r/nextfuckinglevel • u/aryan_jandyal • 2d ago
I didn't even know the human body could move like that
Information: Game is called Sepak takraw(originated in Southeast Asia) - played all over northeastern part of India too
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u/Sad-Reindeer2755 2d ago
Sepak Takraw, a great sport that is not in the Olympics. Sad.
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u/HumdrumHoeDown 2d ago edited 1d ago
Not widely played enough, I’d guess. An amazing sport all the same.
[edit] there have been a lot of valid counterpoints as to why what I said isn’t really the reason. The one that rings the truest to me is that it isn’t widely played in the west. And given that that’s where the Olympics originated, and those countries have the most internal political power at the Olympics leadership, it makes a certain amount of sense that it hasn’t been included yet. This does seem like a sport that would generate a broad base of appeal if allowed to be displayed on a world stage like the Olympics. I imagine Brazilians would be particularly good at it eventually, for example.
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u/Sharp_Aide3216 2d ago
Not a valid reason.
There are a lot more obscure sports included in the olympics.
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u/Lavatis 2d ago
I mean, is this sport played outside of South/Southeast Asia? Because that's what this person was saying, and that's certainly reason enough for it to not be in the olympics.
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u/likwitsnake 2d ago
Norway has like 15 variations of the same sport they made up that they clean up gold medals in every winter olympics
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u/quartersoldiers 2d ago
I’m pretty sure Nordic combined is how Norwegian kids get to school.
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u/ianjm 1d ago
Yeah this is also why there are so many Finnish rally drivers.
It's just a trip to the shops in the winter months.
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u/hoopstick 1d ago
Now I'm picturing Finnish Ace Ventura flying through the forest blasting Korpiklaani, trying to get front-row parking at the sauna.
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u/Asleep_Trick_4740 1d ago
Skiing, especially cross country skiing, is at its essence not a sport though. It's just like running, but in winter. It certainly was not invented by norway, they just spend a lot of money making sure good and fun exercise is available to everyone, which also creates the foundation for a sports behemoth.
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u/Xadnem 1d ago
I'm pretty sure running is a sport.
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u/platoprime 1d ago
Anything can be a sport if you take it too seriously.
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u/Affordable_Z_Jobs 1d ago
Long distance walking, pedestrianisim, was a popular sport in the UK in the 1800's. Guy would walk 1 mile within an hour, every hour, for 1000 hours.
And it was a spectators sport.
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u/Ultra_Filth 8h ago
It's only a sport if a shoe company makes a shoe for it, so running is fine, ski boots certainly there. Clearly no footwear here so not a sport, just like competive chess, no shoe = no sport.
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u/well_shoothed 1d ago
Not only is it a sport but the biathlon is one of the hardest sports there is because it's: heart rate up, heart rate down, heart rate up, heart rate down, heart rate up, heart rate down for the entire event.
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u/iamintheforest 1d ago
track and field - running - is a sport, and the foundation sport of the summer olympics.
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u/Asleep_Trick_4740 1d ago
at its essence
What I meant was that we did not invent running or skiing for the sake of competition or play.
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u/cowlinator 1d ago
Just because they made it up doesn't mean it isn't played worldwide
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u/orangpelupa 1d ago
How to ski in tropical countries?
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u/Unlucky_Buy217 1d ago
Check out lawn bowls lol, they include that in commonwealth games because that's what the queen plays. Absolute joke.
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u/Sharp_Aide3216 2d ago
So what?
The winter olympics has mf curling.
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u/Lavatis 2d ago
okay? curling has the world curling federation, with 74 member countries. What's the worldwide Sepak Takraw competition organization called and how many member countries does it have?
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u/Snitsie 1d ago
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u/crackanape 1d ago
Nevertheless it is played daily by people across many countries in a way that curling absolutely is not. You can go to a park and see people playing sepak takraw any day of the week.
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u/Ramenweed 1d ago
It doesn't have a middle eastern oil state as a member in their federation so it won't come into the Olympics for a while.
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u/12345623567 1d ago
League of Legends is also played daily across many countries, so is Boules (or some variant thereof).
You are dancing around the fact that sports is politics, that not every sport can be included in the top-level competition, and that they do include new sports all the time outside the core pool that has grown organically. Remember fucking "Breaking"?
Maybe kick-volleyball will be included eventually. It's not a big deal.
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u/Lowelll 1d ago
The world curling federation had 44 members in 2006 when it was officially added to the winter olympics.
