If you are looking for a new sport to indulge in, this is the right place to be. I understand that playing the same sport over and over again can get boring.
To revive your interest, in this post, I’ll focus on certain sports that you’ll love to discover and try. Not saying that all of these would be new to you, but some of them will certainly trigger your interest to try them.
Making the article even more interesting, I’ll specifically discuss sports that start with the letter “K” so read this to the end. You may also see something you have been eyeing for a while but haven’t experienced yet.
Let’s get started.
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Sports That Start With the Letter ‘K’
1. Karate
Photo by RDNE Stock project/Pexels
This is one of the most popular martial arts sports that originated in Japan in the early 20th century. The man credited with popularizing this sport is Gichin Funakoshi, who evolved it into the format we know today.
The sport was developed due to the prohibition of carrying weapons in Okinawa, forcing people to use their hands and feet instead. Karate owes most of its styles to Chinese martial arts.
The sport has many rules depending on the style employed, but overall, players score points by landing precise strikes in specific parts of the body, like the head. Hitting to injure is prohibited because the sport mainly showcases techniques, accuracy, and timing.
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2. Kayaking
Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery/Pexels
For water sports lovers, kayaking would be the best fit if you want to make the most of your free time.
Kayaks are water vessels that the native to the Arctic region and utilized for transportation and hunting. This is where kayaking started before being adopted by others from the rest of the world.
The materials used to create early kayaks were wood and fur. With time, kayaking changed from a practical activity to a leisurely and competitive sport. Right now, there are different variations of kayaking, including whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, and flatware racing.
The main rules of this sport require participants to navigate a designated course, bypassing various obstacles as fast as possible with multiple penalties for infractions.
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3. Kendo
Source: GetYourGuide
Like karate, kendo is a martial arts sport from Japan that focuses on accurate strikes without landing injurious hits.
However, this sport uses weapons like sticks, and players typically protect their heads with special protective gear. The weapons used are typically fashioned in the shape of a sword and are made using bamboo.
To maintain fairness and safety, kendo competitions have specific regulations with penalties for breaking them. A good strike requires proper form and accuracy, and points are granted for hits on legitimate target locations.
Control and awareness are also vital for preventing the overuse of force and aggressive conduct. Gaining points or making a decisive, clean strike decides the winner.
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4. Kickboxing
Photo by RDNE Stock project/Pexels
This is a combat sport that originated in Thailand, combining elements of Muay Thai, karate, and regular boxing. So, in short, there’s a lot of kicking and punching using legs, knees, and fists.
The objective is to deflect your opponent’s attacks while delivering precise, powerful blows to them. Combination strikes, or “combo strikes,” are a trademark of expert kickboxing.
Although kickboxing rules vary depending on the particular style and organization, they typically emphasize control and technique. Techniques like elbows and headbutts usually are not permitted, nor are strikes below the waist.
Players usually fight for multiple rounds, with the judges awarding points for successful strikes, deft defensive moves, and overall ring dominance in each round.
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5. Kung Fu
Photo by RDNE Stock project/Pexels
Anyone who grew up on Chinese martial arts movies featuring Bruce Lee from the late 80s and 90s knows what kung fu is all about.
This is one of the oldest sports on this list, originating in ancient China more than 1,500 years ago. Chinese warriors and monks developed kung fu as a means of survival.
It is primarily influenced by the natural world, animals, and mythical creatures, giving rise to various forms like Shaolin, Wing Chun, and tai chi.
Kung fu focuses on cultivating mental focus, discipline, spiritual development, and technique mastery. Participants can use kicks, strikes, blows, throws, and joint locks if they don’t aim at risky body parts.
The rules of this sport aren’t universal. Each style has its regulations; sometimes, players can wear safety gear like mouthguards, gloves, and headgear.
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6. Kabaddi
Photo by Tehmasip Khan/Pexels
I didn’t know much about kabaddi until recently, and I was equally surprised to find out that it has its roots in ancient India, more than 4,000 years ago.
This contact sport consists of two teams, each with seven players on the field at any given moment. The goal is relatively simple: one attacking team member, the “raider,” enters the opposing side’s half of the court and attempts to tag as many defenders as possible while yelling “kabaddi, kabaddi” in a single breath.
On the other hand, the defenders try to stop the raider by tagging and holding them while avoiding getting tagged.
The game has a large following in India, Iran, South Korea, and Bangladesh.
