<p>These are the girls of today. At a time when most youngsters stick to the traditional hobbies of singing, dancing and painting, there are many young girls in the City who are willing to break those barriers and try out something adventurous, intense and unconventional. This Women’s Day, Metrolife spoke to girls who indulge in high intense sports.<br /><br />Some of the most popular activities among the girls in the City are kick boxing and martial arts like judo, karate, taekwondo and others. Says Pramod, a taekwondo teacher, “Of late, there are a lot of girls coming to learn martial arts as it not only helps them gain confidence but also lead a healthy life.” <br /><br />His student, Tanuja, says that one of the main reasons why she joined taekwondo was to fight against harassment. “Generally when men misbehave, girls tend to ignore them. So I thought it was time we finally do something about it. It was only after I got into martial arts that I learnt how to protect myself and also gain inner strength to face situations,” says Tanuja.<br /><br />Many girls also take up sports. When Suman, a second year BCom student, completed her 12th standard and was bored during her holidays, a few of her guy friends encouraged her to form an all women rugby team — a sport that is often associated with bloodiness and gruesomeness. Laughs Suman, “When I first formed the team, I thought the same way about rugby. But when I started playing it, I realised that it was just a game of controlled aggression,” she adds.<br /><br />Neha Prakash fell in love with rock climbing during one of her school treks. Today, she has won many national-level rock climbing competitions. “I get a sense of achievement when I finish climbing a rock,” she says. Support of parents and friends is one of the main factors that pushes these girls to pursue sports and martial arts on a more serious level. “My family’s support means a lot to me because when I win any competition, it actually makes all the effort worth it,” Neha adds. “Any sport is difficult and scary at first. But as and when you train and practise, things become easier.<br /><br /> I don’t think there is any such thing as a sport meant only for boys or girls. It’s the passion for the game that really counts. The rate at which many girls are coming out and experimenting, I feel girls can actually do things better than the boys,” Neha sums up.</p>
<p>These are the girls of today. At a time when most youngsters stick to the traditional hobbies of singing, dancing and painting, there are many young girls in the City who are willing to break those barriers and try out something adventurous, intense and unconventional. This Women’s Day, Metrolife spoke to girls who indulge in high intense sports.<br /><br />Some of the most popular activities among the girls in the City are kick boxing and martial arts like judo, karate, taekwondo and others. Says Pramod, a taekwondo teacher, “Of late, there are a lot of girls coming to learn martial arts as it not only helps them gain confidence but also lead a healthy life.” <br /><br />His student, Tanuja, says that one of the main reasons why she joined taekwondo was to fight against harassment. “Generally when men misbehave, girls tend to ignore them. So I thought it was time we finally do something about it. It was only after I got into martial arts that I learnt how to protect myself and also gain inner strength to face situations,” says Tanuja.<br /><br />Many girls also take up sports. When Suman, a second year BCom student, completed her 12th standard and was bored during her holidays, a few of her guy friends encouraged her to form an all women rugby team — a sport that is often associated with bloodiness and gruesomeness. Laughs Suman, “When I first formed the team, I thought the same way about rugby. But when I started playing it, I realised that it was just a game of controlled aggression,” she adds.<br /><br />Neha Prakash fell in love with rock climbing during one of her school treks. Today, she has won many national-level rock climbing competitions. “I get a sense of achievement when I finish climbing a rock,” she says. Support of parents and friends is one of the main factors that pushes these girls to pursue sports and martial arts on a more serious level. “My family’s support means a lot to me because when I win any competition, it actually makes all the effort worth it,” Neha adds. “Any sport is difficult and scary at first. But as and when you train and practise, things become easier.<br /><br /> I don’t think there is any such thing as a sport meant only for boys or girls. It’s the passion for the game that really counts. The rate at which many girls are coming out and experimenting, I feel girls can actually do things better than the boys,” Neha sums up.</p>
