II.2. Sports recreation, recreational sports
According to the previously outlined characteristics the cross section of recreation and sports covers activities whch may be characterized by the features of both notions. In Hungarian and international specialist literature this area is called sports recreation and this term is interpreted as the synonym of leisure time sports and mass sports. (Blagajac 1979, Kozmanovics 1989, Dobozy, Jakabházy 1992, Szabó 2006) underline, that sports is a community activity, it has beneficial physiological effects and it is at the same time, enjoyable. Int he opinion of Kis (2002, p. 71) the term sports recreation narrows the meaning down and burdened with inconsistencies since it denotes two contradictory value systems, i.e. achievement-oriented sports and the joy of well-being. Kovács (2002, p. 50) thinks that the tarea between sports and recreation should be called recreational sports, since, in his opinion this term emphasizes that sports is a means to achieve an aim. Which of the two terms can be considered correct? Is there any better term available?
In connection with physical activitties which are done with the aim of recreation, the term mobile recreation may be used. (Drdácká 1984). It might includer activities other than sports, for example dance, artistic movements, action games. The term seems to be good, buti t does not mean to abandon the previously described terms of recreational sports ansd sports recreation. Both terms seem to be useful and their usage depends ont he fact which distincet area (sports, or recreation) is in the focus..
The term recreational sports is interpreted within the realm of sports. It means that the person doing recreational sports has recreational motives, ansd, at the same time, he or she wants to benefit from the positive effects of sports, intending to optimalize his or her psycho-physiological condition. It can be achieved within the wide spectrum of doing sports. Int he strictest sense of the word recreational sports is sports! It also concentrates on achievements, requires mental and physical efforts and , in addition to seeking recreational pleasures, it can be competitive as well. Achievement-centeredness – similar to competittive sports – is typical of the younger generation,engaged in recreational sports. (Gáldi 2011).
Leisure time sports, hobby sports , or, competitive sports done by amateurs may root in recreation. At the same time, it is customary in Hungarian literature on recreation that sports training and recreational training are described by using different parameters. (E.g. Frequency of training programs, intensity, pulse rate etc.)„ Examples include authors like Szabó 2006, Kovács, Szollás 2008. It is misleading, too, that rehabilitational, fitness and health training programs are often called recreational programs. (Kovács, Szollás 2008). Those general (?) indicators which are typical of recreational training programs are rarely specified. The number, length and intensity of weekly training programs might vary depending on the purpose of training. Health, fitness or rehabilitational training programs are different. Consequently, when planning a recreational training program, it is important to consider the chronological, biological and training age of trose in training. It is important not only in order to optimalize the physiological effects, but also because it is necessary to make the training a joyful event.
All the above statement s prove that it is a mistake to interpret the relationship between recreation and sports as a hierarchical relationship. Recreational sports is not a lighter, lower-level sports activity, but, it is an activity, synthetizing the characteristics of sports and recreation. It is also important to note that recreational sports can occasionally be an extremely high-level activity, uniting both the achievement-centeredness of sports activities with the joy and motivatedness of recreational activities.
Wheh describing the recreational function of sports it is also important to mention recreational experience (Gray 1978). It can be identified with the so-called ’flow’ experience. (Jackson and Csíkszentmihályi 2001, Kovács 2002). The flow may be experienced by each sports person, who would like to have optimal experiences in exchange for his or her efforts. From this point of view it does not matter what the original motivation of the person was: recreation, or the improvement of his or her health condition.
Doing sports becomes a real experience if it is alligned with the appropriate physical activity and training load. There are many sportspeople who are amateurs, not professionals, (but who belong to the category of ’true’ sportspeople), who work very hard in their chosen type of sports on a daily basis, only for the joy of it. An important momentum of recreational sports that everybody can find challenge and joy in it . The research work carried out by Balogh and Domokos (2013) can be quoted here as a good example. The researchers concluded that the flow can be found in traditional recreational activities, in leisure time actiivities and in competitive sports as well. Surveys were done in the group of hip-hop dancers and handball players respectively, and the results undoubtedly prove that no significant differences could be found in the two groups concerning the flow experince. Briefly, both types of physical activities lead to a flow experience.
Sports activity functions a a reward; this way the sportsperson is not only a subject, but also a creator of the flow experience. (Jackson, Csíkszentmihályi 2001, p. 160). The intention of improving our health, or, losing weight might serve as motivators, too, to do some sports. On t he other hand, if we are not rewarded by the enjoyment of it, the recreational nature of the activity is questionable. Those people who do sports under compulsion, would sooner or later get bored and give up on it.
One more beneficial psychological effect of recreational sports needs to be emphasized: it influences creative thinking in a positive way. (Gondola, Tuckman 1985; Steinberg et al. 1997; Cavallera, Boari 2011). Thiose people who are physically active are also stable emotionally (Cooper, 1990), and, if certain types of physical activities are comapred, it can be stated that it is sports that has the most beneficial effect on t he health condition of people. It is the combination of different types of sports that makes recreational activities the msot efficient. (Carmont 2012).
The list of the beneficial social, economic and health effects of recreational sports is very long. But now it is time to go back to terminological problems again. Having overviewed the characteristics of recreational sports we are back to square one. The only difference is that now instead of sports symbols it is the symbolism of recreation that guides us. The modern, universal definitions of sports and recreation do not pose problems for us. Since they represent two autonomous entities, their common areas do not narrow down the meanings of specialist terms, but, instead, they offer new dimensions for interpretations.