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7. Kart Racing
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels
Kart racing is a motorsport that involves karts that compete against each other on a designed track with winding corners and sharp junctions.
The first kart was constructed in California, by Art Ingels in the late 1950s, and that’s around the time kart racing became popular. What began as a home experiment suddenly transformed into a sport.
Since it’s a game of speed, players can wear protective gear like racing suits, gloves, and helmets to avoid injuries. The game has become a global sensation, adopted by different communities worldwide.
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8. Knife Throwing
Photo by ArtHouse Studio/Pexels
Throwing knives may sound too dangerous to be considered a sport, but it has been a very popular activity practiced by many people from different parts of the world for centuries.
Initially, knife throwing was developed by early hunters and warriors who wanted to hone their skills to improve their success in hunting. But with time, it became a worthwhile competition and has developed into a modern-day sport.
Considering how dangerous knives can be, the safety regulations for knife throwing are taken more seriously than any other sport on this list. The scoring system is based on how close the knife hits the target.
There’s even a world knife-throwing league.
9. Kilikiti
This game is almost similar to baseball and uses bats and balls that are supposed to be hit followed by runs.
The origin of kilikiti as a traditional game can be found in the Pacific islands, particularly the Samoa region. This sport is frequently played during celebrations and formal events to honor local culture and heritage in addition to its physical component.
The game involves two teams, each with a batter and a fielder. Batters try to smash the ball as far as possible while the fielders cooperate to keep the other team from scoring.
In total, each team is allowed to have between 10 to 15 players, and there’s an umpire who dictates and enforces the rules of engagement.
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10. Kyudo
Photo by Mikhail Nilov/Pexels
Next is kyudo, a Japanese version of archery where players compete to shoot arrows across a range towards a set target. The Japanese have played the game for centuries, and it is steeped in their tradition.
The game was developed by ancient samurai warriors who used archery to improve their focus, precision, and composure. But as time went by, it evolved into a mainstream activity that quickly became a competitive sport for all types of people.
11. Kho Kho
Source: Hindustan Times
Like kabaddi, this game originated in ancient India and is currently the second-most popular tag game in the region after kabaddi.
The game is played between two teams, each consisting of 12 players. The objective of kho kho is for the chasing team, also known as “runners,” to tag the defensive side’s players, referred to as “chasers.” At the same time, the chasers have to avoid getting tagged in the process.
This game emphasizes communication, teamwork, and cunning tactics and can be very taxing on the body due to the high physicality involved.
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12. Kubb
Source: The Yard Albany
This lawn game is a hit among family gatherings because it doesn’t involve a lot of competitiveness and leans more towards recreational fun.
The game is quite old, too, having originated from the Viking era, when Nordic communities played it during festivals.
Two teams play against one another, intending to bring down the opponent’s wooden blocks, or “kubbs,” and finally topple the center wooden block, or “king.”
The kubbs are arranged in a tidy configuration on the lawn; then, opposing players take turns hurling wooden batons to knock them down from a distance. The main aim is to systematically eliminate your opponent’s kubbs while closely monitoring your central king.
The team that eventually takes out the other king wins the game.
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13. Korfball
Source: Sports & Recreation
You’d be forgiven for confusing korfball with netball based on how similar the court and rules are. But there are some notable differences between the two.
In this ball sport, two teams of eight players each play against each other on a rectangular court. To score goals, the goal is to effectively pass the ball through the opposing team’s “korf,” a tall basket-like structure.
But what makes this sport interesting is that it’s one of the few known sports where people of different genders compete against each other on the same field. But the main rule is that players cannot mark someone of the same gender. This forces the teams to come up with gender-balanced defensive strategies.
The team that scores the most goals at the end of the game wins.
14. Kin-Ball
Source: Omnikin
Kin-Ball started in Quebec, and it uses a colossal ball not seen in any other sport.
Inspired by Mario Demers, a physical education professor, the game involves three teams of four members, each playing on a vast circular court.
One team must serve the other team to send the ball toward the other team, just like in volleyball. The other group must keep the ball airborne without landing on the court.
The receiving team gets to choose the color and direction for the following play. As each group organizes to keep the ball from reaching the ground, the challenge is quick communication and precise coordination.
The most crucial Kin-Ball rule is that three players must touch the ball on the receiving teams before it gets returned to the serving team. This is called the Three-Contact Rule.
