Who here is actually any good at sports?

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I enjoy sports, but I always feel like I lag behind other people. One problem is getting verbal instructions. Someone will tell me how to do something, and I just can't do it like they say or won't understand it, and they'll just give up after a few attempts, and then I feel stupid. I get frustrated by this because I think the people might see me as stupid because I don't understand verbal instructions that well or it takes me so long to learn something. I get jealous when I see other people succeeding and competing, because it feels like no matter how hard I try, my AS prevents me from reaching my potential in sport.

Have you tried some solo sports like track or karate? Those are ones that would be easier to excell in, because you don't have to rely on anyone except yourself.

I never had a big interest in sports but right now I'm a senior in high school and am taking this "modern dance" class that I totally HATE and didn't plan on taking to begin with because I was supposed to be taking a weight lifting class. However part way through the school day I have to leave and go to a different school where I take Cisco networking classes so I can get my A+ and Network+ certifications. Because of this I would have to leave in the middle of the weight lifting class and wouldn't have time to take a shower or anything and I can't stand that, I like to be all clean and even if I did do that I"d hardly even have any time in the weight lifting class so the only thing left I could take for my gym class was this evil dance class because it was offered at a different time then the weight lifting class was.

Anyway they teach you these moves and stuff and I don't get it right away and thinkt hat I look like an idiot and I totally hate it but so far no one has said anything negative to me about it so I guess it isn't that bad. I know how you feel though.

Roger Bannister always said that he liked running best because it was a sport that relied primarily on effort and endurance, rather than talent. He obviously had plenty of both, because he became the first to break the four-minute mile, a feat once believed by physicians (which Roger Bannister ultimately became) to be fatal to the one who accomplished it.

Well, I think it depends on the sport. Team sports are not something I excel at or even enjoy playing (or watching, for that matter), but solo sports like Tae Kwon Do or running are enjoyable. And as far as talent is concerned, I highly doubt I will be competing professionally at either one---but not many people do that, either. I also enjoy skating by myself. I entertained the idea of joining an adult hockey league, but you actually have to be able to play hockey to join one of those (who'd have thought that? ) so it's a no-go until I get better on my skates. Luckily, there is a rec center down the street, and my university has a rink. We'll see. Maybe I will be a women's hockey star! (Ha!)

But I participate in sports where I am dependent on me alone, not teammates, so that when I succeed, it is my success, and when I fall short, it is my responsibility. Make sense?

Never enjoyed any team sports.
I am a strong swimmer and used to be good at squash and badminton.

Not sure what to say about your problem with understanding verbal instructions.
I guess if you have a decent instructor you could explain your situation, and come up with better ways of communicating.
(Never be embarrased about saying that you do not understand or asking for further explanation.)

If it is a question of technique; i have always learnt nearly everything from books or watching others.

my main disadvantage in sports is that ive always been fairly slow (referring to running speed, physical quickness, that way we dont get this confused with mental difficulties like was discussed in this thread earlier). I've always been lacking in the speed department for someone my age and size, for some reason, despite the fact that i never had a whole ton of fat on me. I don't think I'm particularly clumsy.

anyway, sports I enjoy playing and can hold my own in are baseball and Football (American). I also enjoy playing Regular Football (soccer). I'm not very good at basketball, but will gladly play if im with a grp of friends that are playing.

One thing Ive noticed from browsing these forums is that I'm an unusual breed among the AS diagnosed; many here have ZERO interest in sports and I've seen several threads stating things like "what is the big deal with sports?!, "why do people make such a big deal of them. they're boring and mundane". etc, etc.



I'm glad I wasn't so messed up from birth that I never took an interest in sports. (dont get me wrong, I'm not saying that people who dont like sports are bad or wrong or anything). But in the area I live in, it is very rare to find someone who has ZERO interest whatsoever in sports at all, not finding even one sport they enjoy. The fact that I like sports makes it eaisier to socialize with NT's. just another weapon in the arsenal, so to speak.

Used to be a pretty decent tennis player. Love archery and fencing.

While these aren't quite what most people consider to be sports, I'm excellent at orienteering and marksmanship. Marksmanship is a very calming thing for me, even though it does have some pretty loud bangs.

Orienteering isn't something I can really participate in anymore, but my partner and I usually did very well. If we didn't earn trophies for ourselves as a team, we did manage to bump our school up to where it *did* earn a trophy. The fact that it's more mental than physical as well makes it perfect for someone who's usually not in great shape (like me ).

I played basketball my Sophmore and Junior year in High School. My Sophmore year I played Junior Varsity, and I started nearly every game. Infact, the last game of the year I showed up late to the actual game, and the coach didn't punish me at all... he just threw me in the game and let me play. I guess you could say I was good enough to get the typical "Athelete Special Treatment".

My Junior year was different though. I played Varsity that year, and I was much more of a Roleplayer than anything. I had a good 3-point shot, and I was easily one of the better defenders on the team, but that was about it. I came off the bench and got decent mintues but never really started a whole lot of games. However, my best game did come against our best opponent. I dropped 11 points and had 3 steals and 3 assists, and my name showed up in the Newspaper. It'll undoutbably be the highlight of my athletic life.

I train boxing, and have been doing it for about 9 months now. The thing is, I have fairly good technique, and I train hard, and I know I need to keep training for a long time... but I want to fight eventually, at least have a few amateur fights to prove that I can do it, and win. I know many people who fight and have done well, but I am worried that my AS might get in the way of me adapting to the nature of a fight. No matter how good my technique and/or power is, I can never be successful at fighting unless I can quickly adapt to different situations in the ring. This is a worry of mine, that I will never be able to fight. Although I am worrying over nothing right now, because it is not my time, and I haven't even had enough sparring experience to know how good I would be.

When i was younger i used to do weight training in a gym where some amatuer boxers trained.
I had a go on the punch-bag at the end of a session once; and then i was hooked. Used to spend most of the time on it whilst my friends lifted weights. I used to love it.
Had a spar now and then when they were short of somebody. Just for a laugh; they must have took it easy on me, but i was never shy of getting involved. I never had any intentions of fighting though.
Once you have had a few spars and watched a few fights you will know what you are getting involved with. I don't see how you can be disadvantaged by AS.
I wouldn't worry about never being able to fight. Better to be over-cautious than to go into a fight where you will be out matched but not know it. If you have good people advising you, then you should be okay.

I wouldn't worry so much, Space.

For the most part, sparring in martial arts like Tae Kwon Do tends to be based off muscle memory and basic reactions to a much greater degree than high level thought, and while boxing is a different style altogether, I'd imagine the same principles carry through. A fight on the street lasts about 5 seconds. A fight in competition lasts longer, but not by all that much when its serious, so thought doesnt enter hugely into it.

if you can get a partner to help, the best training exercise (aside from sparring itself) would be to do reactive one steps. Your partner attacks in the same, predetermined way, and you figure out what response is best for that situation, and drill it into your mind. (It could be something simple like in response to a punch, you dodge and punch, or something complex like in response to a turning kick, respond with a full spinning kick... whatever suits your personal style.)

With enough practice, your body will move almost as though on its own. In my experience and opinion, the real skill is figuring out how to train yourself right.

I use to e good a cicket back in the 7th grade in 1995

I guess i can't follow trough on anything
probably a lack of patience

I have done a few martial arts. my ablity is extremely good. I am really really bad at trying to understand verbal instructions. I almost completely can't learn patterns. (its why im thinking of quiting one of the arts that seems to focus mostly on patterns.)

In a ring i seem to do well. I have a much faster reaction time that NTs and I am alot quicker. I watch the opniont and see them start to move then naturally react. I find i probably analyse the fight as im going as if it were some really interesting technical thing like a computer or some thing.

I find that as a Aspie I can work on and improve my ablitys alot faster easier and with more determination than others. I just have to use differen't techniques to others because I stuggle learning there way.

What MA's do you train? There's a lot of amazing fighters coming out of NZ/AUS area. I train in kickboxing/muay thai, but I think I might start taking Jiu Jitsu this summer aswell.