Sport. Just one word, but how much it means! Playing sports is a certain type of human activity aimed at achieving a given result in a person’s physical development.

Sport is an integral part of physical culture, in which the main emphasis is on the physical development of a person, strengthening his health and well-being.

Professional sport is that part of it in which athletes participate, aimed specifically at achieving a certain result in their physical activity, at achieving victory and new sports records. Sports competitions, including the Olympics, Championships and Tournaments, identify the best athletes. Of course, the dream of every athlete is to win the Olympic Games, the world's largest competitions, which originated in Ancient Greece and subsequently attracted participants from all over the world.

Over its history of development, and the history of sports extends far, far into the past, starting almost from the Stone Age, a large number of sports have emerged in which everyone can realize their most outstanding abilities. Sports training is provided by various sports organizations specializing in certain sports.

The development, promotion and popularization of sports is carried out by various Sports Federations, Associations and Unions, although the main role in this is played by the Ministry of Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation.

Sports surround us almost from birth, in kindergarten, school, and college. Many choose it as their profession. And this is greatly facilitated by the huge and ever-growing popularity of sports and a sports lifestyle.

Human imagination in pursuit of extreme sports and popularity knows no bounds. Every year new sports appear in the world. Many of them are really interesting and harmless to health. However, there are tougher and more uncompromising types. In addition, long-forgotten national games have recently become popular.

Slamball

This is an alternative branch of basketball. Slamball is a team game, founded by well-known media personalities Mike Tolin and Mason Gordon. It is worth noting that this new sport is actively gaining momentum in Russia today. Success came to him thanks to the entertainment and variety of feints.

Slamball has similar rules to street basketball. However, the main difference is the platform. There are trampolines in specially designated areas. With their help, athletes jump up to 5 meters in the air and throw balls. Contacts in the air are allowed. There are 4 participants from each team on the field.

Hades

HeadIS is a mixture of football. This new sport gained recognition in Germany thanks to student Rene Wegner. It was he who, several years ago, invented a game on a tennis table, where instead of rackets, the ball is hit with the head.

The rules of headdis are identical to ping pong. Instead of rackets, a head is used. The traditional plastic ball has been replaced with a special rubber ball. Participants in the match must deftly throw a projectile over a net on a small table, trying to catch the enemy by surprise. Currently, hadith is in demand among students throughout

Kok-boru

This contact game was invented in Central Asia. In ancient times, it was played by rich people in Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Iran. However, over the years, kok-boru was forgotten. The modern version of the game has undergone some changes in the rules, but the foundation remains the same. This sport is similar to but instead of a ball, the carcass of a ram or goat is used. Historians note that previously a gutted wolf was used as a projectile.

Each team must have 4 participants. The goal of the game is to bring the animal carcass into a special pit, that is, the opponent’s gate. The match is divided into 3 periods of 20 minutes. Roughness is allowed in the game, however, it is prohibited to hit an opponent or his horse with a whip, or to push a person from the saddle.

Summer biathlon

Rumor has it that in the next 8-12 years another rapidly developing alternative discipline will be included in the Olympic program. We are talking about summer biathlon, which can be held both on the ground and on a rubber surface.

This new sport promises to be not only spectacular, but also very interesting. Here, instead of traditional skis, special elongated rollers are used. The main advantage is that it can be practiced in any weather, while winter biathlon requires specific conditions (at least snow). In addition, you don’t need expensive equipment for training.

If summer biathlon is included in the Olympic program, then people from Africa will also be able to participate in the competition.

Footbag

This rather spectacular and intriguing game originated in the USA back in the 1970s. However, it has gained popularity only in recent years. In Russia, this new sport has two branches: net-game and freestyle. The first genre is a game between opponents. Its goal is to throw the ball over a low net. If the projectile touches the ground, a goal is scored.

Freestyle is a technical solo with a ball. The athlete demonstrates all his skills in handling a projectile in the air to the music.

At competitions, not only technique and variability of tricks are assessed, but also artistry. Here success depends entirely on imagination.

Flyboard

FlyBoard is considered one of the most dangerous entertainments. This is a new water sport that is quickly gaining momentum among leading extreme sports enthusiasts from around the world. The game was named after the hoverboard device of the same name, which is capable of lifting a person into the air as much as 9 meters.

