By: C. Gontijo 

In the past few years, there has been a growing trend of elite athletes turning to unconventional training methods with the goal of enhancing their performance in their respective sports. The rigidity of traditional strength and conditioning routines are evolving as athletes explore ways to gain a competitive edge on their colleagues. They have been using techniques such as yoga, mindfulness and cross-disciplinary training; practices that encourage motivation based on body awareness and kindness. These methods help with the athletes mental conditions, aiding them with stress management and focus. It reduces pre-game anxiety and assists with post-game recovery. Therefore, it becomes clear that those calmer, almost meditative practices are becoming a pivotal part of modern sports training.


For example, the famous tennis player, Novak Djokovic, uses daily meditation to help him stay composed in high pressure situations, such as his games. He credits this technique for his improved focus and mental clarity. It helps him not only with his on-court performance, but also with bouncing back from any setbacks throughout his career. This example just emphasizes the importance of mental health in the world of modern sports. Obviously, physical training will help athletes with their strength, speed and endurance; however, only mental practices can assist athletes in maintaining their focus and resilience during competition. It allows them to perform consistently at the highest level, a key factor for achieving long-term success in sports.


Another interesting part of modern sports training is the implementation of flexibility and yoga practices in professional athletes' routines. Tom Brady, a famous ex professional football quarterback, used to use those techniques as a method for injury prevention, improved mobility and to generally extend his sports career. It also helped him to recover faster from the fatigue and physical exertion of such a demanding sport. By doing that, Brady managed to keep up his peak performance well into his 40s, an impressive achievement. Those are all issues that regular athletes face and that normal weightlifting does not address as effectively as yoga and flexibility practices do.


Additionally, athletes are borrowing techniques from disciplines like ballet, martial arts and dance to enhance their balance, agility and coordination, all aspects useful in any other sport. Ballet, for example, can help with posture and flexibility, skills vital for NFL players that require repetition of quick, precise movements. Martial arts can teach body control and mental resilience, whilst dance can help with spatial awareness. All of these offer a holistic approach to training, allowing athletes to refine skills that traditional practices may not target as thoroughly.


The examples show that the modern athlete is not as simply defined by his brute strength or endurance. They are a blend of their physical and mental skills. Incorporating these alternative techniques allows athletes to push their boundaries and therefore, remain successful in a highly competitive market. Hopefully, these innovations will set new standards for the newest generation of athletes, demanding a more well-rounded training routine in order to achieve peak performance.

By: R. Thomas 

Sweat, competitiveness, determination and social interactions are all adjectives which describe sports. We as human beings use sports be it for physical exertion, or as something that brings us all together; however, when we come to think of it how was such an activity created? 


Sports involve both physical demand, logical thinking and most times group work; creating the rules, expectations and strategies involve plenty of "thinking outside the box" skills, ones which certainly aren't in everyone's capacity.  


The Sumerians were some of the first humans to ever record their sport activity around 3000 bc, essentially wrestling. Sports have evolved drastically to become what they are today, from an activity described as a physical form of ritual to the now modern sports which are tightly dictated by rules, strategies, measurements and records. The sporting timeline development can thus be described as a complex plot which time travels to a variety of different centuries and transports itself from place to place.
   
The question; what was the "first" sport ever created, would be a tough question to answer, as it would probably consist of multiple responses. Although some believe spear throwing was the first ever sport to be recorded at around 70000 bc, due to the need to practice hunting skills; others argue that wrestling along with running was created beforehand. But what makes a sport, a sport? 


Let’s discuss the famous argument about considering chess a sport or not, it is recognized by the international Olympic committee, however is it still a sport even though it doesn't involve physical aspects? But if we were to analyze what makes a sport a sport this article would lean more towards a Tok essay, so we'll skip that for now... 


The newest sport to be created is known as "Bossaball" and interestingly enough it was created in Brazil. The sport combines elements from volleyball, football, gymnastics and even musical components and is played between two teams. In reality who created it was a Belgium music producer, Filip Eckman's who inspired himself on the Bosa Nova songs from; Tom Jovem and Vinicius de Moraes to develop the activity in 2004. This sport is now known worldwide and is practiced in Europe, in Brazil however it is most played during the summer when the courts are  set up  in the golden warm sand of the multiple beaches that make up the Brazilian coastline.  


In conclusion, sports are a huge component in our society and have been a part of it for centuries. Whether you play a modern mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics with a sprinkle of musical elements, the strategic and mind tickling chess, or the quick and violent art of wrestling, we can all agree that to create these so-called sports defy normal, conventional thinking.  

By: A. Hemnani

When I saw the theme "thinking outside the box"  the first thing that comes to my mind is certainly not sports. Thinking outside the box in sports means finding new ways to improve performance, and training. It encourages creativity, with new techniques, technology, or new games, and game strategies. 
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Sports are all about teamwork, skills, and having fun, but what if we could change things around a bit? Thinking outside the box, imagine a basketball player using virtual reality to practice shooting baskets, or a volleyball team trying out unusual plays inspired by video games. 


Have you been going to your past PE classes? If so, have you noticed that the PE department has been building a more diverse curriculum while exploring new ways to teach us? 


These ideas can be very exciting, however it could also take a wile to adjust to them. People may prefer the old fashion ways of doing things, take our PE lessons as an example, I know for a fact that some pupils preferred the more physically active  part of PE, instead of taking tests to expand their learning. We should find a healthy balance and moderation using these new ideas and thinking outside of the box, and our more traditional parts of PE.  


We need to understand that both sides are unique in their own way, and it is important to have a balance when we decide to think outside the box and when you know it is ok to use other more new ideas. 

By: T. Fakhoury

When you first start playing a sport, you might be dumbfounded by the information overload, you start off by learning the basics and understanding how the sport works, but at some point you will reach a level in which there is nothing new to learn. You might already know all the basics and you may have mastered them, but what differentiates the best players from average players thinking outside the box.


The “box” in this context would mean the basics of the sport in general. By thinking outside of it, you use what you know to explore different areas and situations nobody has thought to do before. By thinking outside the box we can find ways to  bypass problems, which might not exactly be in the rules, but that means that you are thinking outside the box, you are thinking outside of the game. The best way to do this is by practicing on your own, no need for a coach, all you need is yourself , and that’s what creates the best players.


Being flexible in tense and rapid situations is what differentiates you from others. For example, you might know that some players have created signature moves like Ronaldo’s “Chop” or Iniesta’s “La Croqueta”. Today these moves are used by many, but they will always be seen as the original players’ move, they always refer back to the original players who created them, making them stand out.


By being flexible and using your creativity to overcome tricky situations you are thinking outside the box, showing your mastery of the sport and being able to overcome problems in different ways, making you stand out as this is unique to you, not always have to create a move or a play, you can also join 2 of them together, but what matters is how you stand out and show your ability to think and improve.