My definition of a “sport” is the following: “A sport is a discipline of human activity which allows a clear and distinct determination of a winner and a loser in a competition between two opponents or two teams”. Clear and distinct! An additional point should be added to this definition. A sport is a rivalry in which the result is decided by training, and not just physical traits of the competitors. Here, an example. A competition of who can reach higher while standing on the ground it definitely NOT a sport. The result of this kind of competition depends solely on the height of the competitors. ()
A vertical jump rivalry is, without a doubt, a sport.
Bridge is for sure a sport (of course, duplicate bridge), boxing is a sport, even sliding stones on ice with brooms is a sport. So is a discipline called PUNCH DOWN a sport?
I'm directing this question to Łukasz Dunajko. Łukasz, can you prepare for a PUNCH DOWN competition in any way? And if so, how?
Łukasz Dunajko: I can say with full confidence that PUNCH DOWN can be categorized as a sport because there are set rules to it, there are referees, there's the competition element and the winner's title in a given competition. In a duel, two competitors stand in front of each other and slap one another. The winner is the one who knocks out the opponent or just hits better and the referees decide that he deserves to win.
PeSzy: But what about the preparations? Can you prepare for a fight like that? How?
Łukasz Dunajko: Of couse, just like with any other discipline, you can and you should prepare through practice and training. I trained my neck to be more resistant to slaps. I also trained my hit strength by doing dynamic exercises and whole-body trainings at the gym. PUNCH DOWN, so slap fights, is a very young discipline, so the range of preparations will for sure be expanding with time.
PeSzy: Can you use mouthguards like in boxing?
Łukasz Dunajko: You have to, that's what the rules say.
PeSzy: Łukasz, have you ever trained any combat sports?
Łukasz Dunajko: Never!
PeSzy: Now I'm very surprised...
Łukasz Dunajko: Well, I will just add that my godfather was a boxer...
PeSzy: That's better...
Łukasz Dunajko: Okay, so I will also add that I've been a bouncer for ten years...
PeSzy: Well, that sounds much better now. Thank you for the talk, I will cheer for you.
Łukasz Dunajko: Thank you, greetings!
When Mixed Martial Arts appeared in the Polish “sports industry”, I've immediately become a big fan of his discipline. We advertized MMA as much as we could in our monthly “Kulturystyka i Fitness SPORT dla WSZYSTKICH”. Many contemporary authorities, ex-athletes, trainers and sports journalists were against it and called the MMA fights names, bringing up analogies that it's like “animals in a cage”. A dozen years or so have passed and Mixed Martial Arts have their own niche, their heroes and often fascinating rivalry.
Perhaps PUNCH DOWN will gain its popularity, perhaps not. Time will tell...
To finish off...
“To a willing person, injury is not done”, in the original version “Volenti non fit iniuria” - the Roman law doctrine which tells that if someone willingly puts themselves in danger, knowing that the danger might cause injury, they won't be able to lay a complaint against other parties. This rule only concerns the risk that the person could think of as coming from their own actions, e.g. the boxer allows punches and reckons with eventual injuries but doesn't allow hits that are inconsistent with the rules in boxing.
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