# sports more physically challenging than mountain biking?



## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

hmmm. whats harder? 
-swimming - possibly harder at elite levels but really just extreme cardio.
-motocross - not convinced of this.
boxing - this i do think is harder. going 12 rounds with an elite boxer has got to be super difficult.


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## btadlock (Oct 3, 2005)

*rock climbing/bouldering*

I ride with a guy that does both, never tried it, but it looks demanding, requires a pretty good strength/weight ratio.


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## Eric B (May 23, 2004)

scoutcat said:


> hmmm. whats harder?
> -swimming - possibly harder at elite levels but really just extreme cardio.
> -motocross - not convinced of this.
> boxing - this i do think is harder. going 12 rounds with an elite boxer has got to be super difficult.


Motocross. I ride mtb's regularly for part of my moto training. Moto is for sure more demanding if you're competeing imo. If you haven't tried it, it's harder to convince yourself.


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## Wherewolf (Jan 17, 2004)

*Running*

Running. Ask Lance Armstrong after his first marathon "... hardest physical thing" he had ever done. You have to carry your own weight, it's hard on your body, and there is no stopping. Riding a bike for three hours is easy, very few people can run even close to three hours.


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

The simple answer is "it depends". Depends on what your level is, how hard you push, what your riding conditions are, whether you are competing.

To be incredibly general, some sports I've tried:

Motocross - definitely harder. Lots of strength is needed, and your body is constantly pounded.
Boxing (just training) - blows away any other sport I've ever tried.
Rock/ice climbing - no way. Rockclimbing invovles lots of resting, pausing, thinking and short periods of exertion.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Rowing


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## Lakerat_sr11 (May 31, 2008)

Slalom Waterskiing. Every muscle in your body has to have a muscle memory about correct position at all times. It doesn't take as long as mountain biking but the effort that you have to exert during a pass around the 6 balls, is far greater. You are essentially playing tug of war with a 300 horsepower boat. Crashes also happen a lot faster on water then they do on a MB.


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## Qfactor03 (Dec 8, 2005)

*I agree with Moto.*



Eric B said:


> Motocross. I ride mtb's regularly for part of my moto training. Moto is for sure more demanding if you're competeing imo. If you haven't tried it, it's harder to convince yourself.


A few hours at the local track on the ole RMZ450 wears me much worse than a half day ride at a good pace on the mtb. MX is a head-to-toe work out. I have got home from the track and almost collapsed getting out of my truck because my legs are so shot. The next three days are usually spent walking like I'm handicapped


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## AC/BC (Jun 22, 2006)

Strong Man Competition 

/thread


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

How do we objectively measure "harder"?

Scientifically, we'd need to hook all subjects to the equipment that can measure everything,
from caloric output to mental stress.

And all subjects need to be measured while competing or pushing at the highest levels
possible.

Studies that have done well indicate that soccer and motocross are on top. But those studies
that I'm familiar with are decades old. I don't know of any study that has been done to this
level on MTB'ers. And what type of riding are we testing? We'll get vastly different results
from, say, a pro DH'er and a pro Endurance Racer.

I used to race Enduros competitively on a national level and I've done a fair share of motocross
riding as well. In my opinion, the type of MTB'ing I do now is more physically demanding
than either of those throttle-twisting gigs.

Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
giving the answer here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Evil Patrick said:


> Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
> giving the answer here:
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills


That list has been discussed before on MTBR. I can't say it really answers any questions.


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## phoehn9111 (Oct 27, 2006)

Worst thing I've ever done was heavy squats, taken to an extreme.
I've almost puked (and seen lots of others actually puke). Nothing
else is as physically uncomfortable for the brief time you are in the set.
Also, college wrestling is extremely demanding.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

If you want a challenge, you could do an Ironman.


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## Mrwhlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Evil Patrick said:


> How do we objectively measure "harder"?
> 
> Scientifically, we'd need to hook all subjects to the equipment that can measure everything,
> from caloric output to mental stress.
> ...


This is how you spend your vacation - giving people information they're not going to use?


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## marzjennings (Jan 3, 2008)

Easy, Rugby (Union not that northern shite of League)

Way more abusive to the body than mountain biking.


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

rkj__ said:


> That list has been discussed before on MTBR. I can't say it really answers any questions.


What questions are unanswered?

Are you having trouble understanding the results?

EDIT: Oh, I see. MTB'ing isn't on the list. Makes us wonder why it wasn't tested.

EXTRA-CREDIT-EDIT: They *can't* test MTB'ers. We break the test machines!


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## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

i take "harder" to mean physically demanding, high levels of skill, and a large amount of endurance. 

running: definitely hard on the body but in my opinion (and as a former endurance runner) is not a difficult as MTB.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Evil Patrick said:


> What questions are unanswered?
> 
> Are you having trouble understanding the results?
> 
> EDIT: Oh, I see. MTB'ing isn't on the list. Makes us wonder why it wasn't tested.


What i mean is that you can't definitively say that one sport is more challenging than another, without exception. Some people have genetics that are much better suited to certain sports, making them less difficult for that individual.


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

rkj__ said:


> What i mean is that you can't definitively say that one sport is more challenging than another, without exception. Some people have genetics that are much better suited to certain sports, making them less difficult for that individual.


Hmm...if they test the top athletes of each sport, we're pretty much guaranteed that they
have selected the most genetically advanced of that particular sport.


