We all believe we know what sport is. But what is the exact definition? When I sweat, am I playing sports? Does walking to work every day make me a sportsman? After repairing the sink, I am out of breath: did I play sports? Difficult to explain exactly.
Definition
The dictionary explains that “sport is a physical activity, individual or team, organized according to rules”. According to Pierre DE Concertina, however, “sport seeks fear to dominate it, the effort to triumph over it, the difficulty to overcome it”.
After all, sport is a matter of point of view, motivation, and desire. We can practice it as a team or individually, in an aggressive or gentle way, it can be niche, very popular classic or unusual. Did you know, for example, that chess or poker are sports?
But the real questions to ask are: what is sport for you? What do you expect from sport? Because by answering these questions you will be able to give it a definition. We give you some leads to follow.
The Different Sports Disciplines
It is impossible not to find satisfaction in the immense ocean of existing sports disciplines. A quick glance at the Decathlon website is enough to uncover an impressive amount.
We can find racket sports (tennis, squash, badminton, etc.), collective sports (football, handball, rugby, etc.), combat sports (boxing, fencing, wrestling, etc.), water sports ( swimming, surfing, canoeing, etc.) The list never seems to end, you just have to choose the one you like best.
Some of these sports are complementary and we will never stress enough on the importance of combining a sport that stimulates heart activity, such as walking or running, with another that requires more muscle stimulation.
How do you practice a sport?
Sports activity requires physical and/or mental effort: sinking on the sofa cannot be considered a sport, however intense zapping may be. To be able to call yourself “sporty”, you have to get up and do a minimum of movement, and then start doing something outside the daily routine!
The recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization) regarding the physical activity to be carried out according to the age groups are the following:
– From 5 to 17 years, at least 60 minutes a day of moderate to sustained activity, to encourage the child’s heart activity, as well as an activity that strengthens the muscular system and bone state, at least 3 times a week.
– From the age of 18, 150 minutes per week of moderate activity or 75 minutes of sustained activity, and up to 300 minutes per week for extra health benefits.
Between us, our advice is to try more sports to find the one that suits you best: you don’t have to do curling all your life. It is very important, however, to consult a doctor before starting a sporting activity.
Sport: It’s Also A Question of Age
At 20, the way of doing sport is different than at 60 or 70: the body changes over the course of life by reacting differently. You have to know how to adapt, but mind you: it is not impossible to be dubbed by a senior in the Sunday jog outing …. Not for this, however, you will have to be discouraged and give up physical activity, on the contrary! The body is a machine that needs to be oiled regularly to function at its best: sport will be your fuel. Learn to listen to yourself and stay active.
Sport is therefore all this: a moment for you, for your body, for your well-being. Now that you have a clearer idea of what sport means, decide on the practice that appeals to you the most and start moving!