Sports (or sporting) is any form of generally competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual competition, aim to utilise, enhance or improve particular physical abilities while also providing entertainment for participants, and sometimes, spectators. It can also be a part of military strategy, where it provides a venue for military exercises and activities. There are a lot of different kinds of sports and one of the most popular is basketball. In America and the rest of the western world, especially in the professional leagues, there are several types of sports that produce players who are professionally known as athletes. One example of this is the NBA, which for the past few decades has been one of the most watched professional sports in history.
Another kind of sport is gymnastics. This is a specific sport which involves physical activities using various gymnastic apparatus such as balance towers, balance beams and releves. Sports involving a lot of sprinting, tackling and balancing are called sprinting games, while those involving less physical activities, but requiring high levels of speed, acceleration and skill are calling agility games. Another example of a sport is ice skating, another common form of physical activities, which is very popular among women and children.
A third type of sport is motor sports. Motor sports refer to motor vehicle racing, motor bike racing, motorcycle racing unlike riding among others. These are very intense physical activities that involve a lot of speed, balance and acceleration, which are typical characteristics of an athletic sport. The most famous example of a motor sport is Formula 1, which features several world famous Formula One racers. These motor sports may also be subdivided into competitive motor games such as motorcycle racing, rallying, open wheel driving, etc.
When speaking of physical activities, it can also include activities like gymnastics. Gymnastics is the art of forming the various upper and lower body muscles and joints to a maximal level. It is considered a sport due to the development of its own set of skills, which improve a gymnast’s chances of winning the game. Other examples of physical activities considered as a sport are running, jumping, diving and martial arts. Martial arts, in particular, has gained a lot of popularity especially with teenagers and children nowadays due to the increase in television exposure.
Finally, we have sports which, in addition to being a form of physical activity, include an element of strategizing and strategy, and the presence of players, equipment, tactics and coaching. Some examples of these types of sports are football, golf, rugby and tennis. Rugby is considered as one of the world’s most popular sports, along with football, golf and baseball. Chess is also considered as a sport, albeit a traditional one, having been developed in the European continent over a thousand years ago.
In most cases, sports are associated with strenuous physical action or physical exertion, which should be considered carefully by middle schools, high schools and tertiary institutions. Physical activity can certainly help young people learn how to be independent, confident and how to make good decisions, just as playing sports such as basketball, tennis and football does. But too much physical exertion without exercise can cause unnecessary injuries, especially in contact sports such as football and soccer. Moreover, too much training without recovery time can lead to chronic stress and can cause serious psychological problems.