Which sport has the most fit athletes?

[Takes Two To Tango]

I think a lot of favoritism is skewing the results here. As far as being the toughest, elite gymnasts and water polo players might not be able to take a hit but their strength, cardio and endurance is off the charts.

Also, paddling should 100% be on this list. Paddling is not rowing, and in my opinion much more difficult. Kayakers and canoeists use boats far more unstable than sculls so those C1's and K1's require constant balance corrections while trying to haul as much water as possible the entire race. Wombats, sea kayaks, mini-K1's... no problem, easy enough, they aren't tippy. I couldn't even get off the dock in a racing K1 without ending up in the drink, so I raced canoes (C1/2/4/war canoe). Despite being up on one knee and only having one blade, I found that personally easier even though you act like a big sail more than the kayakers or rowers.

They're always shredded with lean muscle. Not many ugly paddlers either. Just saying.

Paddling is up now, thanks for your input.

 

[HomeCheese]

Not even close waterpolo all these other sports get breaks in their play time and I do not mean time outs there is time of nothing happening but in waterpolo you always have to keep your head above the water and not like when you relax and float on water no arms legs have to work constantly

No knock on waterpolo players and I know they are really fit. On the other hand, those guys are all really big. I can't help but think their size helps with their buoyancy and the banging around. Meaning they would have a leaner build if it not for the physicality in the water that happens in the sport.

I wonder if waterpolo players intentionally carry a few extra pounds similar to an American football lineman.

 

[fica]

No knock on waterpolo players and I know they are really fit. On the other hand, those guys are all really big. I can't help but think their size helps with their buoyancy and the banging around. Meaning they would have a leaner build if it not for the physicality in the water that happens in the sport.

I wonder if waterpolo players intentionally carry a few extra pounds similar to an American football lineman.

Lol like fat bastards in NFL. Nobody is as fat as NFL players other then dump wreslers.wsyer polo guys or girls are leaner them most athlete ls that don't use peds

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Now that I thought it through, I'm convinced gymnast are the most fit athletes. Anyone can go out and play soccer, basketball, tennis you name the sport, but no one can just walk into a gymnastic place and do what they do.

They by far the most fittest people on the planet and also pound for pound the strongest. Especially the men.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

Now that I thought it through, I'm convinced gymnast are the most fit athletes. Anyone can go out and play soccer, basketball, tennis you name the sport, but no one can just walk into a gymnastic place and do what they do.

They by far the most fittest people on the planet and also pound for pound the strongest. Especially the men.

 

[HomeCheese]

Lol like fat bastards in NFL. Nobody is as fat as NFL players other then dump wreslers.wsyer polo guys or girls are leaner them most athlete ls that don't use peds

I agree that most NFL players have traded strength and power for overall fitness. I was simply speculating that waterpolo players benefit from a little extra size for both power and buoyancy. Arn't most waterpolo players pretty thick? More beef than a regular swimmer I would think?

 

[Madmick]

Now that I thought it through, I'm convinced gymnast are the most fit athletes. Anyone can go out and play soccer, basketball, tennis you name the sport, but no one can just walk into a gymnastic place and do what they do.

They by far the most fittest people on the planet and also pound for pound the strongest. Especially the men.

Bad logic.

You're making the same mistake that all the baseball guys in my youth would make when they parroted the common, "Baseball is the hardest sport because batting has the highest failure rate of any sport in existence!" Or they would try to argue that batting in baseball was the hardest thing to do in sport because of that. Yeah, look it up, they've been harping on that forever, I'm sure you'll find some asshole who has chattered about that online in the internet age because he heard it over and over as a kid.

They overlook the fact that this would make pitching one of the easiest things to do in sport because, presumably, you have one of the highest success rates. But even looking past the humorous oversight on their part of the zero sum conception of success they're echoing, it doesn't hold up, because obviously, it all depends on how you define that success.

A batting average of .400 in professional baseball is extraordinary. So that's a 40% success rate? Thus a 60% failure rate? But 0% of humans outside of one man in history have successfully run a marathon in under 2 hours (and he hasn't technically beaten that mark on an official course). That's an extraordinary failure rate. So obviously it's far harder to run a marathon in under 2 hours than it is to achieve a hit against an MLB pitcher. What percent of human beings could walk out and dunk a basketball, or casually hit 105 NBA distance 3-pters in a row the way Curry has in practice? How many could "bend it like Beckham" from 40 yards into even an unguarded goal? How many could hit a 120 mph serve with that tennis racket?