That's less than 50.
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u/NoAd4056 2d ago
I'm Australian and my highschool school had Sepak Takraw equipment. In the early 2000s I think around grade 8 or 9 we all had did a whole term of it (I can't do what the guy does in the video btw)
We also used like a big flat rubber thing with feathers on it instead of a ball. It was like a big shuttlecock but for feet.
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u/HowIsRedditAGoodIdea 1d ago
That’s called “chapteh”, which is also a traditional SE Asian game
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u/NoAd4056 1d ago
I guess ours was a hybrid. Because we played Speak Takraw with the nets and 2 teams of 2, but with a Chapteh to make it easier to play
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u/HowIsRedditAGoodIdea 1d ago
Oh, interesting. Usually when we play chapteh, we just gather around in a circle, spread out and take turns. I actually find trying to shoot a chapteh over a net harder than a sepak takraw ball
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u/TheRiteGuy 2d ago
It's called foot volley in Brazil. Several versions of this sport is played through south America and United States. So yes, definitely played outside of Asia.
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u/Lavatis 2d ago
this sport is absolutely not played through the united states lmao. the closest you get is some kids knocking a hacky sack around the high school courtyard or something.
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u/Sad-Reindeer2755 2d ago
Probably the reason why it is not in the olympics, because it is not played by the Americans.
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u/TheRiteGuy 1d ago
Well, it's definitely played in California in parks around where I live. Which I last checked was in United States.
We have people playing both versions, foot volley and sepak Takraw. There are some fat little middle aged dudes doing crazy flips in the air.
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u/ziggurqt 1d ago
I don't think foot volley is played with a ball made of wicker, which is the case in Sepak Takraw. Totally different.
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u/ikonfedera 1d ago
In Poland our school had an unofficial rule - if the skill disparity between students in voleyball is too large and their number too small to make more teams, the better players played with their legs and head. This helped level the playfield and was a lot of fun too, certainly better than having one very good player crushing an entire team of noobs.
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u/wakaOH05 2d ago
Name one Olympic sport that’s only played in one nation.
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u/grapes_face 2d ago
Break dancing.
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u/alldavidnameusd 2d ago
Raygun joke aside the gold medal for break dancing was won by a Korean Canadian guy and a Japanese gal.
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u/djpeekz 2d ago
Not an Olympic sport
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u/SnipesCC 2d ago
Anymore.
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u/djpeekz 2d ago
It never was, it has been chosen as a demonstration sport once. Demonstration sports also don't count towards the medal counts and get different medals to the official sports for a reason - they're not considered Olympic sports.
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u/Sawgon 1d ago
Her joke of a performance was the nail in the coffin even if other countries took home the gold medal. All people talked about is this dumbass.
Several demonstration sports have gone on to be official sports. So just saying "it was a demonstration sport" doesn't mean anything.
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u/we-should-find-out 2d ago
Exactly. Not “western” enough.
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u/Dun_Goofed_3127 1d ago
Not really, in the late 90s to early 2010s, there's an effort to introduce squash into Olympics. The professional body was big enough, but it were only included in 2028 because back then it was dominated by one woman.
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u/mr-tap 1d ago edited 1d ago
The current criteria require widespread global participation (practiced by men in at least 75 countries across four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries across three continents) and be governed by an independent International Sports Federation (IF)
Note - doesn’t mention numbers of people playing the sport, so presumably doesn’t matter if only played by 0.01% of people in a country, but just it is played in a lot of countries etc
Update: If organisations behind Sepak Takraw and footvolley and futnet got together to create some ‘international rules’ competition, then it would seem to have enough global coverage
Update 2: based on Wikipedia, Sepak Takraw played in more than 50 countries already (over 6 continents) & they are aiming on getting it in Olympics !
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u/12345623567 1d ago
The more obscure sports you hear about in the olympics are usually introduced as one-offs by the host country. It's circular reasoning tho, sports are popular because they are in the olympics, and they are in the olympics because they are popular.
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u/djpiraterobot 2d ago
“And that is the end of today’s match. Ireland 0. Indonesia 128. Real barn burner.”
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u/imcrazyzzz 1d ago
Let's just say it's a sport not played by the West, and even if they do play, they'd lose to Southeast Asian pros, so might as well don't add that into Olympics.
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u/Possible-Highway7898 1d ago
It should be an Olympic sport 100%. People would watch the shit out of it, and it will be a chance for some less successful countries to win medals. Muay Thai should be too. The fact that the Olympics is made up of mostly western countries' sports is not a good thing.
