Being parent of an autistic son, we are willing to know which sports most of the children prefer to participate in. I know it depends on individual person but just want to know the experiences of indivual persons and/or their parents. My son is 4 years old and love swimming and cycling.
Why on earth would anybody not call martial arts a sport? I've never heard of that before! I love it. I do freestyle so it's a bit of everything mixed together... all different styles and also different focuses (e.g. self defense, sporting competitions, demonstration / movie performance, etc). Sure, some martial arts mayn't be focused on sporting competition at all, but most at least have an alternate form that is, if not just simply being suited to it in the first place. I would also say that you don't have to master it to learn great values. I love the fitness, the tradition, the etiquette and respect, and the beauty of the movements, and those come pretty early on in my estimation.
You can absolutely get good and bad clubs, and this should be researched beforehand so you don't end up with a 'bully' type club like was said above (or a 'clueless' type either). Key things to spot that tell you a club isn't legit include the sensei stroking his/her ego by throwing a new student with no warning, just to show off (which is completely pointless for learning and breaks down trust), the belt gradings being done entirely in-house rather than in front of judges from multiple clubs (this might not apply in areas without many other clubs in, I suppose), and an extreme leaning toward either intolerant harshness on the one end, or lackadasical carelessness on the other (you want a mix, not an extreme... it should be serious AND fun).
The club I attend is not focused on competition fighting at all, nevertheless there should be eventual opportunity for such activity, should a student desire it (like me!). Likewise in reverse, even a club that is very focused on competition fighting should not lead a student into fights they don't want to do, and should explain that focus before signing people up. This is just my reckoning, from listening to conversations, doing classes and things like that. Also, beware clubs that think their style is "the best" and everything else is "worse". There is no ultimate fighting style and never will be. They are each better and worse in different ways, for different intentions, with different rules and in different situations. A good sensei will know this, I think.
I also attend pro wrestling lessons. A very different sport indeed (and indeed, very different to most sports). But extremely rewarding, I find! Although I am a bit of a pro wrestling nut! :) It has a few similarities with combat sports, but many opposites (e.g. you're trying to keep your opponent safe, rather than put them in peril). It probably shares a lot of qualities with dance (which I've never personally done, so I don't know for sure). There is also a huge comeraderie involved. It's like a big family of proud misfits. :) Although it is amongst the more dangerous sports, particularly if you get a bad tutor (which certainly exist!) and there isn't a lot of money in it as a career (a pro wrestling can usually expect to have another job to make ends meet... I think the same goes for most martial artists, too). Although unlike with most sports, pro wrestling is a career that if you're good enough at it, you can keep doing into later years... and also unlike most other sports, you don't have to be a specific body shape to stand a chance to compete.
Those are my personal sports. :) Btw I am an adult with aspergers syndrome.
Why on earth would anybody not call martial arts a sport? I've never heard of that before! I love it. I do freestyle so it's a bit of everything mixed together... all different styles and also different focuses (e.g. self defense, sporting competitions, demonstration / movie performance, etc). Sure, some martial arts mayn't be focused on sporting competition at all, but most at least have an alternate form that is, if not just simply being suited to it in the first place. I would also say that you don't have to master it to learn great values. I love the fitness, the tradition, the etiquette and respect, and the beauty of the movements, and those come pretty early on in my estimation.
You can absolutely get good and bad clubs, and this should be researched beforehand so you don't end up with a 'bully' type club like was said above (or a 'clueless' type either). Key things to spot that tell you a club isn't legit include the sensei stroking his/her ego by throwing a new student with no warning, just to show off (which is completely pointless for learning and breaks down trust), the belt gradings being done entirely in-house rather than in front of judges from multiple clubs (this might not apply in areas without many other clubs in, I suppose), and an extreme leaning toward either intolerant harshness on the one end, or lackadasical carelessness on the other (you want a mix, not an extreme... it should be serious AND fun).
The club I attend is not focused on competition fighting at all, nevertheless there should be eventual opportunity for such activity, should a student desire it (like me!). Likewise in reverse, even a club that is very focused on competition fighting should not lead a student into fights they don't want to do, and should explain that focus before signing people up. This is just my reckoning, from listening to conversations, doing classes and things like that. Also, beware clubs that think their style is "the best" and everything else is "worse". There is no ultimate fighting style and never will be. They are each better and worse in different ways, for different intentions, with different rules and in different situations. A good sensei will know this, I think.
I also attend pro wrestling lessons. A very different sport indeed (and indeed, very different to most sports). But extremely rewarding, I find! Although I am a bit of a pro wrestling nut! :) It has a few similarities with combat sports, but many opposites (e.g. you're trying to keep your opponent safe, rather than put them in peril). It probably shares a lot of qualities with dance (which I've never personally done, so I don't know for sure). There is also a huge comeraderie involved. It's like a big family of proud misfits. :) Although it is amongst the more dangerous sports, particularly if you get a bad tutor (which certainly exist!) and there isn't a lot of money in it as a career (a pro wrestling can usually expect to have another job to make ends meet... I think the same goes for most martial artists, too). Although unlike with most sports, pro wrestling is a career that if you're good enough at it, you can keep doing into later years... and also unlike most other sports, you don't have to be a specific body shape to stand a chance to compete.
Those are my personal sports. :) Btw I am an adult with aspergers syndrome.
