Why Do South Asians Struggle At Sports And Being Athletic

[albcan]

only sport south Asians seem to be good at is cricket

and considering india alone makes up a larger population of cricket fans then rest of the world combined doesn't really say much for south Asian athleticism

how much of this have to do with culture?

how much of this have to do with diet? lack of protein and all the butter and ghee and cooking are vegetables rather then eating them raw and fresh and green

and are diet helps south Asians win gold medal in diabetes compared to rest of the world

I don't think its genetics cause the top power lifters in Canada and wrestlers come from bc and tend to be Punjabi boys who grew up on farms in canada

why do such poor African nations much more poor then any south Asian nation and more corrupt then any south Asian nation have more athletic success then all of south asia combined

Africans have destroyed the corruption and poverty excuse so south Asians can't use that

England the black youth make up half of the population of south Asian youth yet their is an explosion of black soccer players but no one from south Asian background has made any real break through

I know their is Michael Chopra but again not anything big

[chatanga1]

And Danny Baath.

[kdsingh80]

only sport south Asians seem to be good at is cricket

and considering india alone makes up a larger population of cricket fans then rest of the world combined doesn't really say much for south Asian athleticism

how much of this have to do with culture?

how much of this have to do with diet? lack of protein and all the butter and ghee and cooking are vegetables rather then eating them raw and fresh and green

and are diet helps south Asians win gold medal in diabetes compared to rest of the world

I don't think its genetics cause the top power lifters in Canada and wrestlers come from bc and tend to be Punjabi boys who grew up on farms in canada

why do such poor African nations much more poor then any south Asian nation and more corrupt then any south Asian nation have more athletic success then all of south asia combined

Africans have destroyed the corruption and poverty excuse so south Asians can't use that

England the black youth make up half of the population of south Asian youth yet their is an explosion of black soccer players but no one from south Asian background has made any real break through

I know their is Michael Chopra but again not anything big

Well genetics do play a very important role.Genes require to be a power lifter and soccer player are different.West Africans do have genetic advantage in fast athletic sports .Kenyans are also soccer crazy but they don't even qualify for world cup yet on the other hand they win most of marathons

[kdsingh80]

Indeed, Empirical evidence makes hash of the myth that culture makes the athlete. Look at Kenya: with but 43 million people, the country holds more than one third of top times in distance races. What explains this phenomenon? It’s in their culture, say many social scientists. Kenyans dominate distance races because they “naturally trained” as children—by running back and forth to school, for example.

“That’s just silly,” Kenyan-born Wilson Kipketer told me. Kipketer currently holds eight of the 17 all-time fastest 800m times, a middle-distance track event. “I lived right next door to school,” he laughed, dismissing cookie-cutter explanations. “I walked, nice and slow.”

What motivated Kipketer to pursue running? Like most young Kenyans, while growing up Kipketer hoped that he might catch the eye of a coach who combs the countryside to find the next generation of budding stars. He had dreams of being cheered as he entered the National Stadium in Nairobi.

Only one problem: the national sport, the hero worship, the adoring fans, the social channeling—that all speaks to Kenya’s enduring love affair with soccer, not running. And Kipketer, like many Kenyans, was not very good at soccer; Kenyans simply don’t seem to have the genetic package to make them world-class sprinters. But East Africans do tend to excel at long-distance running, and many suggest that’s due to an increased natural lung capacity and a preponderance of slow-twitch muscles. That’s a perfect biomechanical package for long-distance running, but a disaster for sports that require anaerobic bursts, like sprinting or soccer. Indeed, Kenya’s fastest 100m time, 10.26, is a half second slower than Bolt’s world record. There are more than 5,000 times ranked higher than Kenya’s best.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/11/what-makes-a-great-olympian-sometimes-it-s-genetics.html

[dalsingh101]

I think also deeply entrenched cultural issues play a part as well.

It takes a lot of investment and risk to produce a successful athlete, apnay would rather take a safer gamble for a degree of security. We aren't at a point where these things are seen as a realistic career option.

Personally I think someone becoming doctor is much better than becoming a footballer, even if the latter makes 10x more money.

[kdsingh80]

I think also deeply entrenched cultural issues play a part as well.

It takes a lot of investment and risk to produce a successful athlete, apnay would rather take a safer gamble for a degree of security. We aren't at a point where these things are seen as a realistic career option.