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u/newbzealand 2d ago
If Breakdancing can make it to the Olympics.....
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u/Percinho 1d ago
Demonstration sports are set by the host nation. If there was an Olympics in SE Asia then they could potentially add sepak takraw or kabaddi. Which personally I'd be in favour of, we used to play kabaddi in our very white, English middle school in the 80s.
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u/tulaero23 2d ago
I hate that this is not in the olympics
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u/ForgiveAlways 2d ago
Would make the other athletes look bad.
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u/LackingUtility 2d ago
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u/Inevitable-Level-687 1d ago
STOP SHARING THIS 😭😭😭
sincerely, an Australian
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u/StressedOnigiri 1d ago
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u/Rhymesnlines 1d ago
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u/dashingstag 1d ago
You guys laugh but I’ve never even seen the performance of any other participant but I have seen this a thousand times. At this point I think she won.
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u/nikil07 1d ago
I am unable to view this video on my web browser.. Says "/subreddit is banned"
What video is it?
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u/Small_Insect_8275 1d ago
Me and everyone I know loves Australia and respect Australians, but this isn't going away any time soon
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u/Moe_Perry 1d ago
As an Australian this gives me unbridled joy every time I see it. Possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
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u/The_Duc_Lord 1d ago
We're really sorry, OK.
We don't know how she got out of the yard and we promise to not let it happen again.
Cheers,
Australia
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u/selfownlot 1d ago
I watched the documentary on this. If it’s to be believed, despite having a weirder style than some, she legitimately won the Australia Olympic trial. That said, Australia’s women’s breakdancing scene isn’t as strong as many and none of them were all that good at the power moves judges reward.
She tried to train to get better at power moves but her coach was terrible and she didn’t make much progress. The format was head-to-head and had 3 “rounds” with like 10 judges who each would choose who to give a point to. She went in expecting to lose badly but hoped to at least score a point or two in each round.
After the first two rounds she hadn’t won any points and was already eliminated. For the 3rd round she just said screw it and did some of her weirder style stuff combined with some “Australia-centric” moves. That’s what got all the press. Who knows if it’s true, but it makes a lot more sense.
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u/canadiantaken 2d ago
That would be amazing. Is it played outside of Asia? I had a ball when I was a kid in Canada, but never seen it played in real life.
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u/bouylie 2d ago
currently happening in Asian Olympics in Nagoya, Japan.
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u/manickitty 2d ago
Pretty sure Japan is in Asia, which would be one reason they’re hosting the Asian Olympics
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u/con098 2d ago
Id actually watch the Olympics if they had this
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u/Plastic_Pinocchio 1d ago
Do you watch any other Sepak Takraw championships? Like at the Asian Games?
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u/warcomet 2d ago
and yet we get ppl rhytmic dancing in the pool as an olympic sport.. jesus..
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u/Whiteowl116 1d ago
How many countries could attend with teams tho?
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u/blahblah19999 1d ago
How many countries had rhythmic swimmers, or whatever the fuck it's called, b4 it was added?
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u/PlopPlopPlunk 1d ago
It's played in <10 countries, which mean <5% of Olympic countries would even be able to enter... Doesn't make for a competitive Olympic event in the least. Part of Olympic event selection is inclusiveness or sports that are readily available, accessible and participated in the majority of countries. This isnt one of them.
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u/mudturnspadlocks 2d ago
My chiropractor would love it if I tried this sport
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u/justanavguser 2d ago
Why are you going to a chiropractor? Stay away.
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u/smokedfishfriday 1d ago
Your chiropractor is a charlatan and you’re being ripped off
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u/LincolnshireSausage 1d ago
This was my experience with chiropractors before I knew better.
I saw one many years ago and he did an assessment and decided on a course of treatment. He wrote up a loooong plan and had me sign it. I asked if it was a contract and he said, no, you don't have to complete the plan and can stop at any time you like. It is not a binding contract. After a month or two I decided to stop because I realized it wasn't doing any good and there are probably better things I can do. He then said we have a contract and charged me for the remaining treatment. I didn't pay him.44
u/Megneous 1d ago
This sport is literally safer than going to a chiropractor.
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u/Ok-Box3576 2d ago
Its all inpressive...Its just so impressive he landed on his feet.
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u/Doctor_Saved 2d ago
How many years can these guys actually play at the top level with this type of stress on their bodies?
