These sports take a toll on an athlete mentally, physically, and emotionally. Of course, this list is from my perspective. If you do not see your sport on hear do not throw a temper tantrum at us ;). Just leave a comment and say why you think another game should be up here. Deciding on the top 5 hardest sports is hard. Just remember that it is sports that are hard for both training and competition. For example, a game like football is hard to compete in, but they practice pretty lightly to avoid injury.
Hardest Sports #5 – Rugby
The number 5 spot was tough to choose, at first I was thinking soccer, but rugby is a lot worse. The issue with rugby is it requires endurance like a soccer athlete, as it is a constant running game. At the same time, it is a hectic contact sport almost like football. The hits may not be as hard as football because of the absence of equipment. But the reality still lies in the fact that you need to be able to take a person running full speed into you; while topping that with excellent endurance.
Hardest Sports #4 – Track
From the outside in all running track means to people is putting on your running shoes and running in circles. In reality, sometimes that’s what the hard part about it is, can you run around in circles day in and out for nine months?
With track, you only have one chance to make it happen. Take the 100-meter dash for example; you train weeks and months for 10 seconds of your life. If you mess up, it is practically over.
Try running every day for nine months and tell me how you feel. Tell me how motivated you are, tell me how your confidence levels are. After that, it will be understood why track can just be hell on the body and mind. Nevermind the brutal hamstring and repetitive shin splints you have to deal with.
Hardest Sports #3 – UFC/ Mixed Martial Arts
The only reason this sport is not number one is that the training is not as insane as the actual competition is like number 1. With this sport, a lot of people see the result but that is not how they train on a daily basis, or they all probably would be brain dead.
None the less the hours that have to go into mixed martial arts are insane. I remember one time I tried ground fighting with my friend, and in 25 seconds we were both out of energy. You have to work on the ground game, have sick endurance, grappling, and the list just goes on. Throw in the weight training aspect to get stronger, mixed with the fact that you still have to make your weight class. To top all of this off, you can train forever and get the crap beat of you; or how about catching a broken limb, getting your brow busted open, or catching multiple elbows in the face.
Hardest Sports #2 – Gymnastics
I swear they practice for like gazillion hours a week, and even if they don’t it must feel like it. Gymnastics requires, sickening balance, mental toughness, body control, and even a bit of speed to get to that vault.
The wipeouts in gymnastics look painful as hell, and never mind the fact that the injuries are some of the worst in sports. I have personally watched two athletes blow their Achilles tendons, and I don’t watch it that much. Gymnastics also carries a huge mental burden on athletes. The goal of the sport is perfection. Every routine an athlete steps into they are trying their best to not make a mistake. If they make a big mistake or a small mistake, there is no reset button the routine must go on.
It’s a team sport built off of every individual. So no one wants to be the one to ruin it for the team. Look at it like this, most of the population of the world could not even do one practice of what people in this sport go through.
Hardest Sports #1 – Wrestling
The main reason wrestling takes the number one spot is because it is one of the few sports where what you do in practice and competitions are practically the same. They go to practice and wrestle their ass off, then go to a wrestling match and do the same. Just like fighting, there are multiple aspects of that need to be worked on; AND Just like gymnastics, it is a team sport where individuals must thrive meaning no one wants to be the one to blow it for the team.
Wrestling requires serious time spent doing all types of crazy things. They have to get in the sauna constantly to cut weight, ice bath from the neck up because their whole body is destroyed, and the amount of sweat lost during wrestling is astonishing.
Wrestlers along with mixed martial arts athletes are some of the toughest athletes. They do not feel pain and fight through everything that is humanly possible to fight through. You can say what you want about the rest of the list but watch what it takes to be a good wrestler, and you will agree that this sport is no joke.
