Toughest Sports in the World

Kevin Duffy

kincsem wrote: »

The title says Toughest but then everyone talks about skill.

In the article, skill is listed as one of the scoring criteria, hence the discussion of it where it seems to be underestimated, such as in boxing. Also, developing a skill and reproducing it under pressure is tough.

af_thefragile

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

It put it at no. 4, not 3, which is why I mentioned discounting 1 and 4. I know the thread is about toughest sports, you're the one who chipped in with the nonsense about climbing being safe, which was only part of why I suggested it as a tough sport.

Its mostly safe unless you decide to go climbing in the middle of nowhere without informing anyone about it... That's when most casualties happen. People with not enough experience trying things out on their own or climbers trying out new rock faces.

I'm in my college's climbing club and we go climbing fairly regularly (i don't do it as much anymore cuz I'm getting in my final years and I need to focus more on the studies) and never anything bad has happened... As I mentioned, once you get over the initial fear of the heights and being suspended by just a rope, you'll feel pretty safe, though you're still just human and you do think of the "what if the rope breaks?!!" but its not something that stops you from doing it...

Anyway, here's another one for a tough and dangerous sport which requires tons of skill and balls the size of jupiter!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVXc29ZgutI

But for the toughest I'ld say this has to be up there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_des_Sables

Kevin Duffy

af_thefragile wrote: »

Its mostly safe unless you decide to go climbing in the middle of nowhere without informing anyone about it... That's when most casualties happen. People with not enough experience trying things out on their own or climbers trying out new rock faces.

I'm in my college's climbing club and we go climbing fairly regularly (i don't do it as much anymore cuz I'm getting in my final years and I need to focus more on the studies) and never anything bad has happened... As I mentioned, once you get over the initial fear of the heights and being suspended by just a rope, you'll feel pretty safe, though you're still just human and you do think of the "what if the rope breaks?!!" but its not something that stops you from doing it...

Seriously, stop imagining you know much about climbing, you don't.

af_thefragile

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

Seriously, stop imagining you know much about climbing, you don't.

Ok sir.

yupyup7up

summerskin wrote: »

Can't believe rugby union is on the list! I started playing union when after 20 years of rugby league my knees were fcucked and my fitness was shiite, and still played for 8 years!

Its a fun game and great to play but my god it's nowhere near as physical or as tough as league

League players would generally be fitter and stronger, and you can shoulder charge so yeah in that sense it is tougher, but having a fat 18 stone prop standing on your face in a ruck in union is not cool...

if League had rucks like union it would be tougher.

sock puppet

af_thefragile wrote: »

F1.

You're heart is racing at 180bpm peaking upto 220 and 230bpm

Well 180bpm is hardly racing. If your max rate is indeed 230 then 50 bbm is grand.

af_thefragile

sock puppet wrote: »

Well 180bpm is hardly racing. If your max rate is indeed 230 then 50 bbm is grand.

For 2hrs straight, its quite a lot...
Especially when you factor in the heat, the G-Forces and the concentration required. The car is constantly behaving differently as the tyres degrade, the fuel gets used up and the car gets lighter, the track conditions change etc.

Capt'n Midnight

Cheerleading.

Much higher injury/death rate than American Football and no protective gear.

af_thefragile

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Cheerleading.

Much higher injury/death rate than American Football and no protective gear.

They do have airbags...


/gets coat

sock puppet

af_thefragile wrote: »

For 2hrs straight, its quite a lot...
Especially when you factor in the heat, the G-Forces and the concentration required. The car is constantly behaving differently as the tyres degrade, the fuel gets used up and the car gets lighter, the track conditions change etc.

Didn't actually know how long an F1 race was. But yeah that's tough enough for 2 hours but still manageable. Definitely not unusual.

It's an impossible question to answer anyway unless you've played every sport there is to a high level.

foxyboxer

Golf is the toughest sport in terms of skill.

Hazys

summerskin wrote: »

Rubbish! Only cornerbacks, rb's wide receivers, tight ends have ANY fitness level that could be classed as near to that of many other sports. 60 mins of action spread over 3 hours, of which time is split between offense and defence!

An offensive tackle in NFL has about 10% the fitness of your average union prop!

And a union prop is about as fit as Pauline quirk.

I dont see anywhere where MikeMac mentioned endurance


I'd recomend people watch the travel/sports show "Dhani Tackles the Globe". Its a real lads show. Its about a American Football Linebacker travelling the world trying his hand at other sports from from different countries. He has a go at everything from Hurling to Mauy Thai.

