Methodology

How sports are selected and categorized

Every sport on this site is written to the same six-field framework. The framework exists so that a reader can compare very different activities quickly, and so that our editorial judgments stay small, visible and easy to challenge.

The framework

Six fields, applied identically

If a field cannot be filled from our fixed snapshot, the sport is not published. We do not fill gaps with assumptions.

What it is

A plain-language explanation of the sport in one or two sentences, written so a complete newcomer understands the activity without any prior knowledge.

How it works

The basic rules and structure — enough to picture a session, not enough to referee one. Technical vocabulary is explained inside the same sentence.

Who it’s for

The type of person most likely to enjoy it, expressed as motivations and preferences rather than fitness levels or demographics we cannot verify.

Difficulty

How hard it is to get started, shown as a band: easy, easy to medium, or medium to hard. It refers to first sessions only, never to how skilled you can eventually become.

Cost

How much gear or access usually costs, shown as a band: very low, low, low to medium, or medium. No figures, currencies, fees or product names are published.

Beginner note

A short practical judgment for first-time readers — the one line that tells you whether this sport is a sensible first attempt for someone like you.

See the framework applied to all five sports The sport index shows all six fields in the same order for every profile.

Selection

How sports enter the guide

Selection is editorial and deliberately narrow. A sport is included only when all six fields can be written from our fixed snapshot without speculation.

The sport must be describable as something a newcomer could reasonably attempt or prepare for. Where preparation is required — as with Hyrox, recorded as medium to hard — the beginner note says so plainly.

Full Hyrox profile →

The basic structure must fit into a short paragraph. If explaining a first session requires technical background we cannot summarise responsibly, the sport is left out.

See the rules summaries →

Each profile records why people are getting into it, using the descriptions in our snapshot: social connection, habit-building, fun, team atmosphere, measurable results, athletic challenge, accessibility, fast growth.

See who each sport suits →

All six fields plus an equipment list must be present. Partial entries are not published, and empty sections are removed rather than padded.

Open the sport index →

Categorization

How the bands are used

The bands below are comparative labels within this snapshot. They are not measurements and they do not translate into figures.

Easy

Little or no preparation is assumed before a first session. Applies to pickleball, urban run clubs and dodgeball.

Easy to medium

Quick to understand, with slightly more to absorb in early sessions. Applies to padel.

Medium to hard

Structured preparation is expected before participating. Applies to Hyrox.

Cost bands

Very low for urban run clubs, low for dodgeball, low to medium for pickleball, and medium for both padel and Hyrox.

Limits we apply

Our framework is only trustworthy if its boundaries are strict. The following limits apply to every page on this site.

No live data. Nothing on this site is fetched, refreshed or updated from external sources.
No invented specifics. Costs, rules, equipment, skill requirements, locations and availability appear only as recorded in the snapshot.
No forecasting. There are no growth figures, predictions, odds or probabilities.
No health, injury or scheduling information, because none is included in the snapshot.
No superlatives beyond what the snapshot states. Ordering by difficulty to start is presented as ordering, not as ranking.

Editorial voice

We use neutral, descriptive terms — beginner-friendly, social, low barrier to entry, higher commitment, equipment-heavy, fast to learn, more technical — and we explain any term that a newcomer might not know. Nothing here is framed as competitive forecasting, betting or gambling content.

Corrections

If a profile appears inconsistent with the framework described on this page, the inconsistency is an editorial error rather than new information. Corrections are made by rewriting the affected profile within the same six fields.