18 August 2008

A sport for every body type

Flexible and petite? Gymnastics
Tall? Volleyball, Basketball
Sturdy? Softball, Shot put
Slim? Diving (though Greg Louganis proves you can be really built and still rip your dives.)

No hard and fast rules, of course, but it was the huge bellies of the weightlifters that convinced me that there was a sport for every type of body. It would be ill-advised to consider them out of shape since they could toss me overhead with ease.

Over the past few days, I've been pondering what summer sport would suit me. I've never been flexible, so that rules out gymnastics and diving; besides I don't think my soul could take competing in a subjective sport. I wouldn't want to spend years in chlorinated water, so that eliminates swimming.

Team sports are probably a no-go, except maybe rowing. I always wanted a rowing machine when I was a kid. It would figure that my old high school some 15 years too late now has a crew team.

Never much cared for running. Skeet shooting would be tempting, though I'd rather not subject my hearing to that (even with protection) day after day. My knees and shoulders are too shot to take up tennis again, and I wouldn't want to compete in a sport where I felt like it needed to be totally quiet to play anyway.

Archery is what I keep coming up with as I'm better at being still than in frenzied motion. It comes down to shooting your best each time against your own target. I'd be comfortable in the wardrobe: shorts and a t-shirt, a hat if you desire. They play music between ends (rounds), and how seriously can you take yourself when you have to kiss the string and let it smash your face for each shot? A little absurdity would be good for me competitively, I think.

If I made the Olympic team, I would totally get the rings as a tattoo, making sure there were clean gaps where they overlap.

Ooh, if they had croquet, I'd totally be into that except I bet the uniforms would be on the formal side.

What sport would best suit you?


Two years ago on TTaT: The Road is my Favorite Place: Day 2

4 comments:

  1. My heart loves gymnastics (and could get into diving), but my body type is more "softball/shot put." Unfortunately I suck at all sports involving a ball. Other things I'm good at (eating, coloring, folding clothes) have yet to be designated Olympic sports.

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  2. I think coloring would be more of a winter sport anyway. ;)

    I'm too tall for gymnastics and I just couldn't see myself in the unitards with sparkly eye shadow. I do really enjoy watching the vaults though. A lot of the hurtling through air is just nuts but very cool looking.

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  3. I'd be doing swimming. I love swimming.

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  4. I dig the suits they have for swimming now. I always liked diving more though (just straight in for me ;). Makes me a little sad I never get a chance to dive anymore. The pools I encounter always have no diving rules since they're shallow.

    Back in the day, I could do a nice surface dive, so the shallow wouldn't be a problem, however, it's been so long, I wouldn't want to risk it now.

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