The two sports where he struggled were Water Polo and cycling. Obviously he doesnt have the light body you need for that kind of endurance but you can tell from his experiences that they are deadly sports.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhani_Tackles_the_Globe

Calcio Fiorentino (Florentine football) would be high on my list. Its BRUTAL.

Here is the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcio_Fiorentino

This is a kind of a documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm2hgqa-2ws

epgc3fyqirnbsx

4/10 for endurance in boxing? Madness

Chess boxing looks amazing, it would be oerfect for Eurosport!

Tonyandthewhale

Gymnastics should be higher up that list I reckon, the some of the **** they do is outrageous and even at the amateur level the training is incredibly intense. Rowing would be also one to consider I reckon because of the need to employ just about every muscle in the body.
Hurling should be rated higher in skill than a six and american football has no place on that list because they get to stop for a rest every few minutes and they wear more armour than a T-72. I'm sure it's hard at a high level but it's nowhere near the toughest in the world.

As a cyclist I'd like to say cycling should be up there because at the pro level the effort involved is superhuman and there are few things in this world more painful than a 40km time trial. A hour (or less if you're good at it) riding just below your power threshold, heart rate at an unreal level, your eyes on the clock, no one on the road but you, unable to rest for even a second, constant robotic effort. But on the other hand you don't need the same level of skill you'd need in something like hurling or hockey and if you're not time trialing or climbing or doing something insane like the RAAM or just competing at a very high level then it can be quite an easy-going sport since you get to freewheel and draft.

ejmaztec

Playing pass the parcel in the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel is the toughest sport in the world.

Forest Master

foxyboxer wrote: »

Golf is the toughest sport in terms of skill.

Golf isn't a sport.

foxyboxer

Forest Master wrote: »

Golf isn't a sport.

Tiger Woods. First Billion dollar* athlete. ATHLETE.

Not, Tiger Woods, First Billion Dollar, game-playing-type-person.






*not anymore though

Pherekydes

foxyboxer wrote: »

Tiger Woods. First Billion dollar* athlete. ATHLETE.

Athletes compete in Athletics.

foxyboxer

Pherekydes wrote: »

Athletes compete in Athletics.

A catch all term. I'm sure Woods runs track as training too, if we're being pedantic.
If Golf is not a sport, then what is it classed as?

Ergo if Golf is not a Sport, then what is Tennis for example?
It has the same, stop-start rhythm, involves a ball, and a "bat", and what of cricket?

foxyboxer

Exhibit B :cool:

Dotrel

Karate.

Not only do you have to fight four bouts in one day (one with a broken leg) but you have to do it while listening to cheesy 80s montage music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fWvub_WBho

Pherekydes

foxyboxer wrote: »

A catch all term. I'm sure Woods runs track as training too, if we're being pedantic.

Do Craig Stadtler, Ronan Rafferty or Angel Cabrera run track for training?

Golf excellence doesn't require athleticism. It just requires practice.

Just because Golf is listed in the Boards sports category doesn't mean it's a sport.

Forest Master

foxyboxer wrote: »

If Golf is not a sport, then what is it classed as?

It's a game - like Darts, Bowling, etc. It's a game of skill - you don't need to be an athlete to excel at a high level at it (some golfers may train in the gym, etc, but it's not part of the requirements) - some of the top players are fat and/or old. Didn't some fat old guy just win some big tournament recently? I saw him on Sky Sports and laughed at how Golf could possibly be considered a sport when this guy was the best, and he wasn't in any way athletic.

These guys are 2 world-renowned top golfers:

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/tools/med/2008/11/ipt/1225963637.jpg
http://www.sportsrubbish.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/craig-stadler2.jpg

Dotrel

Pherekydes wrote: »

Just because Golf is listed in the Boards sports category doesn't mean it's a sport.

Pro Wrestling is also in the boards sport category if anyone disagrees with the above statement.

lamai

McBauer wrote: »

Formula 1 is definitely one of the toughest sports and without question should be on that list

formula 1 is tough why?

Laisurg

Pfff... Boxing, rugby hurling all for pussies! Bear wrestling is where it's at.

Cantona's Collars

lamai wrote: »

formula 1 is tough why?

Extremely punishing physically and mentally plus one bad crash and you could end up dead.
It's not as simple as driving around a track.

lamai

Running?

anyone ever try and run a 5 minute mile?? not many can, and then when you try think that some people actually run it under 4mins.

