aybuck37
Veteran
Why not both
A little bit of background before I get more into this topic. Yesterday, as I was sitting in gym class, our coach was prepping us for finals. She explained 6 components that all sports have, Speed, Coordination, Reaction Time, Power, Balance, and Agility. As she explained each sport, I began to wonder if speed-cubing is a sport. Based on these components, we can hopefully draw a conclusion to this topic.
Alright, so let's get into this topic. I've seen many YouTube videos on this topic, consulted friends, and seen forum posts. The verdict depends based on a person's views. Speed-cubing may not be an athletic sport, but can be a mind sport. The definition of a sport is a competitive activity which improves skills. Sports can be either athletic or relate to the mind. They still involve skill, and competition. Take chess for example, there are championships in chess, and chess involves strategy and skill.
Let's get into the components now. Speed is obviously a factor in speed-cubing, because you are attempting to complete an activity in the fastest amount of time. This obviously makes speed a factor in speed-cubing. Coordination describes the ability to use senses with body parts. In baseball, you see the ball, and have to hit it in the right amount of time and correctly. Speed-cubing does have this component because, when you recognize a case, your fingers immediately act on the case and perform the needed algorithms for the case. This is a good example of hand-eye coordination. Agility is debatable, because it's changing direction while maintaining motion. However the mental definition is the ability to think and understand quickly. This applies in F2L and Cross, because you need to inspect the cube and get an intuitive understanding on how to do it. You think about where pieces go, and how to get them there. Also, while using look ahead, you can spot pieces and plan your next moves. Reaction time obviously applies to cubing. When dealing with reaction time there is a stimuli, and your reaction. In cubing, the stimuli can be a case for F2L, OLL, or PLL, or it can be the timer. The moment you start the timer, you need to start solving. If you have a fast reaction time, you will immediately begin the solve when you start the timer. But sometimes you may wait a second and then begin. I could go on and on about this, but I'd rather not. For balance, you try to maintain a stable composition while in an unusual position. Like, balancing on one leg, or standing on your toes. For cubing, as you do these finger tricks and rotations you need to balance the cube in your hands as your hands are moving. You try not to drop the cube on the ground. Finally for power, you try to move your fingers swiftly and fast when executing algorithms on the cube.
In conclusion, speed-cubing can be considered a sport. It matches all the necessary components and has many benefits. Some include, improving mental agility, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. It gives your hand muscles a workout and can possibly be combined with any sport possible. Feel free to leave your comments and opinions on this topic, I'd be happy to read and respond to them.
Alright, so let's get into this topic. I've seen many YouTube videos on this topic, consulted friends, and seen forum posts. The verdict depends based on a person's views. Speed-cubing may not be an athletic sport, but can be a mind sport. The definition of a sport is a competitive activity which improves skills. Sports can be either athletic or relate to the mind. They still involve skill, and competition. Take chess for example, there are championships in chess, and chess involves strategy and skill.
Let's get into the components now. Speed is obviously a factor in speed-cubing, because you are attempting to complete an activity in the fastest amount of time. This obviously makes speed a factor in speed-cubing. Coordination describes the ability to use senses with body parts. In baseball, you see the ball, and have to hit it in the right amount of time and correctly. Speed-cubing does have this component because, when you recognize a case, your fingers immediately act on the case and perform the needed algorithms for the case. This is a good example of hand-eye coordination. Agility is debatable, because it's changing direction while maintaining motion. However the mental definition is the ability to think and understand quickly. This applies in F2L and Cross, because you need to inspect the cube and get an intuitive understanding on how to do it. You think about where pieces go, and how to get them there. Also, while using look ahead, you can spot pieces and plan your next moves. Reaction time obviously applies to cubing. When dealing with reaction time there is a stimuli, and your reaction. In cubing, the stimuli can be a case for F2L, OLL, or PLL, or it can be the timer. The moment you start the timer, you need to start solving. If you have a fast reaction time, you will immediately begin the solve when you start the timer. But sometimes you may wait a second and then begin. I could go on and on about this, but I'd rather not. For balance, you try to maintain a stable composition while in an unusual position. Like, balancing on one leg, or standing on your toes. For cubing, as you do these finger tricks and rotations you need to balance the cube in your hands as your hands are moving. You try not to drop the cube on the ground. Finally for power, you try to move your fingers swiftly and fast when executing algorithms on the cube.
In conclusion, speed-cubing can be considered a sport. It matches all the necessary components and has many benefits. Some include, improving mental agility, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. It gives your hand muscles a workout and can possibly be combined with any sport possible. Feel free to leave your comments and opinions on this topic, I'd be happy to read and respond to them.
WombatWarrior17
Veteran
This an interesting view of the topic.
I personally don't think it's a sport, mainly because the definition of a sport (straight from Google) is: "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.".
Now, of course, you could argue that cubing is physically exerting, your hands may get a bit tired after a couple hundred solves, but IMO, that is not that exerting.
Speedcubing also isn't that fun to watch, so the "for entertainment" part of the definition doesn't really fit.
These are the same reasons why I don't think chess is a sport.
This is my view on it, of course. If you think it's a sport, then cool; if you don't, then still cool.
I personally don't think it's a sport, mainly because the definition of a sport (straight from Google) is: "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.".
Now, of course, you could argue that cubing is physically exerting, your hands may get a bit tired after a couple hundred solves, but IMO, that is not that exerting.
Speedcubing also isn't that fun to watch, so the "for entertainment" part of the definition doesn't really fit.
These are the same reasons why I don't think chess is a sport.
This is my view on it, of course. If you think it's a sport, then cool; if you don't, then still cool.
I respect your views as well, but speed-cubing is more of a mind sport than a physical sport, which are still sports. So that's what I feel about it.
RedJack22
Regular
Yeah I wouldn't go so far to say that cubing is a sport. Now Sport Stacking (also called Speed Stacking or Cup Stacking) is, as when I did it I sweat like crazy!
WombatWarrior17
Veteran
I can see that, but just calling it a sport doesn't work since that goes back to the definition of a sport. But I would agree that it is a mind sport.
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