Which sport do you think takes the most athleticism??

[Hatz]

Just want to know what everyone thinks. Now keep in mind, athleticism is going to mean all aspects of abilities. Not just who can run the longest or who is the strongest. I am sure people are going to try and argue their point of view because it is either their favorite sport to watch or play but just try and be honest about it.

The reason I am asking this is because some friends and I were discussing this and wanted to come to a consensus.........we never did. :P

Oh and something like the Decathalon doesn't count. Make it one event type thing.

Anyways, what I decided on along with some others was basketball. The reason we chose this is because in basketball you have to be somewhat strong, in great physical shape, have good hand eye coordination, work as a team, be able to dribble while having a defender on you at all time, shoot a ball anywhere from 1ft to 23ft, jump constantly and be aware of your surrondings at all time etc, etc.

Let me know what you guys think.

Hatz

[gmatov]

I'm assuming you are American, as am I.

Till a couple months ago I hated b'ball. Still do, except my g'daughter plays now, and anything she does I can enjoy.

Still, pro ball is an "elephant's ballet". Giants trundling from one end of the court to the other. As you say, hand eye and even further than 23 feet, 3 point shots.

Wasn't into soccer, either, till she started, but even 10 year old girls work harder at the sport than our comparably aged boys playing American football. They play at full speed for 20 minute periods, with a sub on occasion. Run like hell, take a break, get a drink, go back to work.

Football, mix it up for 5 seconds, mill around for 2 minutes, mix it up again. Size is the major consideration, speed for a few positions, RB, etc.

Latin-European soccer (prob should cap that) same thing. 45 minutes at a stretch, flat out. ( Not really, I see that with my kid, she conserves her energy, lopes, till the ball is near enough to go for then the legs stretch out and she run like a gazelle. Pros do the same. They'd never last an hour and a half otherwise.)

Rugby seems to be the same as our football, tough men who can take a fist in the mouth and keep going, no protective gear. Purely brute strength.

Ah, well, you might be a roundball player. I don't think it is all that much an athletic wringer outer.

My opinion.

Cheers,

George

[pacmania_2001]

It would have to be Golf for sure.

[pacmania_2001]

Actually I change my vote to Lawn Bowls.

[indolikaa]

Water polo.

[lordsmurf]

Kickboxing ... and not the pansy Taebo version

[Devanshu]

This is a toughie...

Although I dont like the sport, I think soccer takes a great deal of athleticism...I say this becuase you need to have a ton of energy to run from one side of the field to the other, good hand-eye coordination, and so on and so forth.

It may not seem like it, but baseball requires a LOT of athleticism....especially if you're the pitcher.

[gmatov]

Pacman,

Absolutely, not golf. Hell, I golf. Now if you walk and drag that bag around, you could call it masochism, not athleticism.


Devanshu,

Pitchers are freaks of nature. The human arm is not deigned to go through that torture, as is evidenced by how many go through surgery on elbows, shoulders, wrists, etc.

Indolikaa,,

For you, probably ladies water polo, and I'll bet you have trouble keeping your eye on the ball. "Yes, dear, that was a magnificent pair of, er, er, that was a great save.."

Kick boxing?

Nah, I've seen Chuck Norris kick a guy in the head 27 times and he keeps coming, must be all love taps, what with bare feet. Of course he doesn't do much better with a 9 m/m.

Cheers,


George

Gotta fix thiss damn KB

[Will Hay]

Sex, especially the way I do it
Will

For you, probably ladies water polo, and I'll bet you have trouble keeping your eye on the ball. "Yes, dear, that was a magnificent pair of, er, er, that was a great save.."

[Craig Tucker]

Ironman Triathlon.

I know you mentioned no decathlon, but this is done all in one go so it is not really seperate events.

2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, nicely rounded off with a 26.2 mile run.

[racer-x]

Wieghtlifting.

Nothing tuffer than pushing against the power of gravity multiplied. Yes you get to rest between sets, but when you've got that wieght on you, it might as well be you against the world.