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## jred321 (Aug 12, 2007)

soccer. running for 90 mins with a lot of sprinting + eye/foot/head coordination + other people directly trying to stop you from doing what you want to do. constant physical, athletic and mental challenges

i play most of the year and bike as well. they're both demanding but the combination of the above makes soccer more physically challenging for me


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

scoutcat said:


> i take "harder" to mean physically demanding, high levels of skill, and a large amount of endurance.
> 
> running: definitely hard on the body but in my opinion (and as a former endurance runner) is not a difficult as MTB.


Then what do you mean by "high levels" and "large amount"?

No way around it. We can't get good results while being vague. The test will need to use 
equipment that measures caloric output and mental stress.


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

jred321 said:


> soccer. running for 90 mins with a lot of sprinting + eye/foot/head coordination + other people directly trying to stop you from doing what you want to do. constant physical, athletic and mental challenges
> 
> i play most of the year and bike as well. they're both demanding but the combination of the above makes soccer more physically challenging for me


Plus, a good kick to the nuts is even worse than coming down wrong on the saddle.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Evil Patrick said:


> Hmm...if they test the top athletes of each sport, we're pretty much guaranteed that they
> have selected the most genetically advanced of that particular sport.


So you really think that softball is more difficult than rugby?


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

rkj__ said:


> So you really think that softball is more difficult than rugby?


No, but It's not up to my opinion.

You did see that one of the experts in that panel was Jimmy Page, right?

:lol:


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## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

true, good points. thats what makes it an interesting and debatable topic. there's a lot of wiggle room. anything done at full effort for a period of time is really difficult. then theres the training factor as some sports require a great deal of training for a rather short (in duration) event like running track and field. i do think that boxing and probably motocross are at the top of the heap. i remember reading something years ago about the amount of effort/power put out by motocross riders and it was more than any other sport they compared it too but i cant remember what those sports were. they made the point that keeping 200lbs under control at all times was pretty tough. for anyone that is not convinced of boxing being super super hard they need to see how long they can hit a heavy bag...


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## Evil Patrick (Sep 13, 2004)

scoutcat said:


> for anyone that is not convinced of boxing being super super hard they need to see how long they can hit a heavy bag...


I could be wrong, but I'd bet that if I had put the same 18 years of 4 to 5 days a week of 1 to 
5 hour workouts into training at boxing skills instead of riding a bike, I'd think that challenge 
was easier.

:thumbsup:


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## Mt.Biker E (Mar 25, 2006)

I think any sport that gives a full body work out that includes muscle strength & cardio.
I'd add points for pain, risk of injury, bleeding, & endurance.

Martial arts, especially if your into mma can be a brutal work out, add in full contact & it steps up an entire notch. 

My top ten in no particular order would be:

Mt.biking
Mixed martial arts
Rugby
Basketball
rock/free climbing
tri-athalon
soccer
long distance running
eco-challenge
Cross-country equestrian eventing - galloping a crazy horse thru the woods & jumping huge piles of wood. These woman are crazy!


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## Pabs (Aug 4, 2007)

Like someone else said, it's all about how you define the metric. 

Any endurance sport (xc mtb, road riding, mountaineering, ultra running) is exremely taxing even if you are well trained, but there is less skill. 

Other sports (baseball, table tennis) have lots of skill but less raw physical abaility required. 

Sports that combine both (e.g. soccer) have both, but equally lack in both categoreys. 

In sum, who cares? It's all subjective.


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## Dangeruss (Jan 24, 2006)

Trail running. The downs are just as hard as the ups. Loose, off camber surfaces, imbedded rock. Your entire body takes a beating.


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## emtnate (Feb 9, 2008)

How about OB skiing? Breaking trail during a climb followed by descents with variable snow conditions is the more difficult than MTB for me.


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## Mrwhlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Grand mal seizures - plenty of data out there.


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## primoz (Jun 7, 2006)

One of hardest sports (at least physically demanding, even if you don't get hits from opponent) is cross country skiing... simply because pretty much every muscle on you body works.
Motocross and similar sports can't really compare. Sure it's demanding, and you probably need more skills for MX then for mtb or xc skiing, but when it comes to physically demanding, MX can't really compare with MTB and even less with xc skiing.


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## primoz (Jun 7, 2006)

Evil Patrick said:


> Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
> giving the answer here:
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills


I have no idea about names, but their bio tells a lot... Director of the Coaching and Sport Sciences Division (normally directors are good at economy and marketing, not science), MLB and NFL player, SportsCenter co-anchor (give me a break... news reader is all of a sudden expert?), another director, professor of sport management, lead columnists, senior editor?
Except for Janet Starkes, everyone else have no reason to be called "experts" when it comes to something like this. They sure can be experts at their field, but their field is "a bit" away from such researches.


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## chuky (Apr 3, 2005)

Nordic skiing has three things that make it difficult -

Fitness: it requires a high level of fitness at both the endurance and muscular strength levels, all over your entire body. 

Technique: to ski well you need to acquire techniques that have the same level of subtlety as those required for fast swimming. These take several seasons to become competent at. 

Equipment: understanding your equipment and making informed choices for varying conditions is required. Poor choices will drastically effect your ability to ski.


