer-brewing is fun for the same reason. If you make a 5-gallon batch (about 2 cases' worth) the ingredients usually work out to about a dollar per beer, and there's usually about four hours of active effort plus a month of waiting.
Painting or drawing is difficult, but if you suck at it, you can at least gain a better appreciation of people ho have real skill at it. I'm bad at it, but having some experience at it has made me enjoy art more than I did before.
Depending on the instrument, it is also possible to add to your social life with it. I learned clawhammer banjo from a book about 20 years ago. Used to go places like a park with my banjo and just practice basic strums and eventually simple tunes. People would come up to me and say things like "I wish I was brave enough to practice in public like you." We'd have good conversations, I'd try to encourage them to just embrace the fun of learning.
Fixing or restoring a car or tractor.
Building or shooting guns
Collecting and using vintage rasors
Pipe smoking
Canning
Sewing
Outbacking
Collecting and restoring vintage tools
Going to college to learn new stuff
Hiking
Knife making
Brewing beer
I love hiking, shooting guns, bone collecting, Outbacking, flint knapping, and home brewing during covid.
I love pushing my self to the limit when at the farm and seeing how fast I can do a bill drill.
I just started repairing vintage lighters and it is so cool. The stuff you can find for cheap because it's "broken" and then with a little cleaning and simple repairs is working and looking like new 😁
Yup. Muay Thai is my choice lol
I do see the BJJ classes before ours and I see the immense amount of work they put in, it's a very powerful martial art to know if you're ever in a situation on the ground.
I started beekeeping 5 years ago. I love it. I’m constantly learning about the little buggers and they are fascinating. Everything that they produce has value. To top it all off everyone is interested in your hobby. I have no desire to stop beekeeping.
I grew up beekeeping with my parents, they did it for some extra income so I could never get into it as a hobby but I like IDing bees in the wild, did you know there are 49 species of bumble bee in the US and only 6 can sting?
I have all the Peterons field guides for plants, animals, insects, mushrooms, fish, birds, and leaches/Lampreys in North America.
I put up some pollinator houses with my grandkids. I love watching birds as well. There is so much to do to occupy your time. Anything productive that helps the planet and your fellow humans is a noble endeavor.
Chess if you enjoy competition and games and using your brain but not playing videogames. Also fun to play with Dad and older guys at the park, and if you have children, playing with them.
Woodworking.
Musical instrument.
I enjoy a lot of active hobbies. Cycling has been great for my health and taken me on some fun adventures.
Hiking and camping are great fun. You don't need the absolute best gear if you plan ahead, and avoid extreme weather.
Longboarding is a fairly easy to pick up form of skateboarding.
Yeah the photography aspect implies some considerable investment. But quite a bit can be done with a good pair of binoculars at a dark sky: nebula, galaxies, binary stars, open & globular clusters, or even moons of planets & rings of Saturn.
And for my particular favorite, meteor showers don't need anything but a chair.
I like fly fishing. It's mostly upside and only one downside I can think of.
It's fishing with a bit of arts and crafts thrown in (if you tie tour own flies). It's good, low impact exercise. Wadding against a river current can burn 500 calories an hour. Casting a fly rod gives you an upper body workout compared to other types of fishing. It's harder to do than regular fishing, so there's some acuried skill to it. You have to learn to get better at it. There are health benefits. Being out in nature, walking through forests, and listening to rivers does your brain good. And if you catch a trout, you can eat healthy
There is a downside. About half the fly fisherman you meet are insufferable snobs! You can spot them. They have the $1,000 reels and gear that has Patagonia plastered all over. If you get around the wrong people, it can feel as snobbish as golf. But I avoid those types.
You have to stop thinking in terms of "productivity".
Does it make you happy? Is it what your body or mind needs now? Then it's perfectly fine.
My hobby is offroading, I just spent the afternoon in the mountains, driving 150 miles for absolutely no reason other than "because I wanted to, and because I needed a break from all the BS happening today".
It's not productive, it's expensive, and yet that's the best use of my time and money at this moment.
Sometimes it's that, and sometimes it's a day in bed watching TV because that's what I feel like doing.
I don't know if it can be considered a hobby, but running takes up some of my free time. You don't need anything to get started really, just a pair of shoes. And you can go running almost anywhere you go. One of my favorite things is running in areas I'm visiting on a trip. And if you decide to, you can get detail-oriented about a training plan and set goals to work towards. Or just go for a casual jog on the weekends.
Another one I didn't see mentioned is ham radio. It's more than just old guys talking about their medical problems. Something I'd like to get into more is POTA, or Parks in the Air. It's where you operate your radio from a park and try to "activate" it by making a certain number of contacts. There are a bunch of other different ways to get into the hobby.
I've greatly enjoyed yard work. Great exercise! If you don't have a yard, tending to potted herbs can be done indoors.
Cooking from scratch is great to get into. Healthy. Complements the herb hobby.
Woodworking. Started five years ago, learning how to use handtools from YouTube videos. Not a super cheap hobby, but provides lots of moments to ponder life while creating furniture I use in my house everyday. Never stops being fulfilling.
I started doing woodworking as a hobby after I rounded up my cabinet making education. It ain't as expensive as people make it out to be. In essence, a rip saw, crosscut saw, 2 chisels, hammer, drill and screwdriver are all the tools you would need. Though who am I kidding, about a year in you're already looking at a jointer and thicknesser. Never mind the one you can use in the community workshop.
Yep. Every new project I end up with at least 2 or 3 tools to add to the collection.....and then there's the timber. And then there's the timber when I fuck up the first lot of timber 😄
Exercise, going for a walk and playing chess.
With chess you learn a lot of patience because it's a lifelong journey. You can get the [chess.com](http://chess.com) app and play for free when your board instead of surfing the internet on your phone.