Personally I think someone becoming doctor is much better than becoming a footballer, even if the latter makes 10x more money.

Sportsmen give recognition to their people like nothing else. Imagine a world class sikh footballer will educate millions about that there some people on earth which are sikhs and they are not muslims.

[dalsingh101]

Sportsmen give recognition to their people like nothing else. Imagine a world class sikh footballer will educate millions about that there some people on earth which are sikhs and they are not muslims.

This is not an obsession with some people, like it is with others.

I'd say that US Sikhs are the ones most concerned with the above (due to violent and verbal attacks). It appears as if (generally speaking), Sikhs in the UK and Canada don't have this 'mistaken identity' problem on any severe level. Nor do Sikhs in Malaysia, Singapore and so on.

[chatanga1]

It takes a lot of investment and risk to produce a successful athlete,

Panjabi/Indian parents are unable to take this risk. Our culture is one of offspring caring for their parents in later years, and if the children havent made a half-decent career with a giid income, they think they will not get the support they need. So they try to encourage their kids into the safer option.

I used to work with a gora, who was excellent at foopball, had trials with Sheffield United, and but suffered a knee injury. he neglected his studies from about 14-18 in the hope of becoming a footballer, but when that vanished he had nothing.

Parents are a little more open now, as even the entertainments industry, or the arts were not encouraged either.

[kdsingh80]

This is not an obsession with some people, like it is with others.

I'd say that US Sikhs are the ones most concerned with the above (due to violent and verbal attacks). It appears as if (generally speaking), Sikhs in the UK and Canada don't have this 'mistaken identity' problem on any severe level. Nor do Sikhs in Malaysia, Singapore and so on.

Its not only about racial attacks .If you dominate in sports your fans may even know about your religion. Even in many parts of India there is no knowledge of sikhism, It was due to presence o patka wearing sikh cricketers many people recognise that there is community in India called sikhs

[aksantali]

I've seen many athletic punjabi's....just the older uncles are out of shape and fat.

[kdsingh80]

I've seen many athletic punjabi's....just the older uncles are out of shape and fat.

Well how many of them are at world stage of athletic sports?

[albcan]

Their over 2 billion people in india pakistan bagledesh and sri lanka yet jamaica a nation of 2 million has more then ten times the athletic success then all of south asia combined

Trinidad is a country of one million

Half of the country is black and half is indian

The indians control 90 percent of the wealth

But that half million of blacks with lack of wealth and resources were still able to qualify for the world cup in soccer more then india pakistan bangledesh sri lanka combined

[dalsingh101]

Its not only about racial attacks .If you dominate in sports your fans may even know about your religion.

You should also know that commitment to religiosity varies, and just because someone being visibly Sikh is in the media eye, doesn't mean they will represent the religion well.

I'd argue most apnay wear bana more out of a sort a cultural continuum than deeply held faith these days anyway.

[WashboardAbs]

Made an account just for this thread.

I can give you my own first hand experience.

Ever since a young age throughout Primary and Secondary school i was very good at all sports. I played for several top gore football teams in upper leagues in the midlands in addition whilst playing for the District side from ages 13 through to 16. I was way ahead of all the different races in my Schools and Area....

Once i turned 17 is where the problems began. Growing up in a strict sikhi household first of all my parents were totally opposed to taking football seriously... The first Argument used was that it would be impossible to become a footballer with Sikhi Saroop, second argument was the lifestyle that "Footballers" lead and lastly was the age old.... "What if it doesn't work out" I say 17 because as i would turn 18 my age group would put me in the semi pro team and that required training 3 times a week and potential travelling across Europe. Time from my studies my parents were not willing to sacrafice. You have to give it your all playing/training most of your time something which isn't possible whilst in full time education.

I had obstacles and hurdles created constantly to not let me take it seriously. My parents almost forced me down the mundane route to get a degree then get a typical job just like everybody else.

At the time, i was naive and just went along with everything as i really thought they had my best intentions at heart. As i get older and realise what a HUGE mistake this was on their behalf i have started to fester some real resentment for their thought process... i'm not trying to sound full of ego but i was really damn good and had a great opportunity taken from me for the sake of my "Religion".

There will be asians coming through as the second/third generation British Asians begin having kids. Genetics obviously play a role but to think that we don't have them is a bit daft.

Edited June 27, 2014 by WashboardAbs

[dalsingh101]

Why are some Sikhs obsessed with being recognised?