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## Eric B (May 23, 2004)

primoz said:


> One of hardest sports (at least physically demanding, even if you don't get hits from opponent) is cross country skiing... simply because pretty much every muscle on you body works.
> Motocross and similar sports can't really compare. Sure it's demanding, and you probably need more skills for MX then for mtb or xc skiing, but when it comes to physically demanding, MX can't really compare with MTB and even less with xc skiing.


MX can't really compare with MTB? Are you HIGH?


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*I transition athletes from other sports to MTB Racing*

and soccer players don't seem to do very well. Cross Country Runners do better as it is an endurance sport.


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## asin (Jan 31, 2005)

emtnate said:


> How about OB skiing? Breaking trail during a climb followed by descents with variable snow conditions is the more difficult than MTB for me.


I totally agree. Hauling yourself uphill, often by the poles is huge work. Dragging yourself uphill, breaking trail in deep wet snow with 10lbs of boot and ski on each foot and a 40lb pack on your back, at elevation... I'm way more beat after a day of ski touring than a day of riding...

Beyond that, Crossfit. It's more a cult than a sport but it's the only activity I've ever done where I was working so hard I almost puked...


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## primoz (Jun 7, 2006)

Eric B said:


> MX can't really compare with MTB? Are you HIGH?


Not really  Ok if you consider DH then yes, if you consider xc (olympic or marathon), then no it can't. MX is not easy, but please don't tell me that twisting gas handle is as hard as climbing few 1000 height meters on your own power.


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## McLovin (Sep 7, 2007)

Curling.


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## primoz (Jun 7, 2006)

chuky said:


> Equipment: understanding your equipment and making informed choices for varying conditions is required. Poor choices will drastically effect your ability to ski.


Nowadays this is not that important anymore, at least on top level. Most of races just get skis few minutes before start, and wax technicians do most of that job. But it still helps if skier knows something more about skis then just put them on their feet


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## endohappy (Dec 4, 2006)

I think part of the reason there's so much disagreement in the answers is that the OP said "physically challenging" - which is so different to different people. And how can someone know how physically challenging a 45 minute moto in MX is if they haven't done it?

Personally, I was gonna say multi-pitch "trad" rock climbing (or mountaineering or big-wall - but *not* sport climbing or short and/or single pitch). But somebody already said they didn't think that was nearly as tough as MTB. But part of "physically challenging" to me is that when rock climbing, you can't just stop and quit when you're tired. There is no "walk the rest of the way", "have someone pick me up at this road", forfeit, etc. Going back down is frequently harder and more dangerous that finishing the climb - especially if you're already exausted. You're pretty much stuck in a bad situation no matter how much it hurts. Foot killing you? Too bad, it's getting dark - stick it in that crack, twist, stand on it, and repeat until you're out of danger.


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## ned13b (Apr 25, 2005)

rkj__ said:


> That list has been discussed before on MTBR. I can't say it really answers any questions.


That list is a bunch of crap. The hardest sports are all endurance sports (running, nordic skiing, swimming, biking, triathlon, etc). The amount of hours put in to training for these events and the devotion required for recovery blows all the team sports out of the water.

This list doesn't even include the most glorious olympic winter sport: biathlon


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## campisi (Dec 20, 2004)

tiddlywinks


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## Spartacus Rex (Dec 18, 2006)

*You've never ridden Moto then*



primoz said:


> Not really  Ok if you consider DH then yes, if you consider xc (olympic or marathon), then no it can't. MX is not easy, but please don't tell me that twisting gas handle is as hard as climbing few 1000 height meters on your own power.


This isnt a flame, but I have to call you out on your sophmoric comparison. Have you ever hare scrambled? Your post gives the impression that you just sit on the seat and twist a "gas handle". Hell, the fact you called the throttle a "gas handle" convinces me you've never ridden.


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## hotfeat1227 (May 15, 2007)

i would add wrestling to the list. im not talking WWE or whatever i mean wrestling.. 

on potential problem with this list is that many people mountain bike for fun.. like me.. 
so i push, but its not as though im trying to win something...really any sport that you have to put ur mind and body into is more challenging than mountain biking.. hell i bet professional ping pong is more demanding than some of my rides...


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## hotfeat1227 (May 15, 2007)

Evil Patrick said:


> How do we objectively measure "harder"?
> 
> Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
> giving the answer here:
> ...


on that list... how is golf more demanding than cheer leading?? is it harder to do flips and cartwheels and jump around or to have someone pick out the right golf club??


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## 2ridealot (Jun 15, 2004)

*I vote mma*

Championship mixed martial arts = 5 X 5 minute rounds of two people trying to knockout,choke or submit each other has got to be at least as hard as hardcore mtb. The training methods/endurance required at that level of the sport are up there with any sport I can think of.


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## axcxnj (Jun 23, 2008)

rkj__ said:


> Rowing


i agree with this, ive never been in better shape in my life then when i rowed


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## primoz (Jun 7, 2006)

Spartacus Rex said:


> Hell, the fact you called the throttle a "gas handle" convinces me you've never ridden.


Well I'm sorry that my English is not perfect. We can switch to my language if you feel you will do better.


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## apr_GTI (Apr 13, 2008)

High level tournament paintball- I bike everyday and there is no way I am in the shape do go back to what I used to do on the pb field.
Running- No mechanical help to move you.
Wrestling- Depends who you are wrestling, but it can completely drain you.

I've never tried MX only ridden dirt bikes on level trails so I don't have any comment on that one.


