December is a time when Combat Sports, in particular, come to life. Activities such as Airsoft and Paintball thrive in such wintery conditions, with the beautiful blanket of powdery snow providing the perfect camouflage for you and your troops to strategically make your way through the war-like battlefield.

Want to see just how fun it is? Watch this sniper as he tactically picks off his targets one-by-one, showing off his expert precision in the process!

If you’d like to take part in an authentic military experience like the one you’ve seen above, there’s a variety of different companies out there that can accommodate your need for all-out war. To help you out, we’ve found the UK and Ireland’s largest paintball and laser combat providers, Go-Ballistic and AirsoftCombat, and they’re guaranteed to find a battlefield near you.

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According to Google, airsoft is set to perform a St Valentine’s Day massacre on the Internet as it tops the poll as the most searched for shooting activity term.

Airsoft, which uses replica guns firing plastic balls, is outgunning activities such as paintball, laser quest and clay pigeon shooting in online searches. A staggering 2.7 million people searched for airsoft in January, compared to just 1.8 million for the perennial favourite paintball. Airsoft originated in Japan in the late 1970s as the Far Eastern answer to paintball. So what is the big attraction? And why is airsoft blasting away the competition?

Gary, 20, a student from Sheffield, who recently started taking part in combat games of airsoft, says: ‘It’s the authentic feel of military combat that turns people on.’ Primary school teacher Sally, 27, has been taking part in airsoft games for a couple of years. ‘I started playing when my boyfriend’s company organised a corporate airsoft day, and just loved it,’ she said. ‘It’s a team sport which involves tactics and working together to beat the opponent. So it is a mental as well as a physical challenge.’

One big difference between paintball and airsoft is there’s no paint marks when a person is shot, so honesty is the only policy for these gun fighters. Gary believes it is part of the attraction of the sport. ‘It’s a bit like golf, it’s easy to cheat, but in my experience people are very honest. It’s considered really bad form to argue if you’ve been shot,’ he says.

The hot debate within airsoft is over the control of the replica guns. The UK Airsoft Sites Governing Body (UKASGB) which represents airsoft sites and is supported by Sport England, argues for controls on the use of replica guns rather than a ban. The UK Home Office currently classifies airsoft guns as Replica Imitation Firearms (RIFs), which restricts their use to exempted activities such as combat games. So firing airsoft guns at a site is legal but don’t carry them while you are in the supermarket. If you want to find out why is airsoft is out firing other sports, click here.

10 facts to fire-off about Airsoft

1. Airsoft guns fire 6mm plastic bullets at speeds between 100 and 328 feet per second

2. Airsoft replica guns are normally lighter than normal guns and cannot be turned into real firearms.

3. Airsoft started as the Japanese answer to paintball.

4. The power of airsoft guns is limited in the UK to 328 feet per second, which is the equivalent to flicking your skin with a finger, when fired from a safe distance.

5. Airsoft dealers currently operate a voluntary ban on the sale of airsoft guns to under 18s

6. Airsoft sites normally have a minimum age restriction of 12, under 16s need to be signed for by a parent or guardian

7. The plastic balls fired by airsoft guns are biodegradable.

8. The three types of airsoft gun are spring, electric and gas operated – all using compressed air

9. Combatants normally take a timeout when hit

10. Like paintball, face masks are worn

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2. Indoor Laser. Not old enough to play paintball? Play the game that has all the excitement and is played outdoors – just like paintball – Laser Combat. You can play from the age of 8years.  click here

3. Extra protection. Because it’s winter, there’s the chance to wear another layer of protection, and blame the weather. And when you tell friends how brave you are playing paintball in the cold, they will be even more impressed. Hero or what?

4. Slip sliding away. People can just occasionally make fools of themselves playing paintball, so here’s a ready made excuse: ‘Sorry I shot my teammate in the butt. I just lost my footing in the snow.’

5. Don’t make yourself even more miserable. The nights are getting darker and the weather is coming over all grey and cold. Why add to the misery by stopping something you enjoy? Get out there. If you want to try paintball, click here.

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Put a paintball gun in someone’s hand and the natural urge is to knock an opponent’s block off. Well, a new craze has taken this quite literally. Paintball Lego seems to have inspired a young generation of junior paintball enthusiasts and budding filmmakers.

Shot using a Lego webcam, this new genre of movie is a hit on YouTube as fans create and shoot combat scenes with mini Lego figures.  Who knows, it may produce a new generation of blockbusters.

Many of the filmmakers are ten and under. Too young for paintball, laser combat offers these filmmakers the chance to experience the action first hand. Teenagers and adults can try out the grown-up version by clicking here.

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The British seaside holiday, it seems, is back in business. But it’s no longer about sitting on a deckchair with a knotted hanky on the head and a stick of rock in the hand. Instead of donkey rides on the beach, it’s more likely to be hanging off a cliff in Wales or hot air ballooning across London. Adrenamag headed off around the country to track down some day-out ideas that will keep the family’s pulse racing this summer.