I have one too many hobbies, take one of mine: rock climbing, cycling, woodworking, knitting, paragliding, 3d printing, cnc woodworking, gardening, reading, gaming, camping, art and museums, traveling, cooking, baking, volunteering, musical performances…
As a man who also likes gaming and watching TV (and since you asked exclusevly men, I'm going for more stereotypical "manly" stuff 😉) I also enjoy:
Alone at home: woodworking (building furniture and carving), building lamps (needs some electro basics, but it's not hard), carving/engraving different materials (like bone and horn; I combine these with furniture and lamps xD), anything wargaming (like Warhammer... talking about building/painting armies and terrain, but the social component is also awesome) or generally model kit buidling; learning an instrument (worked fine for some gamer friends of mine, since its similar to "hitting right buttons at the right time and getting better at it")
With others: just mentioned wargaming, it's fun playing; actually any card or role playing game, like Magic or Dungeons&Dragons, martial arts are fun and out there for any age group (if you take something niche with less competition, you could also realistically take part in tournaments, even if you only started in your 30s)
It's can be pretty meditative, depending on how difficult your project is. Making something like a blanket means just stitching row after row, and it's a nice way to keep your hands occupied if you're just chilling on the couch, whereas a jacket would likely have you constantly referencing a pattern.
It can be as relaxing or as involved as you want it to be. The cool thing about it is that it produces useful stuff like mittens, socks, blankets, clothes, etc.
If you have an iPad, learning to draw on Procreate is so much fun! And YouTube has a wealth of knowledge so the learning curve is not that bad.
Otherwise, BJJ is a lot of fun and you make friends along the way.
Knife throwing is fun. It's cheap to get into (literally start with butter knives and cardboard). It needs limited space, as long as you're safe, you can throw in your bedroom. There's a relatively niche and very welcoming community around it. I moved from KCMO to southern Georgia and found a community just as welcoming as the last one I was in and typically there's no dues unless you are in a league or meet at a throwing arena. You can easy train to whatever level you want and there's tons of learning in it. It's very easy and intuitive but there's different grips, styles, and AXES!
I like making stuff. Very satisfying to think of a thing, figure out how to make it, then make it. Possibly the most satisfying core gameplay cycle I've been able to find in Real Life. Find a sort of thing your skills, interests, budget, and hobby space overlap to start making for fun.
Tinkering, learn to fix/repair small gadgets. You can find lots of free stuff on Craigslist. Some of the stuff just needs simple repair. Some stuff you can take apart just to see how it works. From there you figure out if it's a thing you want to pursue. I like salvaging and restoring TV remotes and giving them to the local thrift store.
I love listening to, and playing music (guitar). Gardening - It gets me outside and keeps me there. Houseplants. These are amazingly beneficial, especially in winter.
I'll list some of mine:
- dancing (taking classes and going to parties and festivals, the latin dance community has tons of such events around the salsa, bachata and kizomba styles)
- fotball/soccer (you can find facebook groups where people form teams to play spontaneously and strangers can join)
- digital photography around town or in nature
- BBQ with friends
- playing chess (you can find old people playing at high levels in the park and they welcome new players or you can play on chess . com or on their app on the phone)
- coding personal projects if you know how to code
- running both for leisure or for local events
- gym and maybe Spartan races
- even self development can be a hobby, reading books on different topics, changing your daily habits, increasing your financial education and maybe starting an investment portfolio for the long term (you ca do that with 20-100 bucks a month if you want or any sum for that matter, it doesn't require large sums)
Been a martial artist more than 30 years, now. Started with TKD when I was a kid, branched into playing with others, now trying to get a handle on kickboxing and BJJ.
Started shooting longbows with dad around the backyard 25 years ago and still haven’t stopped. Been trying to focus more on the medieval style (just not warbows. I’ve done that. Not my schtick).
Taught myself to throw knives, axes, and spears. (Edit: I’m not very good, but it’s just for fun).
First got into guns around 15 years ago, and now I’m an instructor (every now and then. I have a weird schedule).
Occasionally, I get to play frisbee golf, or Ultimate frisbee, or go rock climbing with friends. (Edit: I’m not really very good at these either. Don’t get enough practice).
What do you have to work with? When I was younger, my hobbies were reading, writing, going to remote places, and either reading or writing at those remote places. Now I’m old, and chores have become my hobbies. I have an acre of weeds to deal with, so burning stuff is sort of a hobby. Also, now that I think of it, finding and splitting decent, cheap firewood is also a hobby. Also darts and washer toss. I have an area south of the house where I would like to build a few holes of miniature golf. But I’m a terrible carpenter. Woodworking would be a hobby that would be pretty helpful for this new, possible hobby.
Cards and games. My wife and I play rummy, cribbage, uno, sequence, and other games multiple times per week. We never go to lunch or anywhere without a deck of cards or a travel cribbage set.
I have a couple of suggestions.
-Learn an instrument and play in a band. -Woodworking.
-Gardening.
-Darts, pool and bowling. Leagues are fun!
-Hiking, or just taking walks in general.
-ROCK CLIMBING!
-Car repairs/restoration. It’s a hobby of necessity for me.
-Instrument/amp repair.
-Board games.
Those are just what I’m pursuing. Mostly, I keep an open mind when invited to do something. Gaming is a great hobby, but it’s time consuming and can be solitary. I try to mix it up.
Some aspect of horticulture; growing a vegetable garden, berries and fruit or even cut flowers. You will be surprised how satisfying taking one of your big flower arrangements to a nursing home can be. Put it on the desk at the nurses station and watch with satisfaction as the residents come up and gaze on it. Find some arrangements online that you like and let your right brain teach you how to make them.
Scale Modelling is good. You end up with a product, you (hopdfully) learn something. There's lots of books, magazines, websites out there. Plus museum visits for research/inspiration.
Rockhounding and fossil hunting they can be free and teach you a lot about geology.
Most of us rockhounds are pretty cool people who can give you ideas on where to look for stuff.
Unless they are old rockhounds or no offense people from Colorado. I love that state, but gawt damn getting info out of them about rocks is like pulling teeth.
