Types of Sports and Activities Consisting of Sports
Sports are a popular part of life, with almost each human being dedicated to some form of competitive sport. It is difficult to measure how much these sports have affected society, but it seems safe to assume that they have at least had a significant impact, especially since most societies prize achievements in sports highly. Many sports are also often governed by some sort of traditions or rules, which ensure regular adjudication of the outcome, and ensure fair play. In other organised sports, records of successful results are often kept, which can be announced or reported by the organiser, for example in Olympic sports.
Some common sports involve using an object ball or similar sized unit. A baseball is a ball that must be hit with a bat or hit with a ball intended to be thrown. Another common game is basketball, where two or more individual competitors shoot a ball back and forth. Golf is another popular, long-distance, sport involving hitting a ball into a hole (a golf ball).
Martial arts involve physical activities that require speed and agility. Grappling or wrestling are both forms of martial arts, as are judo and karate. Bodyweight exercises, such as rope jumping, belly-boarding and running, and climbing are common activities in sports that involve strength and flexibility. Rowing, volleyball, basketball, field sports and tennis involve throwing, catching and punching.
Another area of physical activity related to martial arts includes tae kwon do, a Korean art of throwing and striking with a wooden sword. Taekwondo is a martial arts discipline which involves kicks, strikes and other striking. Muay Thai, a combination of boxing and kicking, is another widely recognised sport. Thai boxing, freestyle and MMA, are all forms of mixed martial arts. Track and field are two more popular sports related to martial arts.
Skateboarding is a relatively new sport, which involves a mixture of physical dexterity and non-physical dexterity. Many forms of skateboarding are competitive but there is also a sub-culture of enthusiasts who like to just enjoy the look of skateboarders. The large variety of different boards, trucks and wheels allows for a wide variety of boards. Skateboarding is becoming increasingly popular as a spectator sport in different countries.
Finally, motor sports are popular among a wide variety of people. Motor sport activities include motor skiing, motor cycle racing, car racing, inline skating, go-karting, inline roller skating, jet skiing, drag racing, motorcycle racing, track day racing, motocross, snowboarding, sailing and water skiing. This list illustrates that while many of these activities are generally competitive, some have an overall benefit to the rider or the spectators.