Types of Sport (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what types of sports exist and how they are classified according to their participants, competitive logic and where they are practiced.

What are the types of sports?

Sport is a physical activity that is done for the pleasure or the entertainment it provides that is, without productive purposes. They are normally competitive activities, which cover a series of games or disciplines, each with its own rules and methods.

There are many different sports in the world, practiced in entirely different ways and under entirely different conditions, so a list of the types of sports that exist can be very extensive and very difficult to systematize. However, broadly speaking, we can distinguish between:

Types of sports according to the number of players. This classification distinguishes between individual sports, team sports and team sports.
Types of sports according to competitive logic. This classification distinguishes between network sports, combat sports, wall sports, precision sports, time and mark sports, attack or invasion sports, field and hitting sports, driving sports and technical-combination sports.
Types of sports according to the place where they are practiced. This classification distinguishes between water sports, court sports, air sports, winter sports, indoor sports and mountain sports.

Individual, collective and group sports

types of collective sports — Multiple players participate in group sports without forming teams.

Depending on the number and disposition of athletes in sports exercise, we can talk about:

Individual sports. They are those that the player practices individually, without requiring the intervention of others. For example: athletics and artistic gymnastics.
Collective sports. They are those that bring together different players who practice cooperatively, to beat the opposing team. For example: soccer, volleyball or baseball.
group sports. They are those that bring together a certain number of players in the same competition, but they do not form teams among themselves. For example: boxing, marathon or cycling.

You may be interested: Coordinative Capabilities

Sports according to their competitive logic

types of sport attack or invasion — In attacking sports, a team of players must penetrate the other's field.

Taking into account the internal logic of the sport, that is, the operation of its rules, we can distinguish between:

Network sports. These are sports disciplines whose practice involves an obstacle or network that extends to different levels on the ground; and commonly players must prevent the ball or shuttle from coming into contact with the net. For example: volleyball, tennis, table tennis and badminton.
combat sports. These are sports disciplines in which two or more competitors must physically confront each other, and whoever defeats the other wins the competition. For example: boxing, sumo, judo and taekwondo.
wall sports. These are sports disciplines in which a wall is used to bounce a ball in turns. For example: fronton, squash and paddle.
precision sports. These are sports disciplines in which a fixed or mobile target must be hit, using various instruments or devices to do so. This includes sports in which a ball is moved to hit a target or into a hole. For example: target shooting, archery, golf, bowling, dart throwing and pool.
Time and brand sports. These are sports disciplines in which you compete to record the shortest time, the greatest effort or the greatest distance in the performance of the same activity. Thus, players compete to see who is the fastest, strongest, etc. For example: javelin throwing, weight lifting, 100 meter dash, cycling and swimming.
Attack or invasion sports. These are sporting disciplines in which a team of players must enter the other's field, normally in control of a ball, in order to score a point on the other's court; while the rival team must try to prevent it and take control of the ball for a counterattack. For example: football, basketball, rugby and hockey.
Field and hitting sports. These are sports disciplines in which a team must use sticks or bats to hit a ball and the rival must try to keep it under their control. They are normally sports that involve strength and speed. For example: baseball, cricket and softball.
Driving sports. These are sports disciplines in which you compete at the wheel of a land, air or water vehicle. For example: motor racing, paragliding, windsurfing and sailing.
Technical-combination sports. These are sports disciplines in which each competitor must complete a series of movements or physical skills in an agile, coordinated and aesthetic manner, so that a jury can then evaluate and score their performance. For example: figure skating, synchronized swimming, surfing and artistic gymnastics.

Sports according to the place where they are practiced

types of mountain sports — Mountain sports are practiced on steep slopes or mountain ridges.

According to the place where their competitions take place, we can distinguish between the following types of sports:

court sports. They are those that are practiced within a specially delimited space, following exact measurements, which offers the ideal space for sports practice, such as stadiums, fields, tracks and other similar facilities. For example: football, basketball, paddle tennis, athletics and hockey.
Water sports. They are those that are practiced in water or on the surface of water, whether in the sea, a lake or a pool. For example: windsurfing, surfing, sailing, kayaking and swimming.
air sports. They are those that are practiced in the air or that a good part of their exercise involves flight. For example: paragliding and skydiving.
winter sports. They are those whose practice requires special climatic conditions in regions with pronounced winters, since they involve snow and ice. For example: snowboarding, ice skating and skiing.
indoor sports. They are those that are practiced indoors, either in multiple-use sites or in facilities suitable for this. For example: indoor soccer, ping-pong, fronton and chess.
Mountain sports. They are those that are practiced on steep slopes or mountain ridges, or in artificial spaces that imitate them. For example: climbing, hiking, mountaineering and skiing.

Continue with: Physical education