A survey of 2,000 adults revealed that a whopping 22% are eager to learn new skills but reckon they’ve missed the boat. This comes as previous figures indicated that five years ago, only one in eight lacked the ability to cycle – a number that’s now jumped to 24%.
Additionally, a staggering 46% admitted they can’t rollerblade, and 28% confessed to not knowing how to swim. The study uncovered that 37% are too petrified to dive into a new sport, with over half (52%) feeling they don’t have the necessary skills and 42% too mortified at the thought of making a fool of themselves.
The research was rolled out by HONOR UK to celebrate the launch of their latest smartphone, the Magic 6 Pro, boasting an AI motion sensing capture feature for its camera. Bond Zhang, head honcho of the global tech giant, commented: “People shouldn’t be scared to try a new skill even if it is riding a bike or engaging in any sport.”
“It can feel scary and embarrassing to try a new sport, but capturing those moments can really help you improve. But one day you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come and be glad to have those memories.”
The poll also highlighted that skateboarding (50%), ice skating (43%) and football (30%) are among the sports many are clueless about. Yet, surfing (17%), Taekwondo (11%) and gymnastics (9%) topped the list of activities people wish they had given a go. Of those who can’t ride a bike, fear of falling off was the main deterrent for 16%, while embarrassment deterred 14%.
Remarkably, more than 80% believe in the importance of continual learning as they age, yet over half laughingly admitted feeling foolish if they attempted to learn something new now. Despite this, a sizeable 78% are inspired by oldies mastering latest skills.
(Image: © SWNS)
Surprisingly, a significant 58% confessed to feeling younger than their biological age, and 19% outpace their own 20 year old expectations of activity levels.
Yet, about one-third flagged a lack of motivation as the hindrance in learning a new skill or taking up a sport, and 30% cited time scarcity.
Interestingly, 27% believed their inability to participate in specific sports or activities impaired their life experiences. Societal pressure to excel felt overwhelming for 22% participants of the OnePoll.com study.
Bond Zhang, representing HONOR Magic6 Pro that automatically captures 12 different sporting motions using AI, addressed the issue, saying: “Learning new things can be scary sometimes, but it’s important to understand why people might feel that way.”
“This study helps us see why some folks might be hesitant to try new sports or activities. We should all work together to create a supportive atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable trying new things and confident in capturing their successes without worrying about what others might think.”
Here’s a list of sports and activities that Brits wish they knew how to do:
- Surfing.
- Ice skate.
- Taekwondo.
- Swim.
- Gymnastics.
- Skateboard.
- Roller skate.
- Roller blade.
- Football.
- Ride a bike.