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The Question: Some people claim that hitting a round ball with a round bat square is the hardest thing to do in sports. Others claim it is the ability to tackle a 300 pound football player, or simply skating on ice trying to score goals. Each sport has its own unique attributes and difficulties, but overall...? Which is the most overall challenging sport? Which is the most challenging aspect of the sport; endurance, strength, skill, etc? Which is the least challenging sport? Show off your knowledge to the world! The Winners:
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Some people claim that hitting a round ball with a round bat square is the hardest thing to do in sports. Others claim it is the ability to tackle a 300 pound football player, or simply skating on ice trying to score goals. Each sport has its own unique attributes and difficulties, but overall...?
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is without a doubt the most challenging sport. There are so many elements involved in this sport that make it so difficult, including the training, dedication, and injury attaining risks. Allow me to further break this down, so you can fully understand the difficulty of MMA.
There are so many different types of training that MMA fighters have to practice on a daily basis, including the following.
Although fighters aren't obligated to practice every single form of martial arts listed above, they need to obtain as many diverse forms as possible in order to be successful. Cardio/Endurance: In MMA, a maximal combination of cardiovascular and muscular endurance is needed, since fights can last for over two minutes with minimal breaks in between rounds. Weight Training/Strength: Fighters also need to weight train in order to obtain adequate strength, and power, for their fights. However, the weight training sessions are kept very basic, since they need to be balance into ones schedule with the rest of the training. Plyometrics/Explosivity: Plyometrics are used to gain explosivity, which is vital in MMA fights, since fighters need to deliver both quick and powerful strikes to their opponents. Cone Drills/Agility: Another important quality that fighters must obtain is agility, since in fights there are many stop and go movements when trying to avoid punches, kicks, etc. Cone drills are used to increase ones agility. Balance Training/Core: Avoiding takedowns can be difficult without adequate balance, so fighters incorporate balance exercises and extra core work to develop balance. Stretching/Flexibility: This may not be difficult, but in a fighter's schedule, it can be time consuming. Stretching, however, must be completed to increase flexibility, which is needed for the correct execution, and the full benefits of kicking.
When a fighter is preparing for a fight, they need to spend at least one to month training with maximal intensity. Most fighters train at least five days a week, where each day is divided into morning, afternoon, and night training. To summarize this, fighters literally spend numerous months doing absolutely nothing but training.
Unlike most sports, the object of MMA is to hurt your opponent so bad, that they either have to tap out, or get knocked out. Those few fighters who refuse to tap end up with broken bones, and those willing to take a punch to the face run the risk of going to la la land.
Injury Prevention Articles:
Although MMA is rising in popularity, the fighters' salaries haven't increased that much, especially when in comparison to other sports. For example, in an MMA match, the winner usually gets paid six figures, whereas a baseball player would be paid millions of dollars per season. So even though MMA is the most challenging sport, there isn't much money made in comparison to other sports.
The interesting aspect about this sport is that a balanced combination of endurance, strength, and skill is needed during each fight, and lacking any of those attributes can only mean harm for a fighter. For those of you who follow MMA, how many times have you seen a fight end because of a fighter's lack of endurance? It has happened time and time again, but why do some fighters gas out quick? Well, for the most part, fights are so demanding that the human body has no option but to slow down, and in some instances, shut down.
All sports are challenging one way or the other, but as far as the least challenging sport is concerned, I would have to say bowling. This is especially when in comparison to MMA, where in one sport the goal is to hit a bunch of pins, while in the other, two fighters are doing all they can to survive.
  Click Image To Enlarge. Bowling: Not So Challenging. For those of you who are interested in following MMA, you can watch UFC, and/or Pride FC, which are two organizations that pit the best fighters in world to battle for the number one spot in their respective weight class, and ultimately become champion. I hope you've enjoyed reading this article!
They need be fast, strong, and smart. Most of all, they must posses an unshakable desire to win and an almost inhuman toughness. "They" are MMA fighters, and their sport is by far the most challenging in the world.
The most challenging sport in the world is MMA. MMA stands for "mixed martial arts." It is the generic term for the sport practiced in organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE and King of the Cage. It can best be described as a limited rules fight combining boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and other martial arts disciplines. For more information on MMA, I suggest this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_martial_arts
The "real" reason why MMA is challenging is because it is such a delicate balancing act. How many days a week should I box (or wrestle, or do Muay Thai)? How many days a week should I lift? Run? Stretch? How hard can I push myself? When should I rest? The inherent variety of MMA implies a varied training program, which is a challenge to balance. Even slightly overtraining in one area can have a domino effect which leads the athlete to regress in other areas.
If, however, one were to pick one aspect of MMA that makes it challenging, the answer would have to be "toughness," both in the physical and the mental sense. One must be a special kind of person to take a roundhouse kick to the head, smile, and return the favor.
It takes a special kind of person to keep going with one eye swollen shot and blood gushing from a cut. It takes a special kind of person to step into a ring or cage, look another man in the eye, and strive to dominate him in hand to hand combat.
And as you will see as you watch MMA, these people touch gloves before every match and hug at the end, a clear sign of sportsmanship, respect, and camaraderie.
If you put your heart and soul into it and really strive to succeed, all sports will be challenging. It also depends on how one defines "sport." For my purposes, things like bowling and golf are not really "sports." That is not to say that some golfers (i.e., Tiger Woods) and perhaps some bowlers are not great athletes. Hopefully, no one will have his or her feelings hurt by the opinions of the responders to this topic. I mean absolutely no offense by my opinions and hope that the reader understands that they are just that: opinions. Having said that, the least demanding sport I have played extensively is baseball. It requires little in the way of cardiovascular endurance or toughness. It does require some strength, but as you can see from watching a little baseball, it is not essential to be a good player. Many excellent baseball players are rather small and physically unimposing. Strength tends to be an almost separate addition that fits into some peoples' games (just look at all the steroid allegations) but not others (look at all the lanky guys who do great). Baseball tends to be a game more of coordination and technique than strength.
References:
Flex Wheeler / Richard Everage Fight.
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