Definitely Sports

10 sports you didn't know were sports

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For the past few weeks, Inverse has been cataloguing obscure sports from around the world that you might not realize could be considered sports.

Click the link on each card for a deeper dive into each of these 10 sports.

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Rock-Paper-Scissors: There are national- and world-level championships and mathematical strategies for how to beat your opponent.

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Headis:This obscure German sport is like if ping-pong and soccer had a baby. Over a ping-pong table, two opponents battle it out by spiking a ball back and forth — and they’re only allowed to use their heads.

Hooverball: This sport invented for President Herbert Hoover in the 1930s is like volleyball — except you’re a 6-pound medicine ball over a net.

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Hotdog-Eating:Every year on July 4th, competitors meet on Coney Island in New York to see how many hot dogs they can eat in a set time limit. The record? 75 hotdogs eaten in 10 minutes by Joey Chestnut.

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Lawnmower Racing: It’s like NASCAR, but with lawnmowers with tricked out engines. Every year, 500 competitors compete at local, state, and national levels.

Floor is Lava: In this popular Netflix game show, teams compete in obstacle courses where they can’t touch the ground. A high-budget take on a long-time childhood classic.

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Mutton Bustin’: Bull-riding for children, ages three through six. They hop on a ewe and hold on for dear life, for at least 6 seconds.

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Shin-Kicking: In a small town in Gloucestershire, England, this wrestling-inspired sport dates back to 1612. Shin-Kicking competitions are usually quick, a matter of seconds, or can drag on for minutes.

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Major League Wiffle Ball: The classic backyard sport goes national. Games are streamed on the MLWB’s Youtube channel, which has more than 100,000 subscribers, and the league is sponsored by big names like Dick’s Sporting Goods.

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Air Guitar:The sport started in Finland as a comment on war and peace — if everyone played air guitar, they couldn’t hold a weapon. It’s considered a form of dance or competitive movement performed for a panel of judges.

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