Because gymnastics is only impressive in this regard because our minimum ceiling for what you're perceiving as "success" is higher than what it is in most sports. But so what? You're thinking of this in terms of replicating the feats of what elite athletes can do. All those casuals can't do on a soccer field or basketball court or tennis court what elite athletes do. Any of us could walk out there to spasm around on a floor, and call it a gymnastic floor routine. Same thing as some idiot running around throwing a ball at a hoop on a blacktop over and over.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Bad logic.

You're making the same mistake that all the baseball guys in my youth would make when they parroted the common, "Baseball is the hardest sport because batting has the highest failure rate of any sport in existence!" Or they would try to argue that batting in baseball was the hardest thing to do in sport because of that. Yeah, look it up, they've been harping on that forever, I'm sure you'll find some asshole who has chattered about that online in the internet age because he heard it over and over as a kid.

They overlook the fact that this would make pitching one of the easiest things to do in sport because, presumably, you have one of the highest success rates. But even looking past the humorous oversight on their part of the zero sum conception of success they're echoing, it doesn't hold up, because obviously, it all depends on how you define that success.

A batting average of .400 in professional baseball is extraordinary. So that's a 40% success rate? Thus a 60% failure rate? But 0% of humans outside of one man in history have successfully run a marathon in under 2 hours (and he hasn't technically beaten that mark on an official course). That's an extraordinary failure rate. So obviously it's far harder to run a marathon in under 2 hours than it is to achieve a hit against an MLB pitcher. What percent of human beings could walk out and dunk a basketball, or casually hit 105 NBA distance 3-pters in a row the way Curry has in practice? How many could "bend it like Beckham" from 40 yards into even an unguarded goal? How many could hit a 120 mph serve with that tennis racket?

Because gymnastics is only impressive in this regard because our minimum ceiling for what you're perceiving as "success" is higher than what it is in most sports. But so what? You're thinking of this in terms of replicating the feats of what elite athletes can do. All those casuals can't do on a soccer field or basketball court or tennis court what elite athletes do. Any of us could walk out there to spasm around on a floor, and call it a gymnastic floor routine. Same thing as some idiot running around throwing a ball at a hoop on a blacktop over and over.

I'm talking about the fittest athletes. And gymnast I believe is the fittest. Because I think it's the most highest degree of difficulty imo. So will leave it to that. Will agree to disagree.

 

[Madmick]

I'm talking about the fittest athletes. And gymnast I believe is the fittest. Because I think it's the most highest degree of difficulty imo. So will leave it to that. Will agree to disagree.

To opine that gymnasts are the most "fit", when that isn't defined, is subjectively tenable.

On the other hand, pertaining to your argument for why, this isn't an agree-to-disagree situation. Logically, it doesn't make sense. Your reasoning is flawed. It doesn't work.

Because if that's how we're defining it, then why not Ski Jumpers? Nobody can just walk out and do that. Eddie the Eagle, baby. Same goes for any of the freestyle aerials for skiiers or snowboarders (whether off the big jump or in the half-pipe). How about rock climbing? None of us casuals can just stroll out there and clamber up to the top of the bouldering walls. Same goes for the Ninja Warrior courses.

You had what you thought was an epiphany, but you didn't take time to then critically analyze it. It's okay, happens to us all.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

To opine that gymnasts are the most "fit", when that isn't defined, is subjectively tenable.

On the other hand, pertaining to your argument for why, this isn't an agree-to-disagree situation. Logically, it doesn't make sense. Your reasoning is flawed. It doesn't work.

Because if that's how we're defining it, then why not Ski Jumpers? Nobody can just walk out and do that. Eddie the Eagle, baby. Same goes for any of the freestyle aerials for skiiers or snowboarders (whether off the big jump or in the half-pipe). How about rock climbing? None of us casuals can just stroll out there and clamber up to the top of the bouldering walls. Same goes for the Ninja Warrior courses.

You had what you thought was an epiphany, but you didn't take time to then critically analyze it. It's okay, happens to us all.

I know what you are saying, alright my opinion is flawed. So who do you think is the most fittest than?

Just curious, thanks.

 

[Madmick]

I know what you are saying, alright my opinion is flawed. So who do you think is the most fittest than?

