What sport or other endeavor requires the greatest all-around athletes?

[huskyd]

Here's a possible time-filler to plug the lonely hours until UConn tips off. Consider this while you twiddle your twaddle:

What sport or other physical endeavor requires the greatest all-around athletes?

Some say it's cheerleaders. These young women are incredible athletes and take huge risks. Did you know that more injuries occur to cheerleaders than to any other group of college athletes? They suffer more injuries of the head and neck than college football players.

Gymnasts must also rank high. Their efforts are varied and complex, similar to but arguably more difficult than cheerleaders.

Can we rule out the most popular sports: football, baseball, soccer? Is popularity a fair measure of the quality of a sport? These sports are about speed, strength, finesse. Jumping is important. In terms of all-around skill, I would rate these sports below cheerleading and gymnastics for sheer skill.

We can probably eliminate boxing and motor sports. Swimming requires special talents, too, but just getting to the end of the pool seems a limited objective.

The “greatest athlete in the world” is reserved by tradition for track and field's winner of the decathlon: ten events rolled into one. But this all-around athlete is probably not the best performer in a single event.

The best all-around athletes in the world are found in Cirque de Soleil.

Your turn.

 

[soxfan23]

Really all depends on what your definition of an athlete is. If you just go by physical strength, agility, and balance then cheerleaders and Gymnasts are high on the list. I tend to think of a "great athlete" as someone who exhibits other qualities as well. In my opinion there is no better athlete than a NFL CB, WR, RB, or S. These guys are routinely 6'+, 220lbs+, run world class 40 times, are insanely agile, have great balance and vision, and are ridiculously mentally and physically tough.

 

[Bama fan]

Many years ago I went to college in Pittsburgh, and the school housed the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. There was a huge picture window looking onto their rehearsal stage. The students would walk by and be mesmerized by the strength ,stamina, grace, and precision of their routines. And I mean they went over and over things for hours at a time. I never worked so hard in football or baseball practice. To me they were truly amazing athletes. For that matter watch a rehearsal for a Broadway musical and it is impressive. Watching the USA soccer ladies I saw some fine displays too. And I would bet a UConn wbb practice is impressive also.

 

[j66kicker]

Really all depends on what your definition of an athlete is. If you just go by physical strength, agility, and balance then cheerleaders and Gymnasts are high on the list. I tend to think of a "great athlete" as someone who exhibits other qualities as well. In my opinion there is no better athlete than a NFL CB, WR, RB, or S. These guys are routinely 6'+, 220lbs+, run world class 40 times, are insanely agile, have great balance and vision, and are ridiculously mentally and physically tough.

Totally agree. No way do you take football off the list. Many of today’s NFL wide receivers have world class speed, awesomely deceptive quickness, they jump really high, have the eye-hand coordination, focus and strength to catch a football in an awkward position while an equally-skilled athlete is trying to keep him from catching it. And then they have the awareness, balance and coordination to come down with both feet in bounds and hang onto the ball while taking a vicious hit from an NFL defender.

BTW: Bruce Lee was a phenomenal athlete. Don’t think he would be afraid of Mike Tyson (at least the 54-year-old Mike Tyson who fought Roy Jones, Jr. the other day).

BTW #2: Should we really dismiss baseball players? Can YOU hit a 100 mph fastball? (just try 80 at a batting cage sometime). Can you THROW a 100 mph fastball? (try one of those radar gun throwing booths at a MLB ballpark sometime if your ego strength is up for some humiliation).

BTW #3: Should we dismiss golfers? (I tend to) Can YOU hit a ball 350 yards, hit the green, and control which way it’s spinning so it doesn’t roll off?

 

[CocoHusky]

400M Hurdles.

 

[eebmg]

How quickly we forget curling.

 

[bbfanLA]

How quickly we forget curling.

When Marge became a world class curler:

 

[chrissaran]

Why ask a question when you've already answered it and eliminated so many sports.

 

[MooseJaw]

Here's a possible time-filler to plug the lonely hours until UConn tips off. Consider this while you twiddle your twaddle:

What sport or other physical endeavor requires the greatest all-around athletes?

Some say it's cheerleaders. These young women are incredible athletes and take huge risks. Did you know that more injuries occur to cheerleaders than to any other group of college athletes? They suffer more injuries of the head and neck than college football players.

Gymnasts must also rank high. Their efforts are varied and complex, similar to but arguably more difficult than cheerleaders.

Can we rule out the most popular sports: football, baseball, soccer? Is popularity a fair measure of the quality of a sport? These sports are about speed, strength, finesse. Jumping is important. In terms of all-around skill, I would rate these sports below cheerleading and gymnastics for sheer skill.

We can probably eliminate boxing and motor sports. Swimming requires special talents, too, but just getting to the end of the pool seems a limited objective.

The “greatest athlete in the world” is reserved by tradition for track and field's winner of the decathlon: ten events rolled into one. But this all-around athlete is probably not the best performer in a single event.

The best all-around athletes in the world are found in Cirque de Soleil.

Your turn.

How do you compare any of these sport athletes? I say if you go pound for pound the crown goes to all around élite female gymnasts.

 

[CTyankee]

Why ask a question when you've already answered it and eliminated so many sports.

Ouch!

 

[huskyd]

Many years ago I went to college in Pittsburgh, and the school housed the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. There was a huge picture window looking onto their rehearsal stage. The students would walk by and be mesmerized by the strength ,stamina, grace, and precision of their routines. And I mean they went over and over things for hours at a time. I never worked so hard in football or baseball practice. To me they were truly amazing athletes. For that matter watch a rehearsal for a Broadway musical and it is impressive. Watching the USA soccer ladies I saw some fine displays too. And I would bet a UConn wbb practice is impressive also.

Great point. I didn't think of dance, but I should have. Long ago I had a girlfriend living in NYC, dancing in the chorus on Broadway. I sat in on some of her workouts; you're right, they are killers. W/out mentioning her name, I'd have to say she had the ugliest feet in the world: battered, bruised, and ever blue. Knees were no bargain either. You can always spot the dancers: they walk like ducks.
Watch "Dance Dreams" on Netflix now to see what these very young ladies (and some boys) go through.

 

[huskyd]

Why ask a question when you've already answered it and eliminated so many sports.

I was hoping you would chime in and agree/disagree/suggest other activities. Trying to stimulate the little grey cells . . . Feel free.

 

[Get a Job]

Here's a possible time-filler to plug the lonely hours until UConn tips off. Consider this while you twiddle your twaddle:

What sport or other physical endeavor requires the greatest all-around athletes?

Some say it's cheerleaders. These young women are incredible athletes and take huge risks. Did you know that more injuries occur to cheerleaders than to any other group of college athletes? They suffer more injuries of the head and neck than college football players.

Gymnasts must also rank high. Their efforts are varied and complex, similar to but arguably more difficult than cheerleaders.

Can we rule out the most popular sports: football, baseball, soccer? Is popularity a fair measure of the quality of a sport? These sports are about speed, strength, finesse. Jumping is important. In terms of all-around skill, I would rate these sports below cheerleading and gymnastics for sheer skill.

We can probably eliminate boxing and motor sports. Swimming requires special talents, too, but just getting to the end of the pool seems a limited objective.

The “greatest athlete in the world” is reserved by tradition for track and field's winner of the decathlon: ten events rolled into one. But this all-around athlete is probably not the best performer in a single event.

The best all-around athletes in the world are found in Cirque de Soleil.

Your turn.

Cheerleading may be the most dangerous, but it definitely does not attract the best athletes. As a former cheerleader, I can tell you that many girls and every guy with whom I cheered would have played another sport if they were good enough.

 

[PoppaBear]

I always thought water polo was the toughest sport. Having never played it myself I am no expert.
I did run the 800m in college and can confirm that race is complete hell.

 

[cwaduke]

Badminton

 

[Irishfan]

Here's a possible time-filler to plug the lonely hours until UConn tips off. Consider this while you twiddle your twaddle:

What sport or other physical endeavor requires the greatest all-around athletes?

Some say it's cheerleaders. These young women are incredible athletes and take huge risks. Did you know that more injuries occur to cheerleaders than to any other group of college athletes? They suffer more injuries of the head and neck than college football players.

Gymnasts must also rank high. Their efforts are varied and complex, similar to but arguably more difficult than cheerleaders.

Can we rule out the most popular sports: football, baseball, soccer? Is popularity a fair measure of the quality of a sport? These sports are about speed, strength, finesse. Jumping is important. In terms of all-around skill, I would rate these sports below cheerleading and gymnastics for sheer skill.

We can probably eliminate boxing and motor sports. Swimming requires special talents, too, but just getting to the end of the pool seems a limited objective.

The “greatest athlete in the world” is reserved by tradition for track and field's winner of the decathlon: ten events rolled into one. But this all-around athlete is probably not the best performer in a single event.

The best all-around athletes in the world are found in Cirque de Soleil.

Your turn.

who has said that cheerleaders are the greatest all around athletes? I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that.

 

[Bama fan]

Badminton

They don't call it badminton for nothin'.

 

[Pinhead]

World-class Nordic skiers. Race skate-skiing 30K+ is a full body workout like few others.

 

[Ozimoto]

Biathlon?

 

[eebmg]

greatest all-round athletes

Sumo-Wrestlers

 

[SVCBeercats]

hh

Please provide your definition of "greatest all-around athlete." What constitutes an all-around athlete? I hear all-around athlete and I think of an athlete who excels in multiple sports such as Jim Thorpe. He won gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon in the same Olmpic games. He also was a champion of something back in the day called the All-Arounder. Not only did he win it, he broke the point total record. He was a professional baseball, basketball, and football player. Jim thrope is my definition of an all-around athlete.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Many years ago I went to college in Pittsburgh, and the school housed the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. There was a huge picture window looking onto their rehearsal stage. The students would walk by and be mesmerized by the strength ,stamina, grace, and precision of their routines. And I mean they went over and over things for hours at a time. I never worked so hard in football or baseball practice. To me they were truly amazing athletes. For that matter watch a rehearsal for a Broadway musical and it is impressive. Watching the USA soccer ladies I saw some fine displays too. And I would bet a UConn wbb practice is impressive also.

I used to argue the best conditioned athlete was our aerobic instructor who did 4 to 6 one hour sessions per day 5 days a week. We had friend who had danced in the London ballet. She was made of titanium - light, and very high strength. Interesting aside Arnold Schwarzenegger took ballet lessons to improve his posing in body building contests.

 

[Kurebeach5]

As a baseball coach of forty years there is no doubt that hitting a baseball is THE hardest thing to do in the world of sports. However that is a particular skill as is skating, hard to do but an individual skill. IMHO, nothing takes the combination of size, strength, speed and multitude of muscle groups as basketball.

 

[CTisballers]

Weightlifting

 

[nwhoopfan]

Just to stir it up, what about ultra endurance racers? 50 or 100 mile courses, sometimes in the mountains in punishing terrain.

Or expedition mountain climbing poses a series of challenges, both mental and physical, unlike anything else I can think of.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

For a single effort of short duration, pole-vaulting requires speed of foot, grip strength, arm strength, core strength, coordination, and agility. Wrestlers are also quite athletic.

 

[Ellie]

With the passing of Rafer Johnson reminds me of what great athletes Heptathlon and Decathlon participants are.

 

[Monte]

The original statