Is diving a sport?

[Chewbacca]

Not like diving board Olympics and triple lindy stuff. I mean sink diving.

Or is the hunting part the sport part when you’re in the depths?

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

Not like diving board Olympics and triple lindy stuff. I mean sink diving.

Or is the hunting part the sport part when you’re in the depths?

No. It’s not typically competitive. It’s a hobby or pastime and no more a sport than watches. I say that as a diver with more than 3000 dives.

Spear fishing tournaments and such are fishing competitions. The diving bit is just a means to get to the fish. No different than driving the boat or walking down to the lake.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

No. It’s not typically competitive. It’s a hobby or pastime and no more a sport than watches. I say that as a diver with more than 3000 dives.

Spear fishing tournaments and such are fishing competitions. The diving bit is just a means to get to the fish. No different than driving the boat or walking down to the lake.

generally i agree. However diving does have records so you could consider it competitive to some extent. deepest dive, exploring an area for the first time, etc. No different than mountain climbing. Its a hobby, but its competitive too otherwise there wouldn't be sponsorships for the best in the field, as the fact that people are separated from the pack in order to get sponsored implies competition

[RW16610]

That's an interesting question. I do see how parts of it would be more easily considered a sport. When I go to the dive shop it's certainly made to feel like one, especially with regards to snorkeling.

Wow Abdullah, 3,000 dives? Do you have a most memorable moment or place?

[Blansky]

My flippant definition of a sport is whether or not you can get hurt.

[BisonHead]

You mean Scuba Diving. I would class it as a sport personally.

BSAC (Think UK PADI type group, but bigger beards) has a classification level designated as Sports Diver.

[Brew]

Interesting question. I swim laps with my watches. I don't own a Sub or one of the big Pro diving pieces, but I don't think they would swim laps (or perform this sport) as well as my lowly OP.

[FTX I]

If it's competitive, yes. If it's a profession or a way to have fun on weekends then no. Pretty much like asking if driving is a sport.

[BisonHead]

Definition is:
noun
1.
an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
"team sports such as soccer and rugby"

So from that i guess it isn't a Sport

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

No. It’s not typically competitive. It’s a hobby or pastime and no more a sport than watches. I say that as a diver with more than 3000 dives.

Spear fishing tournaments and such are fishing competitions. The diving bit is just a means to get to the fish. No different than driving the boat or walking down to the lake.

Originally Posted by tyler1980

generally i agree. However diving does have records so you could consider it competitive to some extent. deepest dive, exploring an area for the first time, etc. No different than mountain climbing. Its a hobby, but its competitive too otherwise there wouldn't be sponsorships for the best in the field, as the fact that people are separated from the pack in order to get sponsored implies competition

This has the potential to be an epic “back and forth”.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

generally i agree. However diving does have records so you could consider it competitive to some extent. deepest dive, exploring an area for the first time, etc. No different than mountain climbing. Its a hobby, but its competitive too otherwise there wouldn't be sponsorships for the best in the field, as the fact that people are separated from the pack in order to get sponsored implies competition

None of those records are competitive. Who has the most expensive watch? Does the record paid for a watch make this hobby a sport?

Originally Posted by RW16610

That's an interesting question. I do see how parts of it would be more easily considered a sport. When I go to the dive shop it's certainly made to feel like one, especially with regards to snorkeling.

Wow Abdullah, 3,000 dives? Do you have a most memorable moment or place?

U-533 off Fujairah UAE. 104 meters the day we dived it.

[Chewbacca]

Interesting comments.


Reason I asked was a wis buddy and I had a late discussion and he said a sub is the only dive watch Rolex makes and the sd and dssd were actually tool watches because if you’re going that deep, it’s to either save, repair or recover something. Even the 300m on the sub is overkill for ‘diving’ and iso requirements.

He’s one of those oddball military history wis savants that lives in a cave btw...

So, we decided that;

Sport watches were Daytona and YM YM2

Tool watches Milgauss, gmt exp2 skyD dssd sd

Dive watches sub and sub date, only.



Am I missing anything?

[Blansky]

Language is compromised and dynamic and changes over time.

Many words are meaningless as the original definition no longer apply.

[Dr. Robert]

I always remember the Hemingway quote......there are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert

I always remember the Hemingway quote......there are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.

And all individual achievement sports.

Mojitos have that affect.

[Dr. Robert]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

And all individual achievement sports.

Mojitos have that affect.

And all dangerous, I guess scuba diving could be a sport, there is a chance of danger, being eaten by some deep sea critter

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert

And all dangerous, I guess scuba diving could be a sport, there is a chance of danger, being eaten by some deep sea critter

I hate giant calamari.

[handsfull]

Recreational activity

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by handsfull

Recreational activity

Just like TRF.

With all the sitting, I suppose just as dangerous.

[austinp]

Originally Posted by superdog

This has the potential to be an epic “back and forth”.

Agree. This forum has a handful of really gifted debaters. I love how succinctly both of these guys explain their positions in written form.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[tommy67]

If Scuba Diving is what you mean then you can say it's a sports.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

No. It’s not typically competitive. It’s a hobby or pastime and no more a sport than watches. I say that as a diver with more than 3000 dives.

Spear fishing tournaments and such are fishing competitions. The diving bit is just a means to get to the fish. No different than driving the boat or walking down to the lake.

3000 dives ... you must be growing gills

Seriously, that’s amazing

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by BisonHead

Definition is:
noun
1.
an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
"team sports such as soccer and rugby"

So from that i guess it isn't a Sport

Does the degree of physical exertion make a difference?

[Star Ferry]

some of the least physically fit adults I have seen were recreational scuba divers. but I do enjoy scuba diving as a way to check out sea life

[Ssunnylee24]

here is an interesting video of "Korean lady divers aka Haenyeo".
These ladies been diving for over 50, 60 years for living (or to live).
I wonder what they would say.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk7DQLMKBTE

[Andad]

Originally Posted by austinp

Agree. This forum has a handful of really gifted debaters. I love how succinctly both of these guys explain their positions in written form.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[CalSRQ1]

Originally Posted by Blansky

My flippant definition of a sport is whether or not you can get hurt.

On that note on more than one occasion I’ve been under and thought “what in the heck am I doing (80’) down here?” Yes there are contingency plans and duplicate equipment but if you lose a high pressure line at 80-100 feet things get interesting in a hurry.

[Mifune]

Driving is a competition... Spelling bee is a competition... Poker is a competition... Bass fishing is a competition.

[Burlington]

SCUBA is a hobby

For me, a sport is something you play, you don’t play at diving if you want to be safe.

[enjoythemusic]

My old Ferrari buddy from years back earned Emmy awards for his SCUBA work on video (Jonathan Birdman). Is it a sport? Have no idea if there's a competition, yet to do it well does take talent / skill.

Hey, if the Brits call watching birds a sport, who am I to judge?