I remember one patka wearing Sikh teenager who was ecstatic about having met some Sikh guys who would sit with Alex Ferguson (or someone like that) in televised matches.

I thought: is that all it takes to impress you? Is that all it takes to be a role model? Be sitting next to a football team manager on tv.

Edited June 27, 2014 by dalsingh101

[albcan]

Yes education is important in the sikh community just like every other community parents want the best for their kids but not all sikhs get educated an sikhs an gora have about the same acadamic success

[hg45]

Indians don't like sport and that is the reason why we have no famous sports men/women who come from this background. We have plenty of kabbadi players and few tennis players but sadly they all lack character. When you watch these players playing their respective sport they hardly have any presence. They lack personality and a fighting spirit. You are right when you say we will win gold medal in diabetes and so on, yes, because this depends on what we eat. Our culture does not allow us to grow and decide for ourselves.

[Genie Singh]

diet maybe not taking in all sorts of proteins from pigs and cows

[albcan]

diet plays the biggest role

india has a huge vegetarian culture and eating high amount of sugar and butter and carbs and bread

muslims eat meat and yeah they get protein but when it comes to rest of their diet along with

many Indians they rely on getting big by drinking butter and eating indian sweats loaded with sugar and a lot of roti loaded with carbs

and when it comes to the vegetables we cook them killing most of the nutrition in them

we should be eating most veggies fresh and green with some like spinach that can be steamed

south asia gets the gold medal when it comes to diet that destroys athleticism

first of all south Asians should be eating chicken and fish and turkey meat for protein

eating their vegetables raw and fresh like broccoli or steam your spinach but not cook the spinach into saag destroying most the nutrition then throw in butter for flavour

replace indian sweets with fruits

and cut out the roti and carbs

if Indians changed their diet and had a cultural revolution in terms of diet and went through a sports revolution were they drop cricket and participate in other sports india would explode and be up their with America and china in medals at the Olympics and be competing in world cup in soccer

Punjabis in vancouver dominate Canada when it comes to weightlifting and wrestling they come from farming along with a Punjabi culture that push's wrestling and weight lifting and by living in Canada they learned what type of diet they need to be competitive

lets face it the world laughs at south Asians when it comes to athletics

in north America cricket players aren't seen as great athletes their seen as being athletic as golf players

[hg45]

It is all in the mind. If you are mentally strong to achieve something then there is nothing that can stop a person from reaching the summit.

There is no perfect diet in this world anymore vegetarian or non vegetarian. They are both damaging. If you stop eating carbs or vegetables and replace them with meat white or red or even eggs you are heading towards a disaster. Not only our populations will die of diabetes and its complications but also strokes, cancers of all kinds and coronary heart disease will become rampant. All these were called the diseases of the old and rich mainly people in the west when my father was a young physician. He is retired now and he keeps telling us things are not looking good within our community.

You can eat a healthy diet what we need is exercise. Exercise is the so essential to digest and burn off extra calories. Our people are not known for doing any exercise and you can see when you go to India and also any gurdwara anywhere in the world. We have obesity on the rise all over the world.

How are we or our children ever going to play sport when they don't even bother to pay attention to any form of physical exercise is something to thin about.

Yes, replace a south Asian diet which can be healthy if sensibly prepared with a typical western diet meat, eggs, fish and cheese plus lots of alcohol then wait and see the disaster it can lead to.

[Genie Singh]

http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/healthy-recipes/a-guys-guide-to-pork

[dalsingh101]

but not all sikhs get educated an sikhs an gora have about the same acadamic success

I don't know where you are but in the UK 'Indians' outdo indigenous whites (especially working class ones) by miles. This is clearly shown in statistics.

Sadly, we don't know the proportion of Sikhs in the 'Indian' grouping. Would be good to know. I'm pretty sure Hindus do better than Sikhs academically but then Sikhs have an over representation in other skilled manual work i.e. building houses.

[aksantali]

Well how many of them are at world stage of athletic sports?

that will change soon its because the parents who come from india want their kids to excel in academics and don't motivate/push them into sports.

[chatanga1]

Sadly, we don't know the proportion of Sikhs in the 'Indian' grouping. Would be good to know. I'm pretty sure Hindus do better than Sikhs academically but then

Ive got a feeling that the Hindus ie Gujeratis and Tamils in the UK do better academically than the Sikhs or Panjabis, but this is reversed when it comes to sports.

[HSD]