<p>If by hardest you mean requires the athletes to be the most masochistic then I would put my vote in for rowing or swimming. The major difference in these two sports is that rowing is a team sport whereas swimming is at its core an indiviual sport. Other than that the training sessions are very similar, lots of long repetitive greulling training sessions.</p>
<p>If you mean mentally demanding I’m going to say fencing, because of the sheer speed. The only this I can compare fencing to is a chess match that lasts 5 - 15 seconds. Golf also a very mental game but the ability to take practice swings, talk to the caddy or anything else that pauses the game is a luxury that you just don’t have in fencing.</p>
<p>All sports have their own strengths and weaknesses.</p>
<p>Tennis is challenging - usually you can’t miss a day or your timing will be off. The mental aspect is really hard, think about a match lasting from 45 minutes to 4 hours. You need great foot work, technique, and concentration. It’s really competitive too; there are probably a few thousand at those Tennis Academies alone.</p>
<p>People don’t understand, it takes A LOT of stamina. First of all you have to be really strong so you can have good serves and kills. Then you have to be really focused so you can break serves(if you play back row) And not to mention how scary it is when a ball is flying right towards you! Eek! Also you have to do a lot of condition and often times your legs are really sore because you are constantly in a squatting position. OH yeahhh and lets not forget you have got to have fast reflexes or else you in BIG trouble:)</p>
<p>Rowing was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread. As a coxswain, I can personally attest to seeing rowers collapse after a race. Many rowers take pride in their blisters. It’s also pretty common to see them cry during the race and throw up afterwards It’s more than endurance, it is literally pushing yourself to the point of fainting, because there is no other option. You’re not letting yourself down, but your fellow rowers (who have to synchronize with you) and the coxswain who’s constantly bellowing over your shoulder. </p>
<p>It is a little masochistic to a point, and one I shudder at. I’m all for exercise, but one wonders at the line between self-motivation and self-abuse.</p>
<p>I’d say wrestling is pretty tough- you strain every muscle in your body as hard as you can for several minutes solid, all while remembering technique, etc</p>
<p>“Hardest” was not defined clearly so everyone probably has different interpretations.</p>
<p>When I voted “golf” (and this was like, um, 9 months ago?), I was referring to the sheer technicality and skill of it, the mental energy and ability to finish the whole thing and execute it entirely…I’ve played it a few times, and I don’t watch it but in this sense it gets my vote.</p>
<p>Obviously it’s probably not as physically demanding or injury-prone as boxing or football, in that sense.</p>
<p>Definitely golf…I play golf, and you can’t even compare a mere beginner to a professional, whereas someone who has played baseball for a couple years can hold their own in a catch with a professional or field ground/fly balls from a professional.</p>
<p>PS: These are not sports:
~ Cheerleading
~ Gymnastics
~ Diving</p>
<p>Based purely on the winner wins because they are judged. Swimming however is a sport because they race. Baseball is a sport because you earn more points than the other day, but the above 3 “physical activities” get judged.</p>
<p>****. Circuits from across the track field to the baseball diamond then to the football stadium. Up the stadium bleachers, down them, up them, down them, then go to the other bleachers and repeat. Then go all the way back to where you started. Then repeat. 10 times! </p>
<p>Other than that, it’s not like we get breaks at all. Our only “break” is if we choose to walk when we’re supposed to be running laps or doing drills. And if we do that, the coach just gives you this look which indicates his disappointment in you. It’s crazy! No water either until the end of the practice at least.</p>
<p>The hardest sport definitely, if you have not conditioned or exercised in a long period of time, would be anything aerobic: Track, XC, Swimming, etc.</p>
<p>Polo. Try riding a horse at full gallop while simultaneously attempting to hit/pass a tiny little ball with a mallet to your teammates while the opposing team is trying to do the same thing. It’s an incredibly difficult, not to mention dangerous, sport.</p>
<p>Wow…no. You guys are all wrong. By far the most hardest sport is Olympic style Taekwondo. Not so much actually sparring in a match but training for the match. I pass out at least once a month and throw up pretty often. You have to be flexible, strong, fast, and smart. I don’t know any sport that combines all 4 together. </p>
<p>cross country: i feel like a lot of people think that cross country isn’t very difficult… so to all those people, you try running 7 miles at sub 8 minute pace and then tell me whether or not cross country is hard. i think it’s probably most physically demanding sport there is.</p>
<p>swimming: like cross country in the water… less physically demanding cause the water supports your weight and your feet aren’t pounding the ground… still really hard though.</p>
<p>actually, i bet rugby and rowing would be pretty difficult too. </p>
<p>also, as someone said previously OF COURSE if you slack off a sport is going to be easy. if i run 9 minute miles during a 5k race obviously i’m going to think cross country is the easiest sport in the world. you have to look at each sport from the perspective of an athlete who actually works hard at it.</p>
<p>…i hope you realize that a 10:30 mile, sprained ankle or not, is pretty sad, especially for a boy. there have been girls on my team who’ve run 3 mile races averaging about 7 minutes or less per mile… with STRESS FRACTURES.</p>