[Craig Tucker]

Weightlifting requires brute strength and technique rather than athleticism. Have you seen the belly on some of those weightlifters .
And if you are talking of doing sets, is'nt that weight training, rather than weight lifting. Weight lifting is a one off lift.

[shoozleboy]

Ice Hockey

Did you ever go to a game and see how winded these guys get when skating up and down the ice full speed? They run shifts of 30 to 60 seconds and even more when on the penalty kill. Their legs have got to be burning by the time the game is done.

I like some of the suggestions above, the most intriguing would be water polo because of the great shape you would have to be in to stay paddling on the water and moving around. Swimming is one of the best workouts you can give your body. The resistance of the water as you move through it really helps the muscles develop... not as big as weight lifters, but you don't need muscles that big for swimming.

I still think that Ice Hockey has got to have some of the most fit people playing it (professionally - not the local bar league stuff). I go to some AHL games and those kids are busting their nuts out there.... the looks in their faces as they come off the ice from their shift says it all.... and the hand-eye coordination of these guys, unmatched. They can handle the puck on the end of a stick like that? Backhanded, forehanded, anyhanded..... to be able to react the way they do to the changing direction of the puck in a split second.... incredible skills....

It has to be Ice Hockey....

[racer-x]

I agree that hockey has to be one of the tuffest sports in the world. It takes a special breed to play hockey.

I disagree that all powerlifters are fat. Look at that guy from Turkey during the last olympics, the one they called the "Pocket Herculies". The guy was like 4' 7", weighed 147 lbs and could lift over 400 lbs.

[Craig Tucker]

I did'nt say all weightlifters were fat. I said have you seen the belly on some of those guys. So you can be a top level weightlifter, and have a big belly, which does not look at all athletic to me. Just making a point that althleticism is not a requirement for weight lifting.

[tgpo]

Soccer. Those guys are running the whole time.

[pacmania_2001]

Sex, especially the way I do it
Will

Is that why you have such strong arms and wrists? :P

In terms of mental athleticism I would say F1 Motor Racing. In terms of physical atheleticism I would agree with Craig and say those Ironman (and Iron Woman) competitions are by far the most exerting.

[tgpo]

I've watch some of those Strongest Man In The World competitions before, and they seem like such a waste.

The most phyisicaly draining sport: Making A Kung Fu movie with me, you'll be dead tired by the end.

[indolikaa]

Indolikaa,,

For you, probably ladies water polo, and I'll bet you have trouble keeping your eye on the ball. "Yes, dear, that was a magnificent pair of, er, er, that was a great save.."

So true. :P

I don't suppose the World Poker Tour would be a good answer, either.

[Will Hay]

Sex, especially the way I do it
Will

Is that why you have such strong arms and wrists? :P

Sure, I'll go along with it...
...one strong arm and one strong wrist
Will

[pacmania_2001]

I was trying to give you some credit by at least saying it was a two arm job but alas....

[Will Hay]

I was trying to give you some credit by at least saying it was a two arm job but alas....

Oops, shit, missed that one
Will

[zzyzzx]

This one:

[Will Hay]

WTF is going on there?

[indolikaa]

That's Britney and Christina with Madonna.

[Will Hay]

Oh yeah, now you mention it the middle one does look old, haggard and fit for nothing but a slow, painful death.
Will

[indolikaa]

Oh yeah, now you mention it the middle one does look old, haggard and fit for nothing but a slow, painful death.

Wow! Talk about lambasted!

[stiltman]

Studies have showed the athletes with the lowest heart rates and best over all conditioning are Cross country skiers. If I remember right, it was the ones that do the shooting and skiing

[Craig Tucker]

Studies have showed the athletes with the lowest heart rates and best over all conditioning are Cross country skiers. If I remember right, it was the ones that do the shooting and skiing

Biathlon

[Tommyknocker]

So, if you go with which has the highest incident of injuries, it is gymnastics. What is a close second? Rugby? Soccer? American football? Nope. According to statistics, the second leading cause of sports injuries is cheerleading. Look it up.