Sports and Recreation: Physical Activity Versus Sportive Thought
Sports refer to a wide variety of activities that involve the use of the body. These activities are physical games and exercises. All sports are possible competitively. This is the main difference between recreational, social/leisure or sports.
Recreation refers to things like fitness, outdoor activities and physical education. It is often used as a term to describe things that do not require great exertion or competition but offer great relaxation and physical satisfaction. Sports, on the other hand, involve competition or sometimes skill, agility and physical strain. Sports offer the potential for absolute victory; therefore, skill, agility and physical strain can be developed through practice and competition to the point of absolute mastery. The competition found in sports is present in all human endeavors and the pursuit of excellence in any sport is also a part of our mental game.
Our mental and physical skills are developed through the development of our personal competition and the mental game of sportsmanship. Competitions in all types of sports can be won or lost depending on the spirit of sportsmanship. Sportsmanship encompasses all mental aspects of a person’s being including, self-confidence, assertiveness, trustworthiness, respect, honesty, etc. A winning personality can be developed through the proper application of our individual strengths through the application of sport psychology and mental conditioning.
There are many different types of sports. One of the most popular is gymnastics. Most people associate gymnastics with children but the sport of gymnastics has many levels of skill. The first level of participation is that of participation, which consists of participating in a gymnasium, swimming pool, sports club or performing at a circus or competition with physical obstacles present. Other levels of participation include advanced training such as routines and weight training; competitive gymnastics such as beam and tumbling; power/weight gymnastics; tumbling; and balance training.
As a participant in any of these sports you are constantly working against your own physical limitations. However, you must also be very dedicated to your sport and willing to continually learn new strategies and improve upon your weaknesses. While there are many competitors out there who place high on the competition ladder, only a few are truly elite at their craft and have the dedication to constantly improve their techniques and performance.
As a student of sportsmanship, you will learn the importance of competition and how to set goals for yourself and your fellow competitors. In addition to working towards personal success you must also work towards team success. You and your teammates must work together to score the winning goal. Without teamwork, it is impossible to win any sport. And no matter how good a gymnast you might be, without teamwork it is not possible for you to perform to your maximum potential. Learning all about the sport of gymnastics, both physically and mentally, will help you enjoy both your participation in the sport and your journey to becoming an athlete.