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## HapKiDo_biker (Apr 24, 2008)

pitanan said:


> Championship mixed martial arts = 5 X 5 minute rounds of two people trying to knockout,choke or submit each other has got to be at least as hard as hardcore mtb. The training methods/endurance required at that level of the sport are up there with any sport I can think of.


:thumbsup: I am with you on this one. Even the 3 x5 minute rounds will wear a person out. I train with a pro mma fighter and this guy is like the energizer bunny. Not to mention, he hits hard... He also mtn bikes and does DH, rock climbing, etc. for fun.


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## jelliott (Sep 30, 2006)

No experience with it whatsoever, but that mixed martial arts stuff has to be pretty tough - at least judging from the type of guys you see involved in it. Let's see.... first you have to go through an intensive tattoeing regime. Then it helps if you have spent some time in prison. And lastly you have to hang out with some of the lowest low lifes imaginable. Just my $.02 (as they say in these forums).


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## Killswitch021 (Jun 1, 2007)

What about water polo? I would think that would be an extremely physically demanding sport. I think Le Mans racing or F1 racing would be pretty physically and mentally demanding since they are in a car for extended periods of time, trying to win the race while not crashing and they lose something like 10 pounds of weight in a race. Not to mention the g-forces those guys and gals endure especially in F1. Btw I'm just adding to the list of what I think are physically demanding sports.


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## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

lots of tough ones out there. i agree that the motoX is a lot harder than most people think. motoX riders are all thin and ripped. i agree with the espn poll that put boxing at the top... i also think the top boxers are way better athletes than the mma crowd - let that flame begin now.


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## Ze_Zaskar (Jan 3, 2008)

Kyokushin, muay thai, jujitsu and other full contact martial arts. Fighting, and trainning for that, is the ultimate challange. Only who tried knows what I'm tlaking about. Boxing sure is hard, but by my personal experience I found full contact fighting to be harder. I thing is because of all the leg work and the psicological stress of being hit everywhere.


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

*........*

...................


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

*I can think of several that are comparable*

But rock climbing/bouldering is not one of them. I've been rock climbing for almost 40 yrs now, and while it certainly requires unique strengths, is almost totally an anaerobic sport.

I'd put xc-skiing up with MTB, but one of the most extreme things I've ever seen, was a special on the human body, and what it takes to swim the English Channel.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

The OP questioned motocross as being as demanding or more demanding physically than MTBing. Coming from a motocross background I can certainly attest to it being more demanding in a different way. After a full day of MTBing you are exhausted and spent with some aches and pains. But after a full day of motocross you are all of the above plus every muscle in your body hurts, even muscles you didn't know you had. For many years motocross has made the top five of the top ten in terms of most physically demanding sports. I don't know if MTBing is even considered but I do know from experience that MX "is" more demanding physically.

Also I don't know if this has been brought up here or not. But some sports I do know from experience that are also very demanding would be slalom water skiing and mogul snow skiing along with freestyle standup jet skiing.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Moto and big power tools*

The problem is that you have to hold onto those babies.:thumbsup:

I think, though, if we stick to human powered stuff things will change a bit.


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## dburatti (Feb 14, 2004)

Hmmm....is Marine Corps boot camp considered a sport?  That was physically the toughest activity I've ever done.

D


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## JeffSpicoli (Jan 8, 2008)

I'm also a Marine...nothing beats Boot at Parris Island...


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## Rotmilky (Aug 18, 2007)

*Golf*

According to this British Journal of Sports Medicine, the most deadly sport is golf. More people die of that each year than any other sport...by far.
Deadly golf deaths (yes it's redundant)

It's such a nasty, difficult sport that they ferry people about in motorized carts. Heck, check out what it just did to Tiger Woods. When you talk uber-sports, golf is the uber of the uber.:thumbsup:


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## HotBlack (Feb 9, 2008)

Off road running. It's the thing the human body is most adapted to doing, after all these millennia. It uses every muscle group in your body (it's why the human body has those muscle groups), it will work every last one of them until they fail, or until you die from exhaustion, and it will do it harder and faster than anything else there is. It's the physical output of nordic skiing, with the continual, chaotic, violent impacts of motocross or mountain biking, and it requires total focus from all your senses and abilities.

Road and trail running are merely sanitized aerobics exercises by comparison.

Next to that, yeah, boot camp was pretty demanding too.


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## Berkley (May 21, 2007)

Distance swimming. A discipline where you don't get to rehydrate halfway through.


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## bstyle74 (May 8, 2005)

espn's list has the right general idea to break it up into categories like strength, endurance, power, flexibility, speed, reaction, hand/eye coordination, etc.

at the highest level, you'd have a hard time convincing me that there is a tougher sport than any boxing/mma/wrestling, followed by football/hockey/rugby type sports, then basketball/soccer/water polo. direct competition with another person adds a level of complexity that you don't get in solo sports where a lot of times your main competition is yourself or a course (golf, biking, nascar).


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## The Understater (May 6, 2007)

*Formula One.*

Unfortunately I haven't got to try this one, but 3 G's each of acceleration and cornering, and 4 G's of braking for an hour and a half can't be easy.
Most of those guys use mtbs in their training.
b.


