Sports V Chess

In general, most people don't view chess as a sport, except for GM's who will say it is.  While I'm not a GM, or even close to one, I am one of the very few who absolutely agrees and sees it for myself.  I don't notice too much in chess, but outside of chess is where I make the comparison.  Especially in life.  And, in the most strenous sports, I follow chess tactics and strategies for that said sport.  So for me, while it's not physical and only mental, chess is definitely one of the most important sports in the world.

It shares some key aspects with sports, such as constant self improvement and competition, but I rather like this diagram:

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/is-chess-a-sport3?page=2

There's definately a physical aspect to chess (especially once you get up to the level of master players and such) as the brain consumes around 25% of the body's energy. That's just on average. It probably consumes more energy, or at least consumes it quicker, when it's especially active such as chess requires.

I agree with darth_algar.  And, as far as the sports, I feel that this and spin both tie for the hardest sport.  Meaning: When I have participated in many sports, but the main sport I compare with chess is spin, believe it or not.

What is this game you call "spin"? Nothing jumps out of a Google search.

The only thing I can think of is Spin the Bottle, which actually could lead to some very different, but physical strenious situations.

Good question, and while it would seem unrelated, and it is defintely connected.  Believe it or not, spin is not a game, unlike other sports or competitions.  Instead, you are on a bike, but you have to go really fast.  It's like your climbing on a hill with heavy resistence or a very fast sprint.  And, I have participated in many sports such as volleyball, softball, swimming, basketball, floor hocky, and track and field, and lifting weights.  But, spin is much harder because you sweat harder and your legs have to work much harder then any other sport.  So, they're quite soar.  That's why I view it as a physical version of chess due to it's level of difficulty because, in chess, this is what you have to go through by making the really think and sometimes struggle to find the right moves, just like with spin where you have to work really hard to get a good work out. 

I'm pretty sure most GMs do not consider chess a sport. It's a ridiculous idea. Thumb war is even more of a sport than chess.   

Thanks for that, Joey.

So "spin" refers to sitting on a stationary bike and pedalling hard. I had never thought of that as anything approaching difficult. Probably because I actually ride a real bike up a fairly serious hill most days if it's not raining. Maybe you live in the city or the flatlands and don't get that pleasure.
Mind you, I find it hard to imagine how you can call it a sport when it has basically got rid of the element of danger that goes with the real activity. At the moment I'm still waiting for my collarbone and road rash to heal up after crashing at 70 km an hour going down the hill 8 weeks ago. You'll never do that on spin bike! Did I mention the 25 stitches in my head and the broken ribs and punctured lung?
A spin bike is a good way to be able to exercise your legs and heart a bit while reading or watching television, but you would hardly call it a sport.

Good observation. It also suggest that many thinking chess players need to address the physical/nutritional/dealing with "aging" aspect of the game rather than just the narrow technical aspect of the game...

Further, I think it then begs the question, beyond chess, : "How can I maximise my condition generally ?" (that my interest in chess directs me to inquire about).

In fact, I was in a spin class earlier today.  It got challenging, as I needed some very heavy resistance.  Plus, I needed to sprint.  What did I think of?  It was chess, but not any old chess game.  Instead, a position where I'm a Q down, so now, I was thinking of how to pull that swindle since that hill was getting very difficult.  So, I practiced that strategy, based on quizzes that I've been given, where the solution was giving up your Q.  And, that is what helped get through the class.  Then, at the very last working song, I was on the hardest hill, and I used some very similar strategies, but where I was down a R and two pawns early against Jack followed by the swindle that, in reality, I pulled.

its very important sport