Toughest, Most Physically Demanding Sport?

[sunking]

Physically demanding:

 

Rugby/American Football

MMA/Boxing

Triathlon

Gymnastics

Tour Cycling

 

Toughest:

 

The above plus: F1 racing (yes, it has a physical component but IMHO it really is more mental)

[digitalsober]

hands down.. its either boxing and/ or mixed martial art! not only it is physically demanding.. but mentally demanding as well. to physically take a beating is something you cannot do everyday. plus the months of preparation you have to undergo to be physically fit and ready for a fight.

[Mamang Tahimik]

Amen 'bro. And it is 1 on 1 too, unlike team sports, as one already mentioned earlier in the thread wherein a player can take a breather.

 

This is not possible in a 1vs1 situation. Not only it is physically demanding, but the physical abuse is brutal. Bleeding really sucks energy levels away.

[Seyer95]

Rugby

Boxing

[jt2003]

Many years ago, I heard or read somewhere that it's Motocross, because there's simply no quiet moment (mentally, physically, whatever) during a race. Rugby may be toughest on the body (Those scrums!) but at least the players have moments of rest.

[fry_saging]

freestyle climbing---- If you don't practice.... your dead

[SanMigLight]

Boxing and MMA :goatee:

[peep_tom]

I think it's that what they do this days jumping on buildings and whatever structures. What do they call it? Parkour? If that is not dangerous enough and not physically challenging enough then I don't know what is. The question is, is it a sport?

Edited April 13, 2007 by peep_tom

[tom_babauta]

long distance swimming

[xxio]

I have heard from MMA guys, my cousin trained in a Gracie run gym in Hawaii for 1 week, that boxing is more dangerous than MMA as a long term sport.

 

In MMA you can grapple to rest AND the most important thing is you can tap out anytime. In boxing if you get sustained blows to your skull over a 12 round fight you can do more damage to the brain than a one time knockout punch without gloves in a MMA fight.

 

I have heard from MMA guys, my cousin trained in a Gracie run gym in Hawaii for 1 week, that boxing is more dangerous than MMA as a long term sport.

 

In MMA you can grapple to rest AND the most important thing is you can tap out anytime. In boxing if you get sustained blows to your skull over a 12 round fight you can do more damage to the brain than a one time knockout punch without gloves in a MMA fight.

[burrito]

How about low oxygen, arctic mountain climbing? aspxhia, frostbite, freak weather, holes on the ice you're working on and an isolation from the nearest medical help.

[Serial Killer]

Chess?

[bosorero]

Chess?

 

oo naman lalo na't sing laki ng monumento ang mga piyesa.

[plush]

Rugby

[zoudangles]

If you add up physical and mental stress, plus the duration of these demands during any competitive session, I believe very few sports can equal F1 racing. Drivers have been measured at sustaining heart rates of over 200 bpm, equal to cross country skiers at peak workload. They have to fight g-forces reaching up to 5Gs on tight corners. The demands on eyesight are tremendous, because they have to keep switching from long-views to short-views and vice versa in split secods. They lose up to 3.5 kgs of water in a race, perhaps more so in a hot and humid track (e.g., Sepang). And there is the demand on the brain to keep constantly alert through the duration of the race. All these in non-stop action for 90 minutes, where your only rest is a total 15 to 20 seconds from the required two pitstops, and any physical or mental lapse can be fatal.