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## C S (Sep 26, 2007)

I'm surprise no one has mentioned this yet: parkour/freerunning. Yes, I know they are not the same, but the skills and the physically demanding aspects are mostly the same. Probably not the MOST demanding sport, but I wonder how many bikers can get up and run away after a 15+ foot drop with nothing between them and the ground. Combine running with jumping and many moves that require a lot of strength and skill and then add in a lot of physical abuse...that's parkour.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Sorry I hit a bump in the road and I skipped.
The OP questioned motocross as being as demanding or more demanding physically than MTBing. Coming from a motocross background I can certainly attest to it being more demanding in a different way. After a full day of MTBing you are exhausted and spent with some aches and pains. But after a full day of motocross you are all of the above plus every muscle in your body hurts, even muscles you didn't know you had. For many years motocross has made the top five of the top ten in terms of most physically demanding sports. I don't know if MTBing is even considered but I do know from experience that MX "is" more demanding physically.

Also I don't know if this has been brought up here or not. But some sports I do know from experience that are also very demanding would be slalom water skiing and mogul snow skiing along with freestyle standup jet skiing.


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## elder_mtber (Jan 13, 2004)

Motocross.


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## General Hickey (Jan 6, 2008)

If it's considered a sport, this:


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## The Understater (May 6, 2007)

> If it's considered a sport, this:


My brother tells me that guy died falling a while back. Not free-climbing either. He was into throwing himself off cliffs and letting his ropes catch him. One of his bigger jumps, they left the ropes set up for a few days and they went brittle in the weather. When he jumped, his rope snapped.

b.


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

General Hickey said:


> If it's considered a sport


5.7 is like a paved level bike trail, you can ride it as fast as you like, but it's not really challenging.


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## General Hickey (Jan 6, 2008)

onbelaydave said:


> 5.7 is like a paved level bike trail, you can ride it as fast as you like, but it's not really challenging.


Looks challenging to me, considering the penalty of failure. I'm also talking about speed/free climbing in general, not just that particular video of Dan Osman.


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## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

he's dead alright. he was definitely fit but maybe a little to flippant about safety...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Osman


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## wolfman00 (Jun 18, 2008)

gymnastics- still rings. now given, there is a certain phenotype for this, the best a typical short, 130lbs and extremely hight power/weight ratio.

oh yeah, im a new guy. hello, haha


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## McDowell_Matt (Jan 31, 2006)

Rotmilky said:


> According to this British Journal of Sports Medicine, the most deadly sport is golf. More people die of that each year than any other sport...by far.


Just cause old dudes get frustrated that they can't shoot under par, and have heart attacks as a result... :thumbsup: 

This is a good discussion, and I don't think there is a right vs. wrong answer...
Every sport has it's difficulties... it's hardships, it's sacrifices, and demands.
That being said.... Tri would be tough, but you also don't have someone beating you in the face like MMA, but Tri also doesn't have rounds where you can stop every 3 to 5 minutes...
See, every sport has it's tough points.


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## BKnight (Mar 27, 2005)

it depends really. At times racing sail boats is a lot more physically and mentaly demanding when you're out on a 2-3 day race. Having to get up at 3 in the morning in the rain to do sail changes in 20 knotts of breeze takes a huge amount of effort.

go kart racing is actually a pretty tough sport. constantly being thrown around, no power steering. it all wears you down specially on long races.


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## wheelbender6 (Sep 25, 2007)

Competitive eating! Kobiashi is a highly conditioned athlete!


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## aries14 (Nov 23, 2005)

Basketball is one sport that over time breaks the body down. Ankles, knees, lower back and jammed fingers. That’s one reason why I started MTB. My body was really starting to hurt and I needed a change. 
I think Mountain biking is a great workout. The cardio workout is amazing!! Basketball requires cardiovascular strength, but it’s totally different. On a bike it’s more constant and you actually get into a flow or pace that you can maintain and recover at if you increase your speed or ride something challenging. In basketball you’re constantly changing speed, direction and pushing to maintain position. You’re also pounding your joints as opposed to working those joints when on a bike. I think basketball is one of the sports that more physically demanding then MTB.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Endurnace vs. Interval...*



Berkeley Mike said:


> and soccer players don't seem to do very well. Cross Country Runners do better as it is an endurance sport.


A soccer game is 90 minutes of intervals while people are pounding on you and you're being asked to control a round ball with your foot. Jog, run, sprint, walk. Repeat.

Soccer practice is all geared to intervals. Suicides, etc.

Switching from soccer to mountain biking was really hard for me because it seems to me there's a different type of fitness. Endurance fitness wasn't required to play soccer. It was more power output and recovery.

One of the best riders I know personally is a former XC runner and distance swimmer. The guy can ride litterally all day and not break down. Skill? Training? Physiology?

I don't think this is a question that has a "right" answer. There are too many variables.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

scoutcat said:


> he's dead alright. he was definitely fit but maybe a little to flippant about safety...
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Osman


Well obviously it was just a matter of time before one misplaced hand hold or foot and you slip into oblivion. Not much room for error and in this sport getting back up on the horse isn't an option.


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## Apex (Mar 6, 2005)

I've had some experience with MMA (mixed martial arts), I trained with a local school for a couple months and it was the hardest workout I have ever done. Nothing I have done has matched the required cardio to practice MMA, mountain biking is close tho. Rolling (brazilian jiu jitsu) with another guy looks easy, but after 3-5mins you're gassing out big time, at least I was.


