Can AS/Autistics dance or play sports?

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I tried to play basketball and failed miserably.

The irony of it all is that a huge number of NT's now think all with ASD's are good at basketball after some videos went viral of autistic players making half-court throws or better. It wasn't my niche, either as I'm so short and my hands shake.

I think there might be a higher percentage who have difficulty because of motor and coordination. But there are aspies who have no motor problems at all. I can detect the groove and match my body to it. Some NTs can't and may even be tone deaf.

If I wanted to, I could probably get good at some kinds of dancing.I have pretty good balance that has improved with training like with many things in life.

Many aspies are said to have low muscle tone. My muscle tone is way too high, the opposite. Very stiff jointed.

I should have been more clear about what I'm trying to ask. I was wondering if autistics can move their bodies smoothly to any type of music? And I'm not talking about simple back and forth steps, I mean can they grove and move their entire bodies to the music??? I know a lot can play sports but it seems like when my cousins that are on the spectrum try to move, they look awkward and don't really get involved in sports.


I think that being an Aspie parallels being LGBT;we are all over the spectrum. Physically, I've been able to do anything I ever wanted to. But some things were exasperating in the beginning. For example I was raised around water and was like a waterdog. But it took forever for someone to teach me the strokes....crying sessions, lessons, the works. But I kept at it and like with most difficult things in my life, one day it literally clicked. It was like my mind was finally onboard with what i was asking my body to do.

I became a championship swimmer and even set records in the breast stroke by JrH. Then my dad forced me to play football like my brothers did. I was lost, but eventually I channeled the Aspie rage & hate I was feeling into the game. I even got a scholarship to play down at University of Miami. But once down there, I didn't have my dad to hate anymore or dumb coaches. I washed out by choice.

So yeah, we're all over the place physically and so I'm not sure we can draw any conclusions about Aspeis & sports, or dancing. When I was a boy I was forced every Sat to go to this dance school....OMG I don't know how I didn't kill everyone there by setting the place on fire! Arrrggg.....don't send your Aspie kids to classical dance school unless they WANT to! They taught fencing too...WHY couldn't I have done that?! Lol.....

PorridgeGuy: I don't think there is enough data to support that theory. Especially since you would have to follow Aspies through their entire lives to see their physical potential unfold(perhaps there are a lot of late bloomers, for example). Moreover, this is still a relatively 'new' condition as far as the NT's are concerned. When Adam massacred those children @Newtown and the world found out he was an Aspie....only then did the term go public and with it, gross misunderstanding. We have a long way to go to identify our real numbers and typical potentials as a whole group.

R

Muscle tone and coordination can be issues affecting sporting ability and of course, leisure activities like dancing. I was not much good at sports but loved chasing girls so I made an effort at dancing. Wasnt the greatest but it all depends on how your wee one relates to one or other activity. I guess you want to bring out that which will make her happy and fulfilled.

Ive a little girl and can see some of the symptoms in her so I am very supportive of her, taking her along the route she wants to go rather then forcing her.

Yes, but I was terrible at sports when I was in grade school, I had no muscle mass and horrible coordination. I've increased my physical abilities in the last 2 years and can become proficient at most things with practice.
As for dancing well, that's more of a question of "will I dance". I haven't danced since I was 13 and probably wont again for a very long time unless my status quo changes. It is part of a much larger story arc of my life that I'm not going to divulge into here. Before that even though I was generally uncomfortable with the idea.

i love to dance. i dance all the time (especially when i drink..). i might not be the best dancer but ive never been told that i look weird or anything. i played on soccer and basketball teams growing up. im not the best at soccer (im not that coordinated controlling a ball with my foot i guess) but i played basketball for about 10 years and i think i was pretty good at that.

This is pretty accurate. LOL.

I had a partial basketball scholarship to a fairly prestigious university. But I can't dance.

Later in life I got into cycling... bicycling and I got really aerobically fit, and I got into bike racing for six years. Riding in the middle of a peloton is, hands down, the most fun thing I ever did in my long life.