1. Horse riding – Liskeard, Cornwall. Holidays can be life-defining moments. If you’ve never tried horse riding, you could discover you’re a cross between the Princess Royal and Frankie Dettori. Of course, you may also be a regular rider and want to keep up in the saddle on holiday. Either way, Cornwall and Devon offer a lot for both riding beginners and experienced horse people. It’s a terrific way to get exercise and see the countryside from a new perspective. Click here to hop into the saddle.

2. Hydro-zorbing – Liverpool. Instead of the ferry across the Mersey, how about zorbing across it? And, no this isn’t one of those cheeky Scouser jokes. Hydro-zorbing is the closest to walking on water you can get without falling in.  Unlike dry zorbing you’re not strapped; you stand up and make your way across the river using foot power.  Everyone who does it says it’s hilarious. Also, it’s suitable for children from age seven, right up to have-a-go grannies. From £19.99. Get the ball rolling here.

3. Rally driving – Saltburn, Teeside. Rally driving is perhaps the ultimate driving skill. The loose gravel track in Teeside is designed to replicate a real stage in a rally, testing steering and braking touch. So, if you’ve ever fancied yourself as a Hannu Mikkola or a Colin McRae here’s your chance big boy or girl.  Obviously not for kids, but more for steadying the nerves of hard-pressed parents and those who would never dream of having children. And if it is raining, all the better – splash the mud. Prices from £71.50. Click here for more details of rally driving in the UK.

4. Off-road karting – Craigavon, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Bored teenagers who didn’t want to come on holiday with the family in the first place may be won over with off-road karting. Many of the circuits like this one in Northern Ireland are on shale, which allows plenty of sliding for the teenagers who need their hormones tipping back in place. You can also race against each other. Min age 17, prices from £48.99. Click here for more info.

5. Kitesurfing – Torquay. Also known as kiteboarding, kitesurfing involves using a power kite to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard. A kitesurfer uses a board with foot-straps or bindings, combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel themselves and the board across the water. The sport is still in its infancy, but it is rapidly growing in popularity. It is very safe due to innovations in kite design, safety release systems, and instruction. Many riding styles have evolved to suit different types of riders and conditions, such as wake style, wave riding, freestyle, jumping, and cruising. Click for more details.

6. Scuba diving – Hampshire. Scuba divers say the best scenery in the world is under the oceans. But if you’re novice you can’t just plunge into the sea. Learn to take a dive at a scuba diving centre.  Long-term it can be an expensive activity, but it doesn’t have to be. Taster dives can be just £27.00. Kids who like swimming will no doubt go for it too. Clearly, not for those suffering from hydro-phobia. Min age 10. Dive-in here for more info.

7. Hot air ballooning – London. Balloons are often associated with open country, but if you really want a view down on the ground, where better to head for than the capital? A hot air balloon beats the Tube any day. Towering over the Tower of London or peering down on the Millennium Dome, is a side of London rarely glimpsed. It’s one or two steps up from the open top bus tour.  Prices from £125.00, it may not be cheap, but we’re talking a capital experience. Click here for details

8. White Water rafting – Scotland. Not surprisingly with all those mountains and water, Scotland is the top place in the UK for white water rafting. There’s a number of centres offering some world class white-knuckle rides on the Rivers Findhorn, Tay, Ochy and Tummel as well as at Aviemore and Newtonmore. Check out the difficulty levels before you book. It’s something your family will talk about forever. Click here, if you’re brave enough.

9. Coasteering – Abersoch, Wales. Coasteering is a new extreme sport that is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in Wales. It involves making your way along the coast with a combination of scrambling, swimming, diving, climbing and jumping. But be warned: it can be pretty extreme. The Lleyn Peninsula and around Snowdonia will test the nerves and the body to the limit. But there are fully qualified instructors on hand who are registered with the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA). Good for older teenagers and young adults. Apologies for the ageism, but over 40s need to be fit and may prefer to walk around a castle or slope off to the pub. Click here if you’re up for it.

10. Laser combat – Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Unlike paintball where you have to be at least 12, with laser combat you only have to be six. Therefore – to quote the old cliché – it’s fun for the whole family. And, because you’re using laser guns, it means you don’t have to buy paintballs, which keeps the cost down and is ideal for trigger happy six-year-olds.  Good for tiring out kids and adults.  From £19.99. Click here for details.

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In his new book, Tom Peters The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence. Tom Peters the US management guru has a phrase: ‘Hard is soft. Soft is hard.’ He believes it is the soft skills in management – not the Rambo macho stuff – that are the keys to career success. And these skills, such as empathy, communication and listening, are the hardest to master.

But what is surprising is that organisations turn to activities like paintball to deliver these skills.

Trevor Read, who’s been a paintball instructor for 20 years, isn’t surprised. He says: ‘It’s fascinating watching people work together trying to attack or defend against another team, very often it is the team who take the time to plan and work together that come out on top. The gung-ho types can go off in different directions and get picked-off.’

