Sports That Start With K: 20 Sports From Kabaddi to Kubb

The letter K covers a surprising range of sports: martial arts, water sports, team games from Asia and Europe and a few backyard favorites. Here are 20 sports that start with K, grouped by type, with a quick explanation of each.

Martial arts and combat sports

1. Karate – A Japanese martial art based on punches, kicks and blocks. Competitions include sparring (kumite) and forms (kata), and karate made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games.
2. Kickboxing – A stand-up combat sport that combines boxing punches with kicks. Popular styles include American kickboxing and Dutch-style kickboxing.
3. Kendo – Japanese fencing with bamboo swords, protective armor and a strong emphasis on etiquette and discipline.
4. Kung fu (wushu) – The family of Chinese martial arts; competitive wushu includes routines and full-contact sanda fighting.
5. Kyudo – Traditional Japanese archery, practiced with a tall asymmetric bow and focused as much on form and mindset as on hitting the target.

For more on how combat sports compare, see our breakdown of the hardest sports in the world.

Water and wind sports

6. Kayaking – Paddling a small boat with a double-bladed paddle. Competitive forms include sprint, slalom through whitewater gates and long-distance racing.
7. Kitesurfing (kiteboarding) – Riding a board across the water while being pulled by a large kite. Kiteboarding has been added to the Olympic sailing program.
8. Kneeboarding – Riding a short board on your knees while being towed behind a boat.
9. Kite flying – Competitive kite flying includes team and individual events judged on precision flying and choreography.

Team sports

10. Kabaddi – A contact team sport from South Asia. A "raider" crosses into the opposing half, tags defenders and must return without being tackled, all while chanting "kabaddi" on a single breath. Professional leagues in India draw huge TV audiences.
11. Korfball – A Dutch sport similar to basketball, played with mixed teams of men and women and a basket without a backboard on a tall pole.
12. Kho kho – A traditional Indian tag game in which a team of chasers sits in a line and players take turns chasing defenders.
13. Kickball – A playground and adult-league favorite in the US, played like baseball but with a large rubber ball kicked instead of hit.
14. Kin-Ball – A Canadian team sport played with a giant ball more than four feet across, with three teams on the court at once.
15. Kilikiti – A Samoan version of cricket with many players per side and a three-sided bat.

Motor, cycling and target sports

16. Karting – Racing small open-wheel go-karts. Almost every modern Formula One driver started in karting as a child.
17. Keirin – A track cycling race that starts behind a pacer bike before an all-out sprint for the finish. It began in Japan and is an Olympic event.
18. Kubb – A Scandinavian lawn game in which players throw wooden batons to knock over the opponents' blocks and finally the "king."
19. Kettlebell sport (girevoy sport) – A strength endurance sport in which athletes lift kettlebells as many times as possible within a set time.
20. Kemari – An ancient Japanese ball game in which players kick a ball to keep it in the air, still performed at festivals today.

Quick reference

Type	Sports that start with K
Olympic sports or events	Karate, kayaking, keirin, kiteboarding
Combat and martial arts	Karate, kickboxing, kendo, kung fu, kyudo
Team sports	Kabaddi, korfball, kho kho, kickball, Kin-Ball, kilikiti
Backyard and casual	Kickball, kubb, kite flying

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