Forest Master

Has to be MMA. How can anything be tougher than an actual full-contact fight against a highly-trained fighter? It doesn't get more tough than fighting FFS!

lamai

zerks wrote: »

Extremely punishing physically and mentally plus one bad crash and you could end up dead.
It's not as simple as driving around a track.

I know its not, but it is far from the most demanding. it's way off

cycling and running are 2 sports far more punishing than formula 1 ,try coming off a bike on a decent or get hit by a car.

Forest Master

zerks wrote: »

Extremely punishing physically and mentally plus one bad crash and you could end up dead.
It's not as simple as driving around a track.

But why would anyone possibly think it's the toughest in the WORLD? No matter how much concentration it takes, etc, you're still sitting down on your arse! Surely that fact alone would eliminate it from evening being close to a contender!?

ascanbe

The premise of the original article is idiotic; especially regarding the 'skill level of different of the various sports.
While there is common ground between many sports regarding 'skills' required to compete at a reasonable level, eg. balance, speed, leaping ability footwork, hand-eye coordination etc, different sports place a different emphasis on and require a unique application of each of these.
No sport is inherently 'skilfull'; people bring the skill to the sport they take part in, not the other way around, and there is no ceiling on how much skill someone can bring to any sport.

af_thefragile

Forest Master wrote: »

But why would anyone possibly think it's the toughest in the WORLD? No matter how much concentration it takes, etc, you're still sitting down on your arse! Surely that fact alone would eliminate it from evening being close to a contender!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-eiKYyVr2A

Forest Master

af_thefragile wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-eiKYyVr2A

And? I never said it wasn't demanding - but to say it's the TOUGHEST IN THE WORLD (as per topic title) is just mental.

HavingCrack

Fitness wise I'd have to say rowing, boxing, cycling and cross country skiing are all up there.

af_thefragile

Forest Master wrote: »

And? I never said it wasn't demanding - but to say it's the TOUGHEST IN THE WORLD (as per topic title) is just mental.

Because you have to do it for 2hrs straight while competing with the best drivers in the world, you are pushing yourself and the car to its absolute 100% and beyond. Upto 6G of force neck muscles from all directions almost constantly for 2hrs is a lot.
And F1 cars aren't like your hatchback to drive. As proved by Hammond here on Top Gear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGUZJVY-sHo

It might not be the toughest in the world as I'ld say some ultra-marathons are tougher (like this one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_des_Sables).

But as widely followed sports come, compared to football, rugby, even cycling, I'ld say F1 demands more physical fitness.


Although not too long ago in college I learnt that the fittest athletes are cross-country skiers. Because of the endurance and the altitude they ski at.

Logical Fallacy

Forest Master wrote: »

Has to be MMA. How can anything be tougher than an actual full-contact fight against a highly-trained fighter? It doesn't get more tough than fighting FFS!

Truth...then add in the fact that those dudes train boxing, BJJ, MT and wrestling, day in and day out. The need to cardio work, strength and conditioning training etc.

Dudes have moved from other sports into MMA and been crushed under the weight of the physical requirement.

af_thefragile wrote: »

Because you have to do it for 2hrs straight while competing with the best drivers in the world, you are pushing yourself and the car to its absolute 100% and beyond. And F1 cars aren't like your hatchback to drive. As proved by Hammond here on Top Gear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGUZJVY-sHo

Although not too long ago in college I learnt that the fittest athletes are cross-country skiers. Because of the endurance and the altitude they ski at.

All sports are very much requiring a different fitness and conditioning though. The body gets used to actions and becomes adept at them...it's all about the central nervous system.

I'd say cross country skiing is a ****ing mare! Especially because your body will quickly return to normal when you drop altitude...so you either need to peak each time or live up there.

billybudd

chatting up women in Ireland,allegedly

af_thefragile

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

All sports are very much requiring a different fitness and conditioning though. The body gets used to actions and becomes adept at them...it's all about the central nervous system.

That's what separates the Aryton Senna, Michael Schumacher and all the other great F1 drivers from the rest. If you ever watched a documentary on Aryton Senna, you'ld realise how much he spoke of the importance of the right mental state to be able to win races. One of his famous quotes where he said you always try to reach your limit and when you get there, you realise you can go further. There's only so much the machine can do beyond which it was about trusting in yourself to take it that much further than anyone else is willing to do.

Logical Fallacy

af_thefragile wrote: »

That's what separates the Aryton Senna, Michael Schumacher and all the other great F1 drivers from the rest. If you ever watched a documentary on Aryton Senna, you'ld realise how much he spoke of the importance of the right mental state to be able to win races. One of his famous quotes where he said you always try to reach your limit and when you get there, you realise you can go further. There's only so much the machine can do beyond which it was about trusting in yourself to take it that much further than anyone else is willing to do.

