# Is it too late to start a new sport in your sixties? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/moving-in-older-age/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Movement · Updated: 2026-10-14 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* No. Plenty of sports have lively scenes full of people who started in their sixties or later, from walking football and bocce to table tennis, Nordic walking, rowing, dancing and golf. Pick something that sounds fun rather than worthy, start with a beginner session or a taster, and let the first few months be about learning the game and meeting the regulars. Sixty is a strange age to be told you are "too late" for anything. You have more free mornings than you did at forty, more patience than you did at twenty, and, frankly, a better sense of what you enjoy. Those are three excellent qualifications for starting a sport. ## Sports with a welcoming scene Some sports are especially good at absorbing newcomers who are not in their twenties. A few worth a look: - **Walking football.** Football at a walking pace, with no running and no heading. In England the Football Association describes it as open to all ages and abilities, and in many towns the sessions are full of people who last kicked a ball decades ago. See the [England Football page](https://www.englandfootball.com/play/ways-to-play/walking-football) for how it works. - **Bocce and other bowls games.** Social, tactical and played in good company, often with a bar nearby. Our guide to [how to play bocce](https://zestasy.com/wiki/how-to-play-bocce/) covers the basics. - **Table tennis.** Clubs commonly run mixed-age sessions, and a decent rally is as satisfying at seventy as at seventeen. - **Nordic walking.** Walking with poles, usually in friendly groups led by an instructor. - **Rowing and paddling.** Many rowing clubs run learn-to-row courses for adults, and the indoor rowing machine is a quiet way to preview the movement. - **Dancing.** Ballroom, Latin, folk, swing. Partners rotate, nobody is watching you as closely as you think, and there is music. - **Golf, cycling clubs, swimming lanes, tennis and padel.** All have plenty of people who joined later in life. ## Choosing one Start with what you would like to be doing on a Tuesday morning, not with what you think is good for you. A few honest questions help: - **Indoors or outdoors?** If you hate being cold, a sports hall or pool is a gift. - **Team or solo?** Team sports bring a ready-made social life. Solo ones let you set your own pace. - **How near is it?** A club ten minutes away beats a better one an hour away, every single week. - **What did you love as a child?** Old enthusiasms often come back faster than you expect. ## Starting gently The trick with any new sport, at any age, is to let the first weeks be about learning rather than proving. Go to beginner sessions, even if the regular session looks more interesting. Tell the coach or organiser that you are new, and mention anything they ought to know about you, such as an old knee that grumbles on stairs. A good club adapts drills, partners and pace without making a fuss of it. If you have a medical condition or have been told to be careful with certain movements, it is worth having a word with your doctor before you start; they can usually tell you which sports suit you best rather than just which ones to avoid. Short and frequent tends to work better than long and heroic. Two relaxed sessions a week, with a coffee afterwards, will teach you more than one exhausting marathon that leaves you reluctant to go back. ## Adapting rather than abandoning Most sports have gentler versions built in. Doubles instead of singles. Shorter courses. Slower formats. Electric bikes on the hilly club rides. Using adaptations is not cheating; it is how the sport keeps you playing. The people who are still out there at eighty are usually the ones who learned to adjust rather than stop. ## The social part is not a side effect In many clubs the post-match coffee, the shared lifts and the end-of-season dinner are half the point. If you have recently retired or moved, a sport can quietly become the backbone of your week, with people who expect you to turn up. That expectation is very useful on rainy mornings. ## FAQ ### What if everyone else in the group is much more experienced? That is normal in any club and usually feels worse than it is. Most regulars remember being new and are glad to see someone join. Ask whether there is a beginners' session or a mentor, and give it at least four visits before you judge it. ### Is it awkward joining a club full of younger people? Less than you would think. Many clubs are mixed in age, and the shared interest does most of the work. If it does feel uncomfortable, look for sessions or sections aimed at older players, which many sports offer. ### Should I buy proper kit straight away? No. Borrow or hire where you can, and wear comfortable clothes and suitable shoes. Once you know you are staying, the regulars will tell you exactly what is worth buying and what is a waste of money. ### What if I used to play a sport and want to go back to it? Go back, but start a level below where your memory says you belong. Our page on [getting back into sport after years away](https://zestasy.com/movement/getting-back-into-sport-after-years/) has more on managing old instincts and new realities. ## Sources - [England Football: Walking football](https://www.englandfootball.com/play/ways-to-play/walking-football) ## Related - [How do you get back into a sport you played years ago?](https://zestasy.com/movement/getting-back-into-sport-after-years/) - [How do you handle being a beginner as an adult?](https://zestasy.com/mindset/being-a-beginner-as-an-adult/) - [What is Nordic walking?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-nordic-walking/) - [Is table tennis a good sport to take up as an adult?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/table-tennis-as-an-adult/) - [How do you play bocce?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/how-to-play-bocce/) - [All Movement answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#movement)