Sport and Health

sport

Sport and Health

Sport, or sporting activity, involves both physical and mental activities. The level of organising structure which surrounds and influences sport helps to differentiate whether an activity is considered to be organised sport or non-sport. Active recreation activities engaged in for the sole purpose of enjoyment, health and well-being or physical exercise and the main focus on human interaction, such as competitive athletics, motor sports and team games are examples of organised sport. Professional sport, the participation in international events or certain professional competitions, is an example of non-sport.

Non-sportive physical activities include those that do not require the participant to use physical exertion such as riding a bicycle or roller skating. Examples include cross-country skiing, mountain climbing, swimming, tennis and soccer. In most cases, participation in these activities does not require the participant to use the same type of speed and/or strength as in sports. Most athletes use techniques and strategies to win, while others use non-physical factors such as mental ability, body composition, training intensity and competition rules and objectives to succeed.

Some people engage in sport for many years. Age and physical condition do not affect participation in a sport; in fact, young children remain interested and have the energy to participate in sports long after their physical bodies develop into adolescence. This can be seen in competitive sports such as track and field, rugby and hockey. Experts note that most participants in these sports maintain an interest in sport well into adulthood, indicating the importance of the sport in their lives. For example, football players often continue playing during the off-season because the intensity of practice and training makes it more enjoyable than the alternative.

Most other popular sports are less structured and allow players to use their own creativity and determination in order to win. For example, basketball players have a different set of skill-sets compared with other football players. However, both are judged by how efficiently they perform on the court and are more physical than other athletic activity. Football has its own set of rules compared with other sports, but most coaches and players alike understand the competitive nature of the game and treat it as a competition. Whether it is football or basketball, most players feel they have a duty to excel on the field to prove themselves to their fans and to themselves.

In addition to competitive ball games, sports competition includes different competitions including gymnastics, bowling, fencing, ice hockey, wrestling and basketball. Most participants in these contests train for months before competing in a sports event because the training requires muscular endurance and flexibility. During sports competitions, sports equipment is very expensive and some events have elaborate stages complete with lighting, sound and video. However, many of these contests are based on the same principles of a sport like diving, swimming and surfing. The participants also use a similar strategy and are often motivated by a love of the sport.

Many of the current great sports stars began their careers competing against other professionals. However, not all sports require professional athletes because you can practice what you learn on your own. Sports competition such as football, basketball and wrestling can be started by children and often continue long after high school. Sports competition provides a forum for people to meet and build friendships even though most of the time the sports are played in public stadiums. Today, with more teenagers playing sport, there has been a huge rise in the amount of sports memorabilia being sold all over the world and even more people are now interested in collecting autographed sports memorabilia.