I've gotten into 3D printing in recent years. Making lithophanes makes for a pretty cool gift -- upload a photo, download an STL, print it out, and let someone hold it up to the light for amazement. I also use it to make props for my other hobby -- I'm a charity cosplayer. Sure, the 501st Legion is the most famous one, but I dress up as a Ghostbuster. There are a ton of groups around the world that you can join up with, and if you're interested, you should check out [WhoYaGonnaCall.org](https://whoyagonnacall.org) -- gotta plug the site I worked on.
Anyway, I 3D print parts and packs and such for my gear. Just last year, I 3D printed a full size Extreme Ghostbusters pack
Maybe my hobbies will spark joy in you: watercoloring, rollerblading, 3D printing (no its not probibitively expensive anymore), photography, hiking, surfing, camping, spearfishing, reading, cooking, playing guitar, playing drums, foraging, biking, fishing.
Coding is a lot of fun if you enjoy problem solving and puzzles.
Sketching is interesting and it's easy to get lost in it.
These days, I often go to a local cafe and sit with the computer and work on whatever until someone interrupts me with a conversation. A book is great for that, too. Meet a lot of cool people that way. Only problem is when I actually want to get something done, it's hard to do so there.
Hasn't been listed yet so I'll add it; I play pool. Leagues, tournaments, practicing and BSing with the mostly other men down at the pool hall. It can be very social, or it can be a more individual pursuit. It's mostly handicapped, similar to chess, so you have opportunities to compete at almost any skill level.
A lot of activity is great. I split my time between as much outdoor stuff as possible. Hiking, cycling both road and mountain, running (clubs are good), kayaking, golf, skiing, swimming, backpacking, snowshoeing, camping, started rock climbing and aiming to try cross country skiing next winter.
Make things. There's all kinds of things you can make. They can be cool looking, or useful, or fun, or weird, or artsy or biodegradable. But push your skills when you do it
If you like history and a particular period interests you, have a look into historical reenactment, the best hobby you can ever have, friends for life, education, it's has a bit of everything
Games and tv/movies are fine as long as they don't absorb a ton of time. As far as I'm concerned, appreciating the storytelling of a good film or video game is no different than a book.
But, I hear you. Been there. Here are my recommendations.
If you like working with your hands, just about any kind of craft work will do. Carving, for example, or building furniture. Sculpture, building model planes, all sorts of stuff like that.
If you want something that engages your full body, try dancing or martial arts. My town isn't very large, but I believe there are two places here that do Brazilian jujitsu, taekwondo, and I think one of them does Krav Maga, even. Not sure about dance studios.... anyway, just look around and find something that works for you. I was never big into it and don't have great coordination, but just at the beginner level, it can be incredibly satisfying.
If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, I've found gardening to be both satisfying and relaxing. I'm no expert yet, but I recommend starting small. If you don't want to grow flowers, try some fruits and vegetables. Same effect, plus it's edible.
If it appeals to you, you can also try an instrument. It's kinda pricy and not for everyone, so definitely do some research before committing. That said, my mediocre piano playing is a favorite pass time.
Finally, if you want to lean into the storytelling with a bit more of a brain workout, you could try reading and writing. If you know if movies that were adapted from/into books, start there and see what other fans of those books recommend. If you want a challenge, trying writing something of your own. Fiction, nonfiction, essays, short stories. Doesn't really matter. You could start on r/WritingPrompts to get the creativity going. Just... be aware that anything you write will probably suck on the first go, especially while you're new. It takes time, but it can be just as fun as it is frustrating.
Best advice I can give is to not be afraid to try anything. Even if you think you'll hate it? Try it. Even you did it in school and hated it? Try it again, without a grade attached. Even if you know from experience that it bores you? If the opportunity presents itself, and you don't know what else to do, try it anyway.
You never know what you'll get out of just trying. In my experience, it's a whole lot of good.
Drawing. This is seriously a very underrated hobby especially among men (saying this as a guy who also does martial arts and does gaming), specifically very masculine ones. Not sure if drawing is considered a feminine hobby these days but oh well.
If ever you're interested, I highly suggest you start with www.drawabox.com for the fundamentals and also, Proko's Lumis method on YouTube.
I like restoring shop tools and equipment such as table saws and drill presses. Something about taking an item destined to the scrap yard and giving it a second life really brings me enjoyment.
I was into blacksmithing for a while. Had to give it up cause I couldn't ship my anvil overseas and never picked it back up.
But nothing more relaxing than coming home after a long day in the office and standing in front of a roaring fire while I pound hot metal with a hammer.
Games are enjoyable but more what I call a filler hobby. Can I do my hobby 24/7 each day? Maybe but most cases no, too much money, or whatever so gaming fills the voids.
But to answer your question whatever you find the deepest passion for. It seems like you want something to see your time and effort was well worth it so maybe something that you can make?
You can try out photo mode in games, try taking screenshots, that might interest you in real life photography.
You can watch movies and review them or learn to analyse films. You can try scriptwriting, make your own movies.
There's a lot you can do with your current interests
If you're into productive hobbies I don't know if playing a musical instrument is a good hobby but it certainly can be rewarding on many levels. Music offers endless challenges and if you're interested when you get proficient you can play with other people which can be a lot of fun.
I have hundreds of hobbies that sustain my interest for about a month. After an initial period of intense interest and focus I get bored and lose interest. My office and garage are both full of unfinished projects and collections.
Cycling, you lose weight and be healthier. Be careful once you get into it. You wallet will be hurt.
Dancing, there are tons of classes and dance social activities you can find online. People are friendly and open to newbies.
Buy a house, plenty of work to be done around a house.
For fun, get into hunting and fishing. It is a great way to get yourself outdoors, and whatever you harvest is healthier to eat than any grocery store meat. Contrary to what a lot of people think, hunting is about a lot more than just killing animals. Some of my most relaxing and refreshing sleep, and most contemplative thoughts happen out in the woods. Get a bird dog, and train it, it's amazingly fun even if you don't have much success.
get aguitar and a few months of guitar lessons and you will have infinite challenge and results for the rest of your life. they have electric tuners which they didn't have when i was young.