15. Kite Surfing
Photo by Roger Lagesse/Pexels
Kite surfing is a popular water sport that’s more demanding and dangerous than kayaking. The sport has been around for a long time and works best in coastal areas with good waves and strong winds.
This sport entails using a controllable kite to harness the wind’s energy and move a rider on a board across the water’s surface as quickly as possible.
A control bar is attached to the kite’s lines, allowing the rider to control and regulate both speed and direction while standing on a small board resembling a wakeboard or surfboard.
There’s a huge emphasis on rider safety in kite surfing, so ensure you’re good around water, have the right gear, and can swim if you fall into the sea.
In comparison to many other sports, Kite surfing is considered an expensive sport. But it’s all worth it.
16. Kronum
Source: Idea To Value
As far as strange goes, Kronum takes the crown on this list, especially if you’re a football fan. Kronum is a team sport that combines four different ball sports into one; soccer, rugby, basketball, and handball.
Just take a moment to imagine how chaotic that is.
This hybrid game was developed in the early 2000s by Bill Gibson, and it has grown into a very popular part-time sport for most adults worldwide. But combining different sports isn’t the only strange part about Kronum.
It’s one of the few sports played on a circular pitch, pitting two teams of 10 players each against one another.
The game combines strategy, speed, and teamwork with the team that scores the most goals using all their limbs winning the game. The game is quite physical and would be perfect for people looking to keep fit.
17. Krav Maga
Photo by Anton Belitskiy/Pexels
Like any other martial art sports we’ve covered here so far, Krav Maga started out as a defensive activity before it evolved into a sport. It was developed for the Israel Defense Forces and combines disciplines like judo and aikido.
Krav Maga, created by Imi Lichtenfeld, is a combat system emphasizing efficiency and simplicity. The good news is that this sport is appropriate for people of various shapes and sizes because of its quick-neutralizing processes.
But since Krav Maga leans more on defensive training than sport, there are no clear rules of engagement. So most people participating in this martial art as a sport must create their own regulations to minimize severe injuries.
18. Kneeboarding
Source: Boat Test
Kneeboarding operates under the same rules as kite surfing, except for a slight but strange difference. Instead of standing on the surfboard, the rider kneels on it and holds on to a moving boat or sometimes a kite.
Using knees offers more stability than standing, making this sport safer than kite or regular wave surfing.
Like other towed water sports, kneeboarding is governed by basic water safety laws. Life jackets and occasionally helmets are among the required safety gear for riders.
Furthermore, kneeboarders need to be comfortable using hand signals to ease communication with the occupants of the towing boat.
While there aren’t many formal regulations for kneeboarding events, they frequently focus on tricks, leaps, and style, with competitors hoping to show off their abilities and originality.
19. Kickball
Kickball has many names depending on the region it’s being played. It’s called soccer baseball in Canada, kickball in the United States, and football rounders in the United Kingdom. But they all share one thing in common, they combine elements of baseball and football.
This sport started in the early 20th century as a recreational activity for school kids during recess or in the neighborhood. With time, kickball became increasingly popular, making its way into community events and schoolyards as a fun but competitive sport.
Kickball is played on a baseball diamond with a rubber ball that is kicked rather than pitched. The offensive team starts by kicking the ball, while the defensive team tries to catch the ball, make outs, and tag the runners.
It’s an outstanding sport if you’re looking for something to connect with friends and families during holidays or the weekends. But it’s very physical, so go prepared.
20. Kayak Polo
Source: Texas Monthly
Wrapping up our list of sports that start with K is kayak polo, which is similar to regular polo, but instead of horses and soft grass, you duke it out on a large water body inside of a kayak.
Teams of five players each paddle in kayaks explicitly made for this game. Goals and points are scored by putting the ball into the opposite team’s net.
Contact is made through the use of paddles only. This means things like dispossessing, defending, and shooting have to be made using paddles and nothing else.
The sport may look easy from the sidelines, but maintaining your balance on the kayak to avoid capsizing while trying to defend, pass, or score takes a lot of strategy and energy. So you better be prepared before attempting this.
Ready To Give One Sport a Try?
With that wrapped up, you now have a choice of over 20 sports that start with the letter K, all of which are exciting and good for your overall fitness.
You’re free to select the sport that best fits your taste and preferences but don’t forget to have fun while at it because that’s the whole point.