Just curious, thanks.

I'm not saying your opinion of gymnasts is flawed, I'm saying the reason you gave for why doesn't hold up, logically, as a justification for them.

I don't know how we're defining "fit". I need that to be defined to offer an opinion.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

I'm not saying your opinion of gymnasts is flawed, I'm saying the reason you gave for why doesn't hold up, logically, as a justification for them.

I don't know how we're defining "fit". I need that to be defined to offer an opinion.

Fair enough, it's just fun subject to talk about. I guess it depends how you look at what you think is fit. It's subjective I suppose, I don't have particular criteria per se. But just overall observation on my part, that I think a certain sport ie. Gymnastics is the fittest athletes. I can't really go into detail in why, but I just believe that way.

 

[Madmick]

Fair enough, it's just fun subject to talk about. I guess it depends how you look at what you think is fit. It's subjective I suppose, I don't have particular criteria per se. But just overall observation on my part, that I think a certain sport ie. Gymnastics is the fittest athletes. I can't really go into detail in why, but I just believe that way.

I don't think of gymnasts when I think of the supreme athletes in terms of conditioning. I tend to be more old school, and think of Cross-Country Skiiers (or Triathletes) when I think of this.

For me, gymnasts aren't a candidate because they don't have much aerobic conditioning to speak of. They have the strongest case to be considered the relative strength kings. By relative strength, I'm talking about P4P strength. I put weight class strongmen competitors at the top of this hill, followed by weight class powerlifters and olympic lifters and gymnasts. Gymnasts have a more specialized skill set, and like olympic lifters, tend to be challenged in terms of power (involving the speed element) more than the powerlifters or strongmen.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

I don't think of gymnasts when I think of the supreme athletes in terms of conditioning. I tend to be more old school, and think of Cross-Country Skiiers (or Triathletes) when I think of this.

For me, gymnasts aren't a candidate because they don't have much aerobic conditioning to speak of. They have the strongest case to be considered the relative strength kings. By relative strength, I'm talking about P4P strength. I put weight class strongmen competitors at the top of this hill, followed by weight class powerlifters and olympic lifters and gymnasts. Gymnasts have a more specialized skill set, and like olympic lifters, tend to be challenged in terms of power (involving the speed element) more than the powerlifters or strongmen.

Nicely said, thanks.

 

[HomeCheese]

Fair enough, it's just fun subject to talk about. I guess it depends how you look at what you think is fit. It's subjective I suppose, I don't have particular criteria per se. But just overall observation on my part, that I think a certain sport ie. Gymnastics is the fittest athletes. I can't really go into detail in why, but I just believe that way.

I would say gymnasts are some of the most precise athletes and pound for pound very fit. If endurance is a big measure in determining what constitutes being "fit" then maybe gymnasts would not be super high on the list because that's not what the sport call for.

If the measure of being "fit" is less about endurance and more about quickness, power and precision then gymnasts should be pretty high on the list. Hitting a flawless balance beam routine has gotta be harder than hitting a baseball.

 

[HomeCheese]

Yeah they're pussies because they aren't having entire roads for miles being closed off for their stupid little "sport" while having teams of support and juiced to the gills for a childrens activity. You fucking clown.

Sorry but i prefer "sports" with black biseps and explosive movements

I was wondering if cyclists wore tank tops so their biceps stuck out and were black would you love cycling then?

 

[Streeter]

NFL - dont how that wasnt listed as a choice. Folks that dont think NFL players are Alpha athletes are kidding themselves .

 

[Madmick]

NFL - dont how that wasnt listed as a choice. Folks that dont think NFL players are Alpha athletes are kidding themselves .

Which NFL players do you think are the most "fit", how are you defining that, and why (for both)?

 

[Streeter]

Which NFL players do you think are the most "fit", how are you defining that, and why (for both)?

For strength, Agility, Speed an just physical freeks its tough to beat tbe NFL. Okay Cycling , XC skiing , running yeah you got great endurance and likely really fit as result but that doesn't make you the best athlete. An NFL WR imo is the "S" level of athlete all around and defensive line man are 300+ lbs fast strong and agile AF - freak athletes - .maybe not "fit" but definitely elite athletes.

 

[Corona]

Which NFL players do you think are the most "fit", how are you defining that, and why (for both)?

Peak male fitness