Sports Activity during the Life of Citizens

Abstract

Since sports activity is an indispensable condition for the joy of life, efficien cy and health from early childhood until retirement age, it is one of the most important goals of socialist society to encourage all the citizens of all the age groups to practice an optimum of sports activities.

The inclusion of sports activity in the course of life of citizens is a dynamic and controversial process which does not procced in an identical way all the time and can make its appearance in stages of active, regular sports activity, practicing of sport from time to time and a passive attitude towards sport. That is why it is necessary during the various stages of life to introduce self-education and to overcome one's own weakness. Needed too is stimulation and support on the part of sports organizations, the fellow students or workers, and the family.

Interest in sports activity is to a considerable extent determined by social factors and changes in working and living condtions during the course of life.

The continuity of sports activity during childhood until old age depends also markedly on awareness of the positive results brought about by the practicing of sport and on the emotional ties with sport or a sports group. To some extent it de pends on the fact whether the sports organization and other social forces succeed in providing sports facilities, proper training programs and the organizational forms, whether they introduce the proper time volume and shape the correct pre ferences for partners which would be in accordance with the specific requirements of the given age group.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Cf. Hanke H. , Freizeit in der DDR (Leisure Time in the G.D.R.), Dietz Verlag, Berlin, 1979, p. 158.

Cf. Assman G. , Kalok H. Das Verhältnis von Arbeitstätigkeit und Freizeitverhalten im Hinblick auf die schrittweise Verminderung sozialer Unterschiede (Interaction between Work and Leisure Pursuits from the Point of View of a Gradual Decrease in Social Differences), Akademie für die Gesellschaftswissenschaften beim ZK der SED, Berlin (Publ.), Fascicle 9, pp. 103 ff; — Klein I. , Folmert Ch., Zum Zusammenhang von Arbeit und Lebensweise im Sozialismus (The Relation between Work and Way of Life in Socialism), Akademie-Verlag , Berlin, 1977, p. 102 — Römer J. , Arbeiterpersönlichkeit und sozialistische Lebensweise (Personality Traits of Workers and the Socialist Way of Life), Verlag Tri.biine, Berlin, 1977, p. 45.

Cf. Hănsel H. , Zur Leitung and Planung des Gesundheitssports in der Hauptstadt der DDR (Direction and Planning of Sport for Health in the Capital of the G.D.R.), DHfK, Dissertation A, Berlin-Leipzig 1973 , p. 28 ff; — Schulz C. , Die Aufgaben des Sportarztes bei der Betreuung von Gesundheitssportgruppen für Bürger im höheren Lebensalter (The Tasks of the Sports Physician who Takes Care of Health Sports Groups for Elderly Citizens), "Theorie und Praxis der Körperkultur", 1979, 28, 12, p. 988.