The flyboard operates on special pumps and pumps. Water is pumped into the motor through a thick hose. The pump shoots it back with incredible power, thereby lifting the person up. The goal of the game is to stay in the air for more time and not fall before your opponents. Balancing is achieved thanks to the special position of the hands, which, in turn, are connected to their own individual pumps.

The set with the board and the device itself also includes special safety boots.

Petanque

The recently revived French game in Europe has begun to gain serious momentum. Today, even in Russia there are several specialized petanque clubs, two of which are based in Moscow.

It is a mixture of bowling and curling. The players are divided into two teams. The meeting is held on a rectangular area. The idea is to throw a heavy metal ball as close as possible to a wooden projectile called a jack. Translated from French, the word cochonnet means “little pig.” Also, a winning ball position is to throw the opponent's ball out of the designated area.

This sport requires strategic thinking and dexterity. You can play at any time of the year. There are no age restrictions.

Sepaktakraw

Literally translated from Malaysian, this game means “hitting a cloth ball.” This new sport originally appeared in Asia. Today it is popular in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Italy, Canada and the USA.

Sepak Takraw is a cross between volleyball, football and gymnastics. The site is divided into two halves. Each team has 3 participants. The serve is made in accordance with the generally accepted rules. You can hit the balls and pass with anyone except your hands. Signature moves in sepak takraw are somersaults and mid-air splits.

Squash

Squash was invented in the UK, but the game reached its peak of popularity in Canada and America. Today, new sports appear in the world with enviable regularity, but only a small part of them really have a bright future. And squash falls into this minority. An indicative point is that this particular sport really claims to be included in the expanded program of the 2020 Olympics.

The essence of the game is for the opponents, being in a small room, to alternately hit the ball at any of the four walls. Manipulations over the projectile are performed only with the help of a racket. If the ball touches the floor more than once, a point is awarded to the opponent.

New Olympic events (winter)

Since 2014, the international committee decided to expand the traditional Olympic program. Thus, such new events as team figure skating, women's ski jumping, and mixed relay in biathlon were presented in Sochi. In addition, the program included a halfpipe. This game is a competition in a special concave structure with snow. Participants must move from one wall to the opposite, performing various tricks and jumps.

All of these new Olympic sports have received a lot of positive feedback from spectators and experts. They bring not only variety and intrigue, but also additional flavor. It is expected that in 2018 the competition program will further expand by a couple of positions.

New Olympic events (summer)

Since the early 2000s, the expanded program has included baseball, softball, squash, and karate. many of them were soon expelled.

In 2012, the program included 26 sports. Each of them was voted on by the international committee. But what new sports will be included in the next Olympic Games? First of all, golf. This popular aristocratic game in the United States received 63 votes out of 90. The program will also include a simplified game format. 81 committee members voted for it. Thus, at the next Olympics there will be no squash, no karate, no roller sports.

» History of sports

History of the origin of the sport

At the earliest stages of human development, the struggle for existence dictated its own laws. Physical strength and dexterity played a very important role in hunting, war and distribution of spoils. Aborigines in Australia to this day have retained as a hunting method the pursuit of an antelope or kangaroo by running until the animal gets tired.
Physical fitness was also maintained through training. Australian aborigines constantly practiced archery and boomerang throwing, competed in running and jumping, and played a kind of ball game. Among the Indian tribes of America, throwing a ball at a target, running long distances, and lifting weights—stones of various weights—were popular. Among the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas, a group game with a rubber ball became widespread, in which each team tried to throw the ball into a ring attached to a post or wall. What is not the progenitor of modern basketball! The primitive tribes of Africa in the physical education of children used fencing with sticks, wrestling, running with a load, swinging on vines. The Bushmen tribes were distinguished by their exceptional endurance. Their running competitions over hilly terrain sometimes lasted all day. Thanks to this training, hunters were able to pursue prey for many hours, and then deliver the heavy load home.

History of sports in the states of the ancient world

History of the development of sports has unusually long roots. Traces of physical culture and sports were
discovered in early states (IV-III millennium BC). Ritual competitions in honor of the god Marduk, the patron saint of Babylon, preceded the ancient Greek Olympics by more than a thousand years. These competitions included archery, belt wrestling, sword fighting, fist fighting, horse racing, chariot racing, javelin throwing and hunting.
In India and Persia in ancient times, hunting, horse riding, sword fencing, chariot racing, archery, and games with a ball and stick were widespread. Horse polo, chess, field hockey and other games originated in India. Schools appeared in Persia where children were taught horse riding, throwing darts, and archery.
On cuneiform tablets and on the walls of ancient Egyptian pyramids, scientists have discovered images of more than 400 types of physical exercises and games. Among them are wrestling, archery competitions, swimming, rowing, chariot racing, etc. In Ancient Egypt, competitions in running, jumping and throwing, weight lifting, wrestling and fist fighting, fencing, as well as freestyle sports games were held in special rooms. Physical culture and sports reached their highest development in Ancient Greece, where the first Olympic Games took place.