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## InvictaS1 (Mar 19, 2005)

i think getting in the ring with a top level boxer would be harder than just about anything. look at all the top fighters out there, they all started boxing when they were really young like under 10 years old. then most top boxers have had hundreds of amateur fights to hone their skills. then even after all the years in the gym and all the amateur fights only a very few boxers will ever get to the level to where they can challenge for a title.

to be a good boxer you have to have great cardio, great reflexes, great coordination, you better have some punching power or be really quick if you dont have power, and you better have a good chin or your gonna be on the canvas all night.

i'll agree that MMA is tough but those guys wear like 4 oz gloves and you really dont see that many KO punches in MMA. now heavyweight boxers wear 16 oz gloves and most decent heavyweight boxers could pretty much KO anybody with one punch.


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## aries14 (Nov 23, 2005)

*Boxing*



InvictaS1 said:


> i think getting in the ring with a top level boxer would be harder than just about anything. look at all the top fighters out there, they all started boxing when they were really young like under 10 years old. then most top boxers have had hundreds of amateur fights to hone their skills. then even after all the years in the gym and all the amateur fights only a very few boxers will ever get to the level to where they can challenge for a title.
> 
> to be a good boxer you have to have great cardio, great reflexes, great coordination, you better some punching power or be really quick if you dont have power, and you better have a good chin or your gonna be on the canvas all night.
> 
> i'll agree that MMA is tough but those guys wear like 4 oz gloves and you really dont see that many KO punches in MMA. now heavyweight boxers wear 16 oz gloves and most decent heavyweight boxers could pretty much KO anybody with one punch.


Not going to find many people who would argue with this.....


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## Sticky Fingers (Jun 20, 2008)

I will only speak from experience on what I KNOW is harder than MTB'ing.

1.) Boxing - Yes, I used to train and fight. What a freaking workout. I don't ever remember having to get punched in the face while riding a mtn bike.
2.) Motocross - Yes, I race motocross. It beats mtn bike riding hands down. Holding on for dear life is an understatement. I use mtn biking to keep up my cardio FOR motocross.

That's all I can say because those are the only real hands on things I can compare it with.


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

If your metric is calories burned per time interval of the activity performed, I don't think there is anything more taxing than trail running. Swimming actually ranks pretty low by this metric. I am sure MX is punishing much in a way DH is, but I don't think you burn many calories doing it, much like lift assisted skiing.

_MK


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

MK_ said:


> If your metric is calories burned per time interval of the activity performed, I don't think there is anything more taxing than trail running. Swimming actually ranks pretty low by this metric. I am sure MX is punishing much in a way DH is, but I don't think you burn many calories doing it, much like lift assisted skiing.
> 
> _MK


The OP questioned motocross as being as demanding or more demanding physically than MTBing. Coming from a motocross background I can certainly attest to it being more demanding in a different way. After a full day of MTBing you are exhausted and spent with some aches and pains. But after a full day of motocross you are all of the above plus every muscle in your body hurts, even muscles you didn't know you had. For many years motocross has made the top five of the top ten in terms of most physically demanding sports. I don't know if MTBing is even considered but I do know from experience that MX "is" more demanding physically.

Also I don't know if this has been brought up here or not. But some sports I do know from experience that are also very demanding would be slalom water skiing and mogul snow skiing along with freestyle standup jet skiing.

*Lift assist sking kicks your ass if you hit the black diamond runs.*


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

DIRTJUNKIE said:



> *Lift assist sking kicks your ass if you hit the black diamond runs.*


It will probably kick your ass harder if you do double blacks, especially if you crash, but you still burn sh!t for calories.

_MK


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

MK_ said:


> It will probably kick your ass harder if you do double blacks, especially if you crash, but you still burn sh!t for calories.
> 
> _MK


Yes double blacks or blacks but you are wrong about burning calories. After hitting these types of slopes you are starving and chomp on anything in sight. Have you skied in this manner? Or ridden motocross? I am speaking from many years of experience in both of these sports along with MTBing and I can attest that both of these sports are up there with burning as much if not more calories than MTBing.


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> Yes double blacks or blacks but you are wrong about burning calories. After hitting these types of slopes you are starving and chomp on anything in sight. Have you skied in this manner? Or ridden motocross? I am speaking from many years of experience in both of these sports along with MTBing and I can attest that both of these sports are up there with burning as much if not more calories than MTBing.


Check this out and come down a little:
http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm

It doesn't include MX, but it does include skiing, including XC skiing and DH skiing.

_MK

P.S. In MTB, like running, you use your muscles for propulsion. In MX and DH skiing, the propulsion comes either from a motor or gravity, the primary use of the body is for control and bump absorption. Granted the bumps are bigger and you require more muscle for control (particularly with MX), the lack of need to propel yourself drastically reduces the caloric need.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

MK_ said:


> Check this out and come down a little:
> http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm
> 
> It doesn't include MX, but it does include skiing, including XC skiing and DH skiing.
> ...


I don't need a stats analysis test to tell me what I feel like after doing a particular activity. I know from being 46 now and starting both motocross and DH skiing at the age of 8 what kind of calories I burn doing those sports at the level in which I do them. And from my many years of experience I can compare to MTBing and honestly say all three are up there and very close in comparison. It's easy for someone that hasn't experience a certain activity to sit back and say that particular activity consumes few calories and isn't very physically demanding.


