I am just about to take my annual vacation (a whole week being pushed along Great Yarmouth promenade in my bathchair, by my faithful and delightfully stern nurse, Matilda)and so thought it might be appropriate to make a blog re-post of my favourite beach game: Headstand Human Skittles. To play the part of the skittles you need some players who have the ability to achieve and maintain a headstand. Simply get up to nine players to form headstands on the sand as close to each other as possible...then two players take it in turns to kick three footballs each at them. Obviously the idea is to try and hit and knock down as many of the headstand skittles as possible, cause pain and win the game. Summertime fun at its best!
After Mattress Jousting and Mattress Running comes possibly the oddest and the best game requiring a mattress or two. Like Mattress Running you are going to need as many mattresses and bodies as you can get hold of to make the game last as long as possible - making it the ideal dormitory game. Simply, stand with your mattress held upright and close behind you. The next person does exactly the same half a meter behind you and so on.... a set of human dominoes is created. The first player falls backwards onto the second and the cascade begins.
Regular Strange Games reader Duncan Flann has been in touch following my recent post on Spike Ball. He uses a small trampette and a tennis ball to play a similar-ish game, but one that involves pain... he calls it Groin Ball. Duncan writes, "Hello Monty...I've just got to tell you about my game Groin Ball. It's for two players. Each stands opposite each other close to a small round trampette. Players take it in turns to throw a tennis ball into the tramp with the aim being for the ball to hit the opponent in the groin. The tramp gives the ball a lot more velocity than simply bouncing it off the floor and it makes for a truly exciting (and excruciating) game. Players are NOT allowed to move to get out of the way, they have to stand there like men...they can however use their hands to defend themselves being hit above the belt. Players take alternate turns with the winner being the first player who throws a groin ball. Also, NO groin protection is allowed...that would be for wimps!' Strange Games is aware of two other similar games also called Groin Ball and will be featuring both in the coming months! If you play a game that is strange and involves possible testicular damage then we would like to hear about it. Contact Monty at montegue_blister@hotmail.co.uk
The daily free rag that is Metro today featured the Lying Down Game. As any expert at slothful games knows The Lying Down Game is played simply by lying flat down on the floor in an exotic location and having you photograph taken. It takes as many guts and as much determination as any other sport (although slightly less athletic ability) to achieve a good Lie Down. Metro has highlighted the Lying Down Facebook group here and they do have some rather marvellous Lie Downs including one on a basketball hoop. However the game has been around much longer than that. Check out LyingDown.net a long running site containing Lying Down photographs of absolute genius. With the government encouraging everyone to take up sports and games with the aim of improving health maybe now is the time to start ever so gently and try the Lying Down game..."parkour for people how can't be arsed!"
I don't normally feature many strange games that require you to buy expensive equipment to play them...but I feel that Spikeball is so good it has to be featured here. Spikeball is a beach game that is kind of like beach volleyball only there isn't a net, at least not one that is strung between two poles that you have to hit a ball over. In Spikeball the net is replaced by a round, ankle high trampette. The teams, consisting of two players each, fire the ball into the trampette with the aim of making it impossible for the other team to return. Like volleyball each team has two touches of the ball before the third one that must direct the ball against the trampette. Unlike volleyball team members can occupy any space in the game...there is no court.
You can get official kit from Spikeball.com but if its not available in your area you could always improvise with a tennis ball and one of those small, round exercise trampolines.
Strange Games has already covered the noble art of Mattress Jousting (two players hold their mattresses then run at each other, ideally in a narrow corridor. But the humble mattress has more to offer if you want to have some strange fun. Consider Mattress Running: a game that everyone should try at least once..simply place your mattress upright and tight to a wall, take a run up and hurl yourself at it as hard as possible. Points can be awarded for style, daring and the lack of broken bones (try the video here for an example run). But, for truly hardcore mattress running you have to compete in a version detailed in the video below. It's an ideal dormitory game because you are going to need a staircase and as many mattresses as you can get your hands on. Use them to line all the stairs from the ground floor to the top. The aim of the game in the creators' words is "to reach the top of the accomodation, collect a personal item and return to the bottom. Full contact is allowed." As you can see utter chaos ensues. Mass scrummages and crushes in the relatively safe environment of a padded staircase.
bathchair, by my faithful and delightfully stern nurse, Matilda)and so thought it might be appropriate to make a blog re-post of my favourite beach game: Headstand Human Skittles.