The history of sports is very rich in interesting and beautiful events. Even in ancient times, people competed in various competitions. Sport has always been a good alternative for humanity, contributing to a peaceful, healthy life.

The word “sport” came into the Russian language from English (sport) - a loose abbreviation of the original word disport - game, entertainment. It is this fundamental principle of the English word that introduces different interpretations, hence the different interpretations of the term “sport”. In the foreign press, this concept is combined with “physical culture” in its health-improving, recreational (restorative) aspects. In domestic popular periodicals and literature, on television and radio, physical culture and sport are interpreted differently, but are sometimes identified. However, in the specialized literature on physical culture and sports, each of these concepts has a clear definition.

"Sport" - a generalized concept denoting one of the components of the physical culture of society, historically developed in the form of competitive activity and special practice of preparing a person for competitions.

Sport differs from physical culture in that it has a mandatory competitive component. Both an athlete and an athlete can use the same physical exercises (for example, running) in their classes and training, but at the same time the athlete always compares his achievements in physical improvement with the successes of other athletes in intramural competitions. The athlete’s classes are aimed only at personal improvement, regardless of the achievements in this area of ​​others involved. That is why we cannot call an athlete a cheerful old man who moves along the alleys of the square “jogging” - a mixture of fast walking and slow running. This respected person is not an athlete, he is an athlete who uses walking and running for maintaining your health and performance.

However, all these arguments and examples, although they help to agree on a unified interpretation of individual concepts, do not reveal the full versatility of such a social phenomenon as

modern sport. It appears in many guises: as a means of healing, and as a means of psychophysical improvement, and as an effective means of relaxation and restoration of performance, and as a spectacle, and as professional work.

Modern sport is divided into mass and elite sport. It is the versatility of modern sport that forced the introduction of these additional concepts, revealing the essence of its individual areas and their fundamental differences.

Mass sports. His goals and objectives.

Mass sports enables millions of people to improve their physical qualities and motor abilities, improve health and prolong creative longevity, and therefore resist the unwanted effects on the body of modern production and everyday life conditions.

The purpose of practicing various types of mass sports is to improve health, improve physical development, preparedness and active recreation. This is associated with solving a number of particular problems: increasing the functionality of individual body systems, adjusting physical development and physique, increasing general and professional performance, mastering vital skills, spending pleasant and useful leisure time, achieving physical perfection.

The tasks of mass sports largely repeat the tasks of physical culture, but are implemented through the sports orientation of regular classes and training.

A significant part of young people become involved in the elements of mass sports during their school years, and in some sports even in preschool age. It is mass sports that are most widespread among student groups.

As practice has shown, usually in non-physical education universities in the country in the field of mass sports, from 10 to 25% of students engage in regular training outside of class hours. The current program in the academic discipline “Physical Culture” for students of higher educational institutions allows almost every healthy student of any university to join mass sports. This can be done not only in your free time, but also during school hours. Moreover, the type of sport or system of physical exercises is chosen by the student himself. We will look at this in more detail a little later.

Emerging in its process.

Sport is a specific type of physical and intellectual activity performed for the purpose of competition, as well as targeted preparation for them through warm-up and training. Combined with rest, the desire to gradually improve physical health, increase the level of intelligence, obtain moral satisfaction, strive for excellence, improve personal, group and absolute records, fame, improve one’s own physical capabilities and skills. Sport is intended to improve the physical and mental characteristics of a person.

From the times of Ancient Greece to the present day, the history of sports can be easily traced. Over time, the sport became more organized and regulated. New types and subtypes of sports appeared and were formed, the rules were clarified, the sport acquired traditions and supporters.

Sports in Russia

According to data for 2008, in Russia there were 2,687 stadiums with stands for 1,500 seats or more, 3,762 swimming pools, 123.2 thousand flat sports facilities. In 2008, the number of people involved in sports sections and groups was 22.6 million people, including 8.1 million women.

see also