Henry Jervis runs Jervis Homes, a property development business in the Cotswolds. ‘There’s no doubt paintball helps build team and leadership skills. In paintball, you often have tasks to do. Someone needs to take on the role of leader, organise a strategy and get people working together. This is often a good chance to give someone a leadership role who doesn’t normally get that chance,’ he says.
‘Reversing people’s roles can be a useful skills-building exercise. They may find themselves leading a team of people, who they normally work alongside or underneath. And, under the pressure of being fired at, they have to communicate clearly and precisely,’ adds Jervis.

Nigel Curtis is head of a marketing and communications agency in the Midlands; he’s a late convert to combat sports. ‘Creative people tend to view the ‘Rambo’ world of laser and paintball sports with a bit of sceptism,’ he says.
‘But I think it gives people the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills, where perhaps they were previously a bit reserved,’ Curtis adds. Jervis makes the point that, like business, combat sports are about learning to balance risk and reward. ‘You’re making critical judgements under pressure, those that make the best decisions win,’ he says.

Curtis believes combat sports can ‘help to break down barriers’. He says: ‘People who are a bit reluctant at first – like me – enjoy the thrill of winning together as a team. I think it also gives people confidence in their skills. They discover they don’t have to be macho figures to outsmart another team. In the end, it’s a combination of head and heart that wins the day.’ Just like the commercial world, then.
10 soft skills combat sports can teach
1. Communicating under pressure. There’s no time for waffle when the paintballs are flying.
2. Building trust. Your life (paintball being that is) can depend on someone else.
3. One and one equal three. Demonstrating the power of the team over the individual can be
very powerful for some people.
4. Plan, act, reflect, and act. Learning to balance action and reflection are key management
skills. Running into enemy fire without a plan is likely to leave you with more paint on than
your skirting board.
5. Strategic thinking. Developing strategies together as team can be both frustrating and
rewarding. But you always learn something.
6. Winning is a habit. It’s amazing what winning does for team motivation.
7. Hidden leaders. Given the chance people surprise themselves, and others, with their
leadership skills.
8. Confidence. Demonstrating the power of people’s soft skills can be liberating.
9. Down and dirty. Back seat ‘ego’ leaders, who won’t get their hands dirty, don’t work in
paintball. Or organisations for that matter.
10. Risk and reward. Balancing risk is a key management judgement.

If, you want to organise a paintball team-building event for your team, or simply shoot them, click here.

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1. Six hours’ extreme horse riding. Riding a horse is harder than you think, in fact, it’s more like riding a bike. And think how toned those thigh muscles will be.

2. 36 hours’ 4×4 off-roading. You might be driving fast, but this is the slow burn way to weight loss.

3. Five hours’ wall climbing and abseiling. The experts say that the heavier you are the more calories you burn. But if you’ve really indulged over Christmas – make sure no one is standing beneath you when you’re abseiling down. It’s safer that way.

4.  Seven hours’ laser combat. Take the war to the flab, and shoot a few friends while you’re at it.

5. Six hours 30 minutes’ skiing. Get in shape for the slopes, improve your skiing and watch the pounds come tumbling down.

6. Eight hours’ skateboarding. Good for the balance and co-ordination. But don’t wear your cap backwards unless you’re under the age of 16, please.

7. Six hours’ snowboarding. Apparently shivering makes you burn more calories, if you can stand it.

8. 32 hours’ quad biking. At least this is a faster calorie burn than watching TV, which would take about 40 hours to write off your Christmas lunch.

9. Seven hours’ high ropes walking. Of course, you don’t want to spend the whole day up there, spread it out over a few weekends.

10. Six hours 30 minutes’ zorbing. Kissing apparently eats up 150 calories every one-and-a-half hours, so if you want to zorb with your partner, you could increase the burn further.

Here’s the sober bit. Obviously, the above are estimates and the number of calories burned does vary depending on an individual’s body weight. So, want to look at the most exciting activity options available in the UK? THEN CLICK HERE

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Taking place on an authentic military battlefield, you’ll be tasked with overcoming a variety of military-themed challenges that aim to put your shooting skills to the ultimate test.

An amazing alternative to Paintball, Laser Combat is a popular activity for a number of reasons. Unlike Paintball, there’s no pain or mess involved since you fire Lasers. Secondly, there’s no added cost – you have unlimited ammunition! This is perfect for those that just want some trigger-happy fun as they continuously take shots at the opposition!

If you’re looking for places to enjoy the adrenaline-filled fun, look no further than Laser Strike. Laser Strike is the UK and Ireland’s largest Laser Combat provider, so you’re sure to find a battlefield near you.

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With so many custom-built battlefields located across the country, you can gather the troops and equip yourself with replica military weapons as you take part in some adrenaline-filled shooting action!

As well as being an incredibly fun hobby for those of all ages, Paintball, Laser Combat and Airsoft are all team-orientated Combat Games that can be played professionally – with teams showing off their shooting accuracy and tactical prowess in order to be victorious.

Paintball – more here

Laser Combat – more here

Airsoft – more here

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