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## brianthebiker (Nov 1, 2005)

womble said:


> The simple answer is "it depends". Depends on what your level is, how hard you push, what your riding conditions are, whether you are competing.
> 
> To be incredibly general, some sports I've tried:
> 
> ...


You are violating the first line of your own post! Ice climbing/mountaineering at altitude is one of the most stenuous things one can do, even if there are breaks or pauses. At 18,000 feet (the highest I have ever gone, trekking, not mountaineering), you are operating with only about 50% Oxygen at sea level. At the peak of Everest, this drops to around 33%.


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## Upandatem (Apr 11, 2004)

Crossfit. Firefighter fran anyone?


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## Sticky Fingers (Jun 20, 2008)

*Hmmm...*



MK_ said:


> Check this out and come down a little:
> https://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm
> 
> It doesn't include MX, but it does include skiing, including XC skiing and DH skiing.
> ...


I thought we are talking about "most physically demanding". Not what burns the most calories. I could care less about that. Weight lifting burns probably crud for calories but it is more "physically demanding". That's what the subject was. That's why I only spoke for the things I have experience with. I ride my mtn bike for literally hours and can still keep going. When I go to the track I sometimes have to pull off to the side to catch my breath and let the arm pump settle a little bit. I'm not using my legs really but your upper body is getting raped. I'll be lucky if I can hold a pen and write my name after a good day riding. Come race with me.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Bull....*



DIRTJUNKIE said:


> I don't need a stats analysis test to tell me what I feel like after doing a particular activity. I know from being 46 now and starting both motocross and DH skiing at the age of 8 what kind of calories I burn doing those sports at the level in which I do them. And from my many years of experience I can compare to MTBing and honestly say all three are up there and very close in comparison. It's easy for someone that hasn't experience a certain activity to sit back and say that particular activity consumes few calories and isn't very physically demanding.


Bull riding seems like a much tougher sport than mountain biking.

Regarding MX vs. mtb: I've never ridden motocross. But I ride my mountain bike with a really good friend that has qualified for the MX Nationals in Vegas this year in the Over 30 and Over 35 classifications. He says that MX is much, much harder and more physically demanding than mountain biking. I've been with him after we finished a 6 hour epic ride. We were both cooked. I helped him pit between races when the circuit came through KC. He could barely function. It seems to me that MX is harder than mountain biking based solely on my observation and trusting my friend's opinion.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

bshallard said:


> Unfortunately I haven't got to try this one, but 3 G's each of acceleration and cornering, and 4 G's of braking for an hour and a half can't be easy.
> Most of those guys use mtbs in their training.
> b.


Agreed... You were soft on the 4G's... Interlagos has two turns of 5G's in a row and two more that are above 4G's...

Also temperatures in the cockpit reach 50 C (120's F) easily and you're enveloped in several layers of Nomex... They lose like 5# of weight in the course of a race due to sweating.

Plus.. they're doing precision work and have to be in a very sharp state of mind to take critical decisions.

MIchael Schumacher was know to be a very able athlete and he played soccer in his spare time.

Jenson Button just finished 117 out of more than a thousand participants in a triathlon....


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## floorguy724 (Apr 20, 2004)

Bowling and slowpitch Softball........Oh wait:madman: wrong thread. I meant to put this in the beer forum


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## mb_ (Jun 5, 2006)

Mma


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

Sticky Fingers said:


> I ride my mtn bike for literally hours and can still keep going. When I go to the track I sometimes have to pull off to the side to catch my breath and let the arm pump settle a little bit. I'm not using my legs really but your upper body is getting raped. I'll be lucky if I can hold a pen and write my name after a good day riding. Come race with me.


I am not debating that MX is not a tough thing, but if you were to ride a bicycle at the level you seem to ride the MX bike you would certainly need to pull over to catch your breath and shake off the legs and arms and stretch your back, etc. Maybe your upper body simply isn't as strong as your legs? That seems natural since your biggest muscles are below your waist. Either way, I simply proposed a metric of physical output since burning calories is strongly correlated with physical exertion.

I'm also surprised no one has mentioned wrestling or rugby. I don't think I ever wore myself out in as short a period of time as either one of those. But then again, physical output during casual activities differs greatly from the time you're competing in a sanctioned event.

_MK


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

MK_ said:


> I'm also surprised no one has mentioned wrestling or rugby.
> 
> _MK


They were mentioned before....


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

Warp said:


> They were mentioned before....


Whoops, it's a long thread...

_MK


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## potato28 (Jul 1, 2008)

I'd say downhill skiing, as in a mix of alpine and freestyle. I can tell you that I get tired a lot quicker when I'm skiing compared to biking, even though I have to climb back to get to the trailhead.


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## TLL (Apr 28, 2008)

*Food for thought*



Upandatem said:


> Crossfit. Firefighter fran anyone?


Word. Although Fight Gone Bad is my favorite Puker.

I like the CrossFit take on athleticism . . .

"There are ten recognized general physical skills. They are cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. You are as fit as you are competent in each of these ten skills."

From "What is Fitness?" Downloadable off the CrossFit website: http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html

So given that definition, any sport that relied or worked a number of factors would be more physically challenging than another sport that only relied on one factor. By that argument, a sport such as wrestling would be more physically challenging than tennis. Of course, you also need to take into consideration factors such as duration.

But given that, my picks for most strenuous or most physically challenging sports are as follows, in no particular order.

