The Relationship Between Sport and Exercise

Sports (or sports) is any form of generally competitive physical activity that, though largely organized, aims to employ, uphold or enhance physical aptitude and skills, either for the participant, for spectators, or both, while providing great entertainment to both participants and spectators. Sports vary widely, even between sports; some, such as gymnastics, are essentially exercises; others, such as football, have clearly defined teams involved, and the playing arena is frequently an outdoor one. The two most popular sports in the United States are football and basketball. However, a large number of people participate in organized sports throughout the world. Tennis, badminton, cricket, skiing, motor-bike racing, cricket, swimming, Australian rugby, ice hockey, tennis, table tennis, and American football are but a few examples of sports that people engage in professionally.

In most cases, sports competitions are regulated by a governing body that determines the eligibility of competing athletes, the rules governing the event, technical specifications of equipment, and what should be worn. In addition to governing sporting events, there are many organizations that oversee various other activities that are deemed to be a part of sports, including health and fitness activities, in addition to the professional activities of professional athletes. In order to ensure fair competition, these organizations often impose regulations on athletes or participants. For example, when participating in a triathlon, endurance events, swimming, and other physical challenges must be completed without wearing any reflective clothing, hydrodynamics gear, or other excessively heavy or cumbersome objects.

While professional sports normally center around physical competition, non-physical activities such as amusement, sportsmanship, and relaxation also constitute an important aspect of sports, especially for those who may not possess athletic ability or time to engage in vigorous physical competition. In this way, non-athletes are often able to engage in sports such as dog breeding, fly-fishing, mountain climbing, and yoga, which are considered to be good forms of exercise. For those who may not desire to participate in competitive athletics, but are interested in engaging in activities that promote physical fitness, non-athletes can still participate in such things as martial arts and aerobics. Further, there is often a difference between sport and hobby. Although there may be occasional competition between those who practice non-physical skills, the emphasis is usually different from that of sports.