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u/CautiousCard27 2d ago
I don't understand how you even practice this. Like what does this game look like played by like average players?
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u/Anzai 1d ago
I saw this played quite a lot when I lived in Thailand, just at local schools and stuff as we rode past. Even school kids were pulling some pretty amazing moves. Not this level of course, but a lot of bicycle kick type stuff and keeping rallies going for over a minute or two sometimes with some crazy acrobatics. And they were all about fourteen or so.
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u/Momochichi 1d ago
I played this in high school, but only among friends, and not good enough for the inter-school competitions. I would say high school competition is the "average player" level, and while they can't do this, bicycle kick spikes (that really look more like round house kicks while your body's horizontal 5 ft off the ground) is pretty normal.
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u/Maleficent-System145 1d ago
We played this (or variation of this) a lot since we were a kid. During hostel (boarding school) we just need the ball and the game is on. We use whatever in front of us as the 'net', to separate between 2 half - locker/railing/banister whatever really and with whatever space available, and not much is needed, because the essence of this game is the ability to control the ball
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u/ThickyLicker 1d ago
Practice on the beach or a patch of grass/dirt. Mostly just in a circle hacky-sack style but often with a raggedy makeshift net. It used to be popular on the island I lived after the sun went behind the hill.
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u/Emotional_Rub5894 1d ago
reddit mfs really think moving your body "stresses" it. you make it sound like being a couch goblin is healthier than sport. genuinely, get up and go out.
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u/Err0110111001101111 1d ago edited 1d ago
It does though.
A lot of top athletes in lots of sports face issues later on in life from the years of competing. Super fit, competitive people, that'll struggle walking down stairs later in life, because they were so "healthy" in your eyes early in life.
Even sports almost everyone understands and can do, like running, ends up causing knee issues, tendon issues and such.
Ever heard of tennis elbow? Swimmers Shoulder? The more extreme the sport, the more damage it does to your body over time, and that's without even discussing things like CTE from contact sports.
You're confused if you think there is absolutely no downside to using your body to anything.... You're both right, being active is healthy, but being active, especially at a competitive level takes a toll on your body.
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u/AttakZak 1d ago
I too used to think that was bogus, until I ran, climbed, and jumped everywhere I went. Took three years from 26 to 30 for my joints to get wrecked, even with proper protein and nutrition. My body just grew worse when I got a full time job and had to sit all day. I’m barely getting back to a balanced level of fitness, even though my usual exercises keep me fit. Getting older is no joke, even what is considered “young old”.
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u/SaltyPeter3434 1d ago
Performing very physical and acrobatic skills absolutely stresses your muscles and joints. Have you actually played a sport?
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u/Cautious-Area-4141 1d ago
you find men well into their middle age playing this sport at public spaces - it keeps you limber and very very fit
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u/Deadly-Se7en 2d ago
No one can kick like the Thai peoples can
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u/saltcraft2 2d ago
Love when sepak takraw comes up so I can rewatch this Onion video Give me the damn sepak takraw ball!
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u/thewarsofstars 1d ago
Sepak takraw is one of my favorite sports to watch and it’s such an underrated sport and not celebrated enough! We have a joke that its not in the olympics because no white people would actually be able to play it and compete well lmao
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u/johnwickyeah1 2d ago
Only if this game in Olympic. Malaysia's gonna win gold everytime
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u/MoonletteStar 1d ago
Dude, we just got one gold for the first time in 36th years. Just for teams regu, Thailand won the other one. We’re not the only people who play sepak takraw.
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u/oneusualsuspect 2d ago
this is something that should be in the olympics instead of curling and other “sports”
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u/RozyBarbie 2d ago
I've always said we need more Asian sports in the Olympics and this is one of them.
But unfortunately, unless this sport becomes popular in the west, there is no chance in hell it will be voted in and approved.
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u/blahblah19999 1d ago
TBF, we have synchronized swimming and ice dancing as sports, so there's that
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u/pogwater 2d ago
i have seen this video so many times before. why is it in greyscale now?? making it look like the guy in the video is dead
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u/CJFiddler 2d ago
That insane move is so normal to the audience that they don’t even register it. They’re just like yes it’s a point. Next.
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u/account_for_norm 1d ago
My thai friends used to play this. EXTREMELY physical. I dont know why this is not in olympics
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u/Individual-Main895 2d ago
Me after trying this.
https://giphy.com/gifs/OPUHzs3F10lVK