Gymnastics/Parcour
Rugby
Mixed MMA/BJJ/Jujitsu
Boxing
Ice Climbing
Triathlons/ULD running, if for no other reason than the sheer amount of endurance work performed.
Olympic weightlifting. No, I don't mean bodybuilding, but the two oly lifts: The snatch, and the clean and jerk.
24 hour cycling events. Again, biased toward endurance.


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## wrongway (Jul 26, 2005)

MK_ said:


> I am not debating that MX is not a tough thing, but if you were to ride a bicycle at the level you seem to ride the MX bike you would certainly need to pull over to catch your breath and shake off the legs and arms and stretch your back, etc. Maybe your upper body simply isn't as strong as your legs? That seems natural since your biggest muscles are below your waist. Either way, I simply proposed a metric of physical output since burning calories is strongly correlated with physical exertion.
> 
> I'm also surprised no one has mentioned wrestling or rugby. I don't think I ever wore myself out in as short a period of time as either one of those. But then again, physical output during casual activities differs greatly from the time you're competing in a sanctioned event.
> 
> _MK


Factor in the "pucker factor" and you'll see MX is way harder.


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## GuruAtma (May 17, 2004)

Boxing / Sparring.

If you slow down, rest, lose focus for a second, you get punched in the head over, and over, and over. I learned that the hard way.


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## Truckee Trash (Sep 18, 2007)

Waterpolo and Lacrosse. . . Lacrosse was about as physically abusing (around 12 years of it) Waterpolo was just plain hard work, swimming, treading water, and drowning kids. I don't care what people say about it, it's one of the toughest sports I've ever played and your beating the s h i t out of each other as well.


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## geofffreeland3 (2 mo ago)

Evil Patrick said:


> What questions are unanswered? Are you having trouble understanding the results? EDIT: Oh, I see. MTB'ing isn't on the list. Makes us wonder why it wasn't tested. EXTRA-CREDIT-EDIT: They *can't* test MTB'ers. We break the test machines!


 I raced motocross and off-road motorcycles for 35 years. I recently got into MTB racing and I must say that the MTB racing is harder for me.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

geofffreeland3 said:


> I raced motocross and off-road motorcycles for 35 years. I recently got into MTB racing and I must say that the MTB racing is harder for me.


you’re older. 😝


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

potato28 said:


> I'd say downhill skiing, as in a mix of alpine and freestyle. I can tell you that I get tired a lot quicker when I'm skiing compared to biking, even though I have to climb back to get to the trailhead.


Try that with climbing back up that same mountain a few times


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

TLL said:


> *Food for thought*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I found ice climbing to be way easier than rock climbing, since you can basically grip anywhere (within reason) and use your legs on good footing most the time. The technique was quick to learn. Regular rock climbing and building tendon strength and getting stronger and more technical takes years and years for me comparatively.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I was in the best shape of my life, leading in points in the state DH series. Super fast. Then I played a game of one on one basketball with my varsity high school basketball player daughter. I thought I was going to die.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

Is there any sport that's _not_ demanding at the highest levels of competition?


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## mrdimi (Oct 26, 2020)

Hockey. Power, speed, brutal hits, 30-60 second sprints and you do it all over again 4 to 5 times a period. Playoff off hockey they're burning 2500-3000 calories every other day until they are eliminated or if you're my team, the Leafs, you're out in the first round


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## wolfmw (Dec 18, 2020)

14 yrs since this discussion started and we still haven’t figured it out?


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I'll add skating ramps and pools. I don't catch too much air now that I'm in my 50s though.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

milehi said:


> I'll add skating ramps and pools. I don't catch too much air now that I'm in my 50s though.


I'll take my chances jumping a mountain bike over skating in a concrete pool. The last time I got in a skate park I left with two sprained wrists (and I was about 20 years younger).


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

wolfmw said:


> 14 yrs since this discussion started and we still haven’t figured it out?


The subtitle of this thread: every sport can be hard if you're not used to doing it


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

Nat said:


> I'll take my chances jumping a mountain bike over skating in a concrete pool. The last time I got in a skate park I left with two sprained wrists (and I was about 20 years younger).


The first time I tried to show off for my wife in the skatepark this past spring, I hung up on the coping and slammed from four foot to flat on concrete.


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## deuxdiesel (Jan 14, 2007)

Any sport at a high enough level can be really tough. I dabble(d) in rock climbing and never got above 5.10-5.11. The greats are amazing all-around athletes. I also boxed in college, and for me that would be the toughest sport out there. I sparred with James Toney one time, one round only. It was like getting hit by sledgehammers. The body blows alone made my organs hurt. He was super middle I believe and I was super welter.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

deuxdiesel said:


> Any sport at a high enough level can be really tough.


That's what I think. Since "physically challenging" per thread title doesn't necessarily mean "physically abusive," you can consider seemingly gentle sports too. Have you guys tried to hit a baseball that's coming at you at 90+ mph? I've tried. It's not easy. Kinda scary actually. Golf at a high level is hard. Table tennis too -- you've seen the speed.


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Bowling?


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I always thought Shuffleboard was a seriously athletic event


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

Cleared2land said:


> I always thought Shuffleboard was a seriously athletic event


Ha! Put up a bunch of prize money and I bet it'd get pretty competitive in a hurry.


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## Hrodulf (12 mo ago)

Nordic / Cross Country skiing it is. 

With this sport you will burn proven the most calories in an hour.


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