I always found it kind of weird that sometimes you get people in sports who are so suited to it that it's beggars belief. Two good examples would be Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps...they are just physically suited in every way to what they do.

But what are the chances of them ending up in the sport? If you think about the thousands of things that could have led them to something else it gets quite interesting.

af_thefragile

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

I always found it kind of weird that sometimes you get people in sports who are so suited to it that it's beggars belief. Two good examples would be Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps...they are just physically suited in every way to what they do.

But what are the chances of them ending up in the sport? If you think about the thousands of things that could have led them to something else it gets quite interesting.

Some people have a passion for a particular sport since a very young age. Though in the case of both Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps, they both took up the sport they excelled in quite late in their life.

I'ld say ultimately it all comes down to the mental state of the person. Its what separates the ones who make it big from the ones who don't.
Like I read once that what separates a virtuoso musician from other musicians is that the ordinary musician will practice his instrument for a couple of hours a day a few times a week. The virtuoso musicians used to practice their instrument for around 6 hours a day at least 6 days a week.

Its that discipline and commitment that separates the great athletes from the rest. Aryton Senna used to talk about how when you're in an F1 car you have to put in 100% of your commitment all the time. It was not the place to think about other things, when you're in the cockpit, your only focus was on the car and the track.

Forest Master

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

af_thefragile wrote: »

That's what separates the Aryton Senna, Michael Schumacher and all the other great F1 drivers from the rest. If you ever watched a documentary on Aryton Senna, you'ld realise how much he spoke of the importance of the right mental state to be able to win races. One of his famous quotes where he said you always try to reach your limit and when you get there, you realise you can go further. There's only so much the machine can do beyond which it was about trusting in yourself to take it that much further than anyone else is willing to do.

I always found it kind of weird that sometimes you get people in sports who are so suited to it that it's beggars belief. Two good examples would be Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps...they are just physically suited in every way to what they do.

But what are the chances of them ending up in the sport? If you think about the thousands of things that could have led them to something else it gets quite interesting.

Lance Armstrong did steroids though, so how good would he have been if clean?

El_Drago

Forest Master wrote: »

Lance Armstrong did steroids though, so how good would he have been if clean?

hasn't been proven

Logical Fallacy

Forest Master wrote: »

Lance Armstrong did steroids though, so how good would he have been if clean?

Nothing ever stuck to him though. Lots of people claiming this and that and normally having not a shred of evidence.

He would always have been good though, even if he did do steroids.I saw a show about him once that detailed how his lungs take in more air, his heart is bigger, stronger and moves more blood than a normal persons, his body deals with lactic acid build up more efficiently...and this was all taking into account his specific training anyway.

He was just made for it.

Saila

sock puppet wrote: »

Well 180bpm is hardly racing. If your max rate is indeed 230 then 50 bbm is grand.

yeah it comes out at 78%MHR which I do in most training sessions for hours and average in races for 5-7 hours

78%? your just cruising at that HR....if you're well trained that is

Saila

Forest Master wrote: »

Lance Armstrong did steroids though, so how good would he have been if clean?

El_Drago wrote: »

hasn't been proven

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Nothing ever stuck to him though. Lots of people claiming this and that and normally having not a shred of evidence.

He would always have been good though, even if he did do steroids.I saw a show about him once that detailed how his lungs take in more air, his heart is bigger, stronger and moves more blood than a normal persons, his body deals with lactic acid build up more efficiently...and this was all taking into account his specific training anyway.

He was just made for it.

oh look its the cycling forum on tour!

Saila

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Nothing ever stuck to him though. Lots of people claiming this and that and normally having not a shred of evidence.

He would always have been good though, even if he did do steroids.I saw a show about him once that detailed how his lungs take in more air, his heart is bigger, stronger and moves more blood than a normal persons, his body deals with lactic acid build up more efficiently...and this was all taking into account his specific training anyway.

He was just made for it.

that sort of stuff only makes sense if you take the same measurements before he ever gets into exercise to use as a baseline, only then can you say he was made for it, its development and training that makes you 'made for it' if you have no baseline to work from and compare to

Paparazzo

How the hell did F1 driving get into a thread about toughest sports in the world?

Boneitus

has to be Fight Football League - seems to be soccer, rugby, basketball and martial arts all in one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEav3AHO8uI