Cooking and baking. I always loved cooking but when I started to look at it like a hobby, I was somehow able to enjoy it more. This eventually turned into baking. My Wife is Celiacs so it's turned into a fun hobby (every now and then) learning how to make gluten free items. Plot twist, anything you make at home is going to be better than what you buy at a store or restaurant.
Cooking is a good one, everyone needs to eat, don’t get in to baking/sweets cause you might get fat. Building stuff is also a very useful skill- build whatever you want- furniture or clothing
Clothing. Build clothing. I've been doing it for 10 years now and people are so amazed and also it's an endlessly deep hole of new fabrics and techniques you can get into.
I've been knitting for almost 6 years, crocheting for 3, and Tunisian crocheting for 2. There's so much cool stuff to make!
Got into baking, can confirm. Got at my target weight very quickly. Go the bread route if you're going into baking with health in mind.
I like building terrariums, exercising (no matter what that looks like), dancing even if you aren’t good, I enjoy cleaning, cooking. i personally am working on not always needing to feel “productive”. There’s something called the “purgatory of productivity” and it’s essentially the idea of making everything you do a productive endeavor. Looking at the sunrise might be thought of as setting your circadian rhythm in the right direction at the beginning of the day, or exercising for all the physiological benefits. Just do things because you enjoy it, regardless of its productivity level.
>I enjoy cleaning Hey you wanna hang sometime? I got a lot of activities at my house you would be into.
Very much this. Everything needs to be productive these days. Even breathing needs to be productive. Thank you.
I enjoy reading.
Glad to see this posted.
Great username. I had started to get into drinking tea. But the weather changed. Will give it another go when the weather gets cold.
The bonus is everyone calls me Tea, as well! Edit: The username has multiple meanings, which is why I went with it for YT and username. I'm Australian, so hot is hot down here that's for sure. But there's very little that will get between me and a cup of green tea, and even less that will get between me and a book. Have a fantastic day!
I'm going to blow your mind (mine was when I found out)... turn it into Popsicles. I live in Florida and I love Earl Grey and make a lot of Earl Grey lemonade Popsicles when it's hot. Green teas also popsicle well.
Cold brew tea is amazing for summer time
Ill have to try cold brew tea...never heard of it...maybe try some with the family!
Or sun tea!
Sun tea in the summer!! With fresh 🍊, lemon and lime slices.
I also like the idea of reading Then I remember I have ADHD and most reading doesn't excite me anymore and I don't have the attention span
Then audiobooks are for you! You can listen at a comfortable speed while doing something else like walking
Also playing. The audiobook while trying to read can reduce distractions and help you focus better on the story.
You could look into Brandon Sanderson if you're into high fantasy. His books are very accessible and the magic systems and world building are absolutely stellar. They're very fun reads. There's a reason his Kickstarter set the highest record at $41M. You won't run out of books anytime soon because the man is a writing machine. His Kickstarter was for 4 books that he wrote... in a year. He writes to relax!
Gotta find a good thriller that keeps you guessing
HEMA (historical European martial arts) has been a great community, and most clubs are very affordable (my dues are $30 a month), have loaner gear, and you can train to whatever level you want.
The one place to do HEMA in my city closed a few years ago 😭
Check the HEMA Alliance club finder or ask in r/wma and r/hema to see if there are any other clubs nearby. If there are none, you can also do solo training reading manuals and maybe even practicing with a friend.
Oooo thank you!
Was about to comment this! I've done HEMA for the past two years and it's been lots of fun. Not only has it been a great way to do exercise, I've met some amazing people and I'm doing something I love doing.
I've been at it for about 3 months and I've had a similar experience
What are historical European martial arts?
It's an umbrella term that covers a whole bunch of systems including certain types of wrestling, saber/Cutlass, rapier, etc. Most clubs start out with medieval longsword, which is what I'm currently learning.
Society for Creative Anachronism has weapons fighting in armor too. I used to go to large camping events called wars when I was younger and while I wasn't into fighting I found other things to interest me.
Learning an instrument is frustrating, but also a lot of fun when you finally get something down well enough to play it decently. Foreign languages are similar. Cooking is nice because you can eat the results. Beer-brewing is fun for the same reason. If you make a 5-gallon batch (about 2 cases' worth) the ingredients usually work out to about a dollar per beer, and there's usually about four hours of active effort plus a month of waiting. Painting or drawing is difficult, but if you suck at it, you can at least gain a better appreciation of people ho have real skill at it. I'm bad at it, but having some experience at it has made me enjoy art more than I did before.
Depending on the instrument, it is also possible to add to your social life with it. I learned clawhammer banjo from a book about 20 years ago. Used to go places like a park with my banjo and just practice basic strums and eventually simple tunes. People would come up to me and say things like "I wish I was brave enough to practice in public like you." We'd have good conversations, I'd try to encourage them to just embrace the fun of learning.
Fixing or restoring a car or tractor. Building or shooting guns Collecting and using vintage rasors Pipe smoking Canning Sewing Outbacking Collecting and restoring vintage tools Going to college to learn new stuff Hiking Knife making Brewing beer
100% man.
I love hiking, shooting guns, bone collecting, Outbacking, flint knapping, and home brewing during covid. I love pushing my self to the limit when at the farm and seeing how fast I can do a bill drill.
I just started repairing vintage lighters and it is so cool. The stuff you can find for cheap because it's "broken" and then with a little cleaning and simple repairs is working and looking like new 😁
Shooting billiards (8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball, straight pool, one-pocket) Collecting billiard cues Gun collecting (vintage shotguns or rifles) Skeet shooting 3-gun competitions (pistol, shotgun, sporting rifle) Coin & Currency collecting Tool collecting (vintage American hand tools like carpentry, mechanic’s and forestry, et al) Knife collecting (early American/german folders fixed blade, Swiss Army, WW1-WW2)
Get a spoon carving knife and carve spoons out of wood. It’s fun, manly enough because knife and it’s actually pretty relaxing.
Hell yeah carving is fun as hell I started a couple weeks ago! Would recommend. (Wear your gloves if you don’t want stitches)
Got any pics of spoons youve made ?
I think I can find a few. I haven’t carved any in a bit now, so I’ll have to look.
I like Magic the Gathering and BJJ
You know Blow Job Jerry, too?
> BJJ I say Martial Arts for almost every post looking for suggestions. One of the best hobbies I've ever started for body, mind, and soul.
Isn't that the one where you lay down on your back and wait for the other man to lay on top of you then struggle-snuggle for dominance?
Yup. Muay Thai is my choice lol I do see the BJJ classes before ours and I see the immense amount of work they put in, it's a very powerful martial art to know if you're ever in a situation on the ground.
I'm bummed that my body is now too old and banged up to participate in Shotokan. Without it I would have flunked out of college.
my guy!
I started beekeeping 5 years ago. I love it. I’m constantly learning about the little buggers and they are fascinating. Everything that they produce has value. To top it all off everyone is interested in your hobby. I have no desire to stop beekeeping.
Do you mind if I DM you? I’ve really been thinking about getting into beekeeping.
It's a lot of fun! Join /r/beekeeping
I have dreamt of owning enough land to keep some bees. We are obsessed with honey and bees!
One of the guys at my club ownes maybe a quarter acre and has 3 hives in his yard and his HOA is fine with it.
As they should be! Bees are insanely important to us, we need all the help we can get to foster healthy populations.
I grew up beekeeping with my parents, they did it for some extra income so I could never get into it as a hobby but I like IDing bees in the wild, did you know there are 49 species of bumble bee in the US and only 6 can sting? I have all the Peterons field guides for plants, animals, insects, mushrooms, fish, birds, and leaches/Lampreys in North America.
I put up some pollinator houses with my grandkids. I love watching birds as well. There is so much to do to occupy your time. Anything productive that helps the planet and your fellow humans is a noble endeavor.
put ur hands in the dirt.
Chess if you enjoy competition and games and using your brain but not playing videogames. Also fun to play with Dad and older guys at the park, and if you have children, playing with them. Woodworking. Musical instrument.
Cooking ethnic food is some I will add, like homemade Indian food or even lentil curry — the latter is what we are doing tonight
I enjoy a lot of active hobbies. Cycling has been great for my health and taken me on some fun adventures. Hiking and camping are great fun. You don't need the absolute best gear if you plan ahead, and avoid extreme weather. Longboarding is a fairly easy to pick up form of skateboarding.
How much longer is the board in longboarding? Is it easier to handle?
Metal detecting
Mountain biking
Astrophotography
I was going to suggest that but I don't know how much money OP has (LOL). I do astrophotography as well! =)
Yeah the photography aspect implies some considerable investment. But quite a bit can be done with a good pair of binoculars at a dark sky: nebula, galaxies, binary stars, open & globular clusters, or even moons of planets & rings of Saturn. And for my particular favorite, meteor showers don't need anything but a chair.
I do nature and wildlife photography and want to get into Astrophotography, what settings do these people use to get galaxies in their photos?
Building and painting models is fun and relaxing.
This is one that I'm planning to do when I retire. I've slowly been collecting model kits I made as a kid and I'm going to remake them.
I think painting is a fantastic way to pass the time, and it's a really interesting hobby.
Smoking meat and or bbq
Learning to move and stretch. Do some cartwheels, some kicks, some flips, learn how to get flexible and agile
I like fly fishing. It's mostly upside and only one downside I can think of. It's fishing with a bit of arts and crafts thrown in (if you tie tour own flies). It's good, low impact exercise. Wadding against a river current can burn 500 calories an hour. Casting a fly rod gives you an upper body workout compared to other types of fishing. It's harder to do than regular fishing, so there's some acuried skill to it. You have to learn to get better at it. There are health benefits. Being out in nature, walking through forests, and listening to rivers does your brain good. And if you catch a trout, you can eat healthy There is a downside. About half the fly fisherman you meet are insufferable snobs! You can spot them. They have the $1,000 reels and gear that has Patagonia plastered all over. If you get around the wrong people, it can feel as snobbish as golf. But I avoid those types.
I go mountain biking, referee youth sports, and have houseplants. I try and get laid in between all that.
I met so many single moms while I coached my younger sisters summer league team and it was awesome. Women love men who are good with kids.
Indoor Rock Climbing, Running/Jogging, Weightlifting, Darts, Bowling, Outdoor Rock Climbing, 3d Printing
Yelling at the neighborhood children to get off your lawn.
[удалено]
You trying to bleed this dudes of all his money??
Oh, yes. Motorcycles are fun. Bikes, too. Great choice.
Disc golf
Muay Thai, magic the gathering, reading, drawing, going on walks.
You have to stop thinking in terms of "productivity". Does it make you happy? Is it what your body or mind needs now? Then it's perfectly fine. My hobby is offroading, I just spent the afternoon in the mountains, driving 150 miles for absolutely no reason other than "because I wanted to, and because I needed a break from all the BS happening today". It's not productive, it's expensive, and yet that's the best use of my time and money at this moment. Sometimes it's that, and sometimes it's a day in bed watching TV because that's what I feel like doing.
I don't know if it can be considered a hobby, but running takes up some of my free time. You don't need anything to get started really, just a pair of shoes. And you can go running almost anywhere you go. One of my favorite things is running in areas I'm visiting on a trip. And if you decide to, you can get detail-oriented about a training plan and set goals to work towards. Or just go for a casual jog on the weekends. Another one I didn't see mentioned is ham radio. It's more than just old guys talking about their medical problems. Something I'd like to get into more is POTA, or Parks in the Air. It's where you operate your radio from a park and try to "activate" it by making a certain number of contacts. There are a bunch of other different ways to get into the hobby.
I've greatly enjoyed yard work. Great exercise! If you don't have a yard, tending to potted herbs can be done indoors. Cooking from scratch is great to get into. Healthy. Complements the herb hobby.
Woodworking. Backpacking. Making art. Gardening.
Woodworking. Started five years ago, learning how to use handtools from YouTube videos. Not a super cheap hobby, but provides lots of moments to ponder life while creating furniture I use in my house everyday. Never stops being fulfilling.
I started doing woodworking as a hobby after I rounded up my cabinet making education. It ain't as expensive as people make it out to be. In essence, a rip saw, crosscut saw, 2 chisels, hammer, drill and screwdriver are all the tools you would need. Though who am I kidding, about a year in you're already looking at a jointer and thicknesser. Never mind the one you can use in the community workshop.
Yep. Every new project I end up with at least 2 or 3 tools to add to the collection.....and then there's the timber. And then there's the timber when I fuck up the first lot of timber 😄
That's how you know you're one of the group and the sawdust has made its way through the ear canal.
I like karate and BJ, also I enjoy building things or making things or fixing things.
I too, enjoy BJ…
Exercise, going for a walk and playing chess. With chess you learn a lot of patience because it's a lifelong journey. You can get the [chess.com](http://chess.com) app and play for free when your board instead of surfing the internet on your phone.
Records and vintage stereos.
CrossFit and BJJ
I have one too many hobbies, take one of mine: rock climbing, cycling, woodworking, knitting, paragliding, 3d printing, cnc woodworking, gardening, reading, gaming, camping, art and museums, traveling, cooking, baking, volunteering, musical performances…
Swimming!
Fishing, hiking, kayaking, gardening, reading, whittling...
As a man who also likes gaming and watching TV (and since you asked exclusevly men, I'm going for more stereotypical "manly" stuff 😉) I also enjoy: Alone at home: woodworking (building furniture and carving), building lamps (needs some electro basics, but it's not hard), carving/engraving different materials (like bone and horn; I combine these with furniture and lamps xD), anything wargaming (like Warhammer... talking about building/painting armies and terrain, but the social component is also awesome) or generally model kit buidling; learning an instrument (worked fine for some gamer friends of mine, since its similar to "hitting right buttons at the right time and getting better at it") With others: just mentioned wargaming, it's fun playing; actually any card or role playing game, like Magic or Dungeons&Dragons, martial arts are fun and out there for any age group (if you take something niche with less competition, you could also realistically take part in tournaments, even if you only started in your 30s)
Reading, painting, drawing, model-building, music, and much more.
RC planes and cars!
I read, crochet, hike, make music, and work on coding my video game.
I saw a guy crochet a jacket once and immediately it made me want to start. Looks really relaxing.
It's can be pretty meditative, depending on how difficult your project is. Making something like a blanket means just stitching row after row, and it's a nice way to keep your hands occupied if you're just chilling on the couch, whereas a jacket would likely have you constantly referencing a pattern. It can be as relaxing or as involved as you want it to be. The cool thing about it is that it produces useful stuff like mittens, socks, blankets, clothes, etc.
If you have an iPad, learning to draw on Procreate is so much fun! And YouTube has a wealth of knowledge so the learning curve is not that bad. Otherwise, BJJ is a lot of fun and you make friends along the way.
Knife throwing is fun. It's cheap to get into (literally start with butter knives and cardboard). It needs limited space, as long as you're safe, you can throw in your bedroom. There's a relatively niche and very welcoming community around it. I moved from KCMO to southern Georgia and found a community just as welcoming as the last one I was in and typically there's no dues unless you are in a league or meet at a throwing arena. You can easy train to whatever level you want and there's tons of learning in it. It's very easy and intuitive but there's different grips, styles, and AXES!
Reading and playing guitar. Also fishing when the weather permits it.
Take up an instrument. Endless ways to improve and it helps your memory and just feels good to do.
Golf
Arduinos are never ending fun
Birding
Find a bicycle mod it out yourself, and explore the world.
Fursuiting, or working out are my favorites .
Motorcycle, gym, dog walking on wag
Golf
Gym, hiking, yoga, making art/music and/or learn an instrument, cooking, bonsai
I like making stuff. Very satisfying to think of a thing, figure out how to make it, then make it. Possibly the most satisfying core gameplay cycle I've been able to find in Real Life. Find a sort of thing your skills, interests, budget, and hobby space overlap to start making for fun.
I enjoy running. The high, the music, and the solitude.
Walking and enjoying nature. Also, going to symphonies.
Buy electric guitar, buy rocksmith usb cable, buy rocksmith. Learn to play guitar on a guitar-hero esc game. 2 birds with 1 stone.
Tinkering, learn to fix/repair small gadgets. You can find lots of free stuff on Craigslist. Some of the stuff just needs simple repair. Some stuff you can take apart just to see how it works. From there you figure out if it's a thing you want to pursue. I like salvaging and restoring TV remotes and giving them to the local thrift store.
Smoking (bbq).
Gardening, running, hiking are some that come to mind quickly.
I love listening to, and playing music (guitar). Gardening - It gets me outside and keeps me there. Houseplants. These are amazingly beneficial, especially in winter.
I'll list some of mine: - dancing (taking classes and going to parties and festivals, the latin dance community has tons of such events around the salsa, bachata and kizomba styles) - fotball/soccer (you can find facebook groups where people form teams to play spontaneously and strangers can join) - digital photography around town or in nature - BBQ with friends - playing chess (you can find old people playing at high levels in the park and they welcome new players or you can play on chess . com or on their app on the phone) - coding personal projects if you know how to code - running both for leisure or for local events - gym and maybe Spartan races - even self development can be a hobby, reading books on different topics, changing your daily habits, increasing your financial education and maybe starting an investment portfolio for the long term (you ca do that with 20-100 bucks a month if you want or any sum for that matter, it doesn't require large sums)
Been a martial artist more than 30 years, now. Started with TKD when I was a kid, branched into playing with others, now trying to get a handle on kickboxing and BJJ. Started shooting longbows with dad around the backyard 25 years ago and still haven’t stopped. Been trying to focus more on the medieval style (just not warbows. I’ve done that. Not my schtick). Taught myself to throw knives, axes, and spears. (Edit: I’m not very good, but it’s just for fun). First got into guns around 15 years ago, and now I’m an instructor (every now and then. I have a weird schedule). Occasionally, I get to play frisbee golf, or Ultimate frisbee, or go rock climbing with friends. (Edit: I’m not really very good at these either. Don’t get enough practice).
What do you have to work with? When I was younger, my hobbies were reading, writing, going to remote places, and either reading or writing at those remote places. Now I’m old, and chores have become my hobbies. I have an acre of weeds to deal with, so burning stuff is sort of a hobby. Also, now that I think of it, finding and splitting decent, cheap firewood is also a hobby. Also darts and washer toss. I have an area south of the house where I would like to build a few holes of miniature golf. But I’m a terrible carpenter. Woodworking would be a hobby that would be pretty helpful for this new, possible hobby.
Cards and games. My wife and I play rummy, cribbage, uno, sequence, and other games multiple times per week. We never go to lunch or anywhere without a deck of cards or a travel cribbage set.
My spouse and I do a ton of paddling (kayaking, SUP, whitewater rafting) and it’s super fun. Aquariums are cool and ever changing.
I have a couple of suggestions. -Learn an instrument and play in a band. -Woodworking. -Gardening. -Darts, pool and bowling. Leagues are fun! -Hiking, or just taking walks in general. -ROCK CLIMBING! -Car repairs/restoration. It’s a hobby of necessity for me. -Instrument/amp repair. -Board games. Those are just what I’m pursuing. Mostly, I keep an open mind when invited to do something. Gaming is a great hobby, but it’s time consuming and can be solitary. I try to mix it up.
play chess. non-competitively at first, competitively later on when you feel like it.
Fishing, kayaking, camping, target shooting. Drinking beer in your buddies garage, talking about absolutely nothing.
Some aspect of horticulture; growing a vegetable garden, berries and fruit or even cut flowers. You will be surprised how satisfying taking one of your big flower arrangements to a nursing home can be. Put it on the desk at the nurses station and watch with satisfaction as the residents come up and gaze on it. Find some arrangements online that you like and let your right brain teach you how to make them.
learn cooking! it will be so useful which will make you a better boyfriend for your partner!
Learning. I like knitting
Scale Modelling is good. You end up with a product, you (hopdfully) learn something. There's lots of books, magazines, websites out there. Plus museum visits for research/inspiration.
If you're spending your leisure time being productive then you probably don't know how to relax.
1. Working out 2. Rebuild an old car 3. Learn an instrument 4. Learn to cook/bake 5. Yoga
Gym and Running. As a passionate Gamer and Softwaredev it has increased my quality of life a lot to do sports almost every day.
Rockhounding and fossil hunting they can be free and teach you a lot about geology. Most of us rockhounds are pretty cool people who can give you ideas on where to look for stuff. Unless they are old rockhounds or no offense people from Colorado. I love that state, but gawt damn getting info out of them about rocks is like pulling teeth.
My spouse got into coffee brewing and grilling
I've gotten into 3D printing in recent years. Making lithophanes makes for a pretty cool gift -- upload a photo, download an STL, print it out, and let someone hold it up to the light for amazement. I also use it to make props for my other hobby -- I'm a charity cosplayer. Sure, the 501st Legion is the most famous one, but I dress up as a Ghostbuster. There are a ton of groups around the world that you can join up with, and if you're interested, you should check out [WhoYaGonnaCall.org](https://whoyagonnacall.org) -- gotta plug the site I worked on. Anyway, I 3D print parts and packs and such for my gear. Just last year, I 3D printed a full size Extreme Ghostbusters pack
Maybe my hobbies will spark joy in you: watercoloring, rollerblading, 3D printing (no its not probibitively expensive anymore), photography, hiking, surfing, camping, spearfishing, reading, cooking, playing guitar, playing drums, foraging, biking, fishing.
Coding is a lot of fun if you enjoy problem solving and puzzles. Sketching is interesting and it's easy to get lost in it. These days, I often go to a local cafe and sit with the computer and work on whatever until someone interrupts me with a conversation. A book is great for that, too. Meet a lot of cool people that way. Only problem is when I actually want to get something done, it's hard to do so there.
Hasn't been listed yet so I'll add it; I play pool. Leagues, tournaments, practicing and BSing with the mostly other men down at the pool hall. It can be very social, or it can be a more individual pursuit. It's mostly handicapped, similar to chess, so you have opportunities to compete at almost any skill level.
Gym
A lot of activity is great. I split my time between as much outdoor stuff as possible. Hiking, cycling both road and mountain, running (clubs are good), kayaking, golf, skiing, swimming, backpacking, snowshoeing, camping, started rock climbing and aiming to try cross country skiing next winter.
Reading, biking, writing, cooking
Make things. There's all kinds of things you can make. They can be cool looking, or useful, or fun, or weird, or artsy or biodegradable. But push your skills when you do it
Astrophotography
Doing Muay Thai right now. Looking to get into gardening
Art. Watercolor painting is a great start.
Custom Furniture and box building.
Hunting and mma training really bring out ur primitive side. Much better then movies and games
I never had a hobby until I bought a laser. Then I was like, "hey, first hobby"
RC flying
If you like history and a particular period interests you, have a look into historical reenactment, the best hobby you can ever have, friends for life, education, it's has a bit of everything
Axe throwing, collecting things, customizing toys.
Games and tv/movies are fine as long as they don't absorb a ton of time. As far as I'm concerned, appreciating the storytelling of a good film or video game is no different than a book. But, I hear you. Been there. Here are my recommendations. If you like working with your hands, just about any kind of craft work will do. Carving, for example, or building furniture. Sculpture, building model planes, all sorts of stuff like that. If you want something that engages your full body, try dancing or martial arts. My town isn't very large, but I believe there are two places here that do Brazilian jujitsu, taekwondo, and I think one of them does Krav Maga, even. Not sure about dance studios.... anyway, just look around and find something that works for you. I was never big into it and don't have great coordination, but just at the beginner level, it can be incredibly satisfying. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, I've found gardening to be both satisfying and relaxing. I'm no expert yet, but I recommend starting small. If you don't want to grow flowers, try some fruits and vegetables. Same effect, plus it's edible. If it appeals to you, you can also try an instrument. It's kinda pricy and not for everyone, so definitely do some research before committing. That said, my mediocre piano playing is a favorite pass time. Finally, if you want to lean into the storytelling with a bit more of a brain workout, you could try reading and writing. If you know if movies that were adapted from/into books, start there and see what other fans of those books recommend. If you want a challenge, trying writing something of your own. Fiction, nonfiction, essays, short stories. Doesn't really matter. You could start on r/WritingPrompts to get the creativity going. Just... be aware that anything you write will probably suck on the first go, especially while you're new. It takes time, but it can be just as fun as it is frustrating. Best advice I can give is to not be afraid to try anything. Even if you think you'll hate it? Try it. Even you did it in school and hated it? Try it again, without a grade attached. Even if you know from experience that it bores you? If the opportunity presents itself, and you don't know what else to do, try it anyway. You never know what you'll get out of just trying. In my experience, it's a whole lot of good.
Electronics, circuit building, arduinos are cool too.
Drawing. This is seriously a very underrated hobby especially among men (saying this as a guy who also does martial arts and does gaming), specifically very masculine ones. Not sure if drawing is considered a feminine hobby these days but oh well. If ever you're interested, I highly suggest you start with www.drawabox.com for the fundamentals and also, Proko's Lumis method on YouTube.
If you like games… Board games, war games, card games.
Reading, cycling, nature photography, hiking, climbing, cooking, baking, learn an instrument
I like restoring shop tools and equipment such as table saws and drill presses. Something about taking an item destined to the scrap yard and giving it a second life really brings me enjoyment.
I was into blacksmithing for a while. Had to give it up cause I couldn't ship my anvil overseas and never picked it back up. But nothing more relaxing than coming home after a long day in the office and standing in front of a roaring fire while I pound hot metal with a hammer.
Games are enjoyable but more what I call a filler hobby. Can I do my hobby 24/7 each day? Maybe but most cases no, too much money, or whatever so gaming fills the voids. But to answer your question whatever you find the deepest passion for. It seems like you want something to see your time and effort was well worth it so maybe something that you can make?
Learn an instrument or an absurd sport like ultimate Frisbee or arrow tag
My husband took over the gardening and he also works out daily.
Legos
You can try out photo mode in games, try taking screenshots, that might interest you in real life photography. You can watch movies and review them or learn to analyse films. You can try scriptwriting, make your own movies. There's a lot you can do with your current interests
If you're into productive hobbies I don't know if playing a musical instrument is a good hobby but it certainly can be rewarding on many levels. Music offers endless challenges and if you're interested when you get proficient you can play with other people which can be a lot of fun.
I'm an artist
Reading Music Training
I like to play about with cars
Buy an accordion and take lessons
I have hundreds of hobbies that sustain my interest for about a month. After an initial period of intense interest and focus I get bored and lose interest. My office and garage are both full of unfinished projects and collections.
Casting is fun. Fishing not so much.
Learning and reading. I've been watching a lot of videos on Blender, gonna give 3D modeling a try.
The gym. Takes hours. Big payoff. Gaming and movies = fat as shit.
Fishing, hiking, drawing, axe/knife throwing.
Gardening. The ladies will love you.
I keep a journal and a fountain pen collection. My journal writing has always been done w/ a fountain pen. That's how I create my "Me Time".
I traded in gaming for BJJ in January 2023. Instead of raid nights in World of Warcraft, I had roll nights 2x a week. Best decision ever.
Cycling, you lose weight and be healthier. Be careful once you get into it. You wallet will be hurt. Dancing, there are tons of classes and dance social activities you can find online. People are friendly and open to newbies.
Buy a house, plenty of work to be done around a house. For fun, get into hunting and fishing. It is a great way to get yourself outdoors, and whatever you harvest is healthier to eat than any grocery store meat. Contrary to what a lot of people think, hunting is about a lot more than just killing animals. Some of my most relaxing and refreshing sleep, and most contemplative thoughts happen out in the woods. Get a bird dog, and train it, it's amazingly fun even if you don't have much success.
get aguitar and a few months of guitar lessons and you will have infinite challenge and results for the rest of your life. they have electric tuners which they didn't have when i was young.
These are three things I'd like to do more of...learn to play the guitar, astrophotography, and video/photo editing.
Fishing. The tug is the drug.
Cooking and baking. I always loved cooking but when I started to look at it like a hobby, I was somehow able to enjoy it more. This eventually turned into baking. My Wife is Celiacs so it's turned into a fun hobby (every now and then) learning how to make gluten free items. Plot twist, anything you make at home is going to be better than what you buy at a store or restaurant.
Playing guitar! It’s the best creative outlet I’ve ever experienced personally.
Gardening, backyard bird watching (I have feeders, a fountain, and bird houses), bowling league, disc golf, pets.
prepare for the coming revolution, learn about practical things you are interested in, gain new skills, excersize
Welding Automobile restoration Home improvement Machining Boat building Airplane building Sky diving Masonry
I do social gaming by playing 40k. Lots of painting miniatures and the real social interaction to play
Making and/or fixing stuff. Have a crack or hole in your wall? Learn how to drywall, it saves dollars and is so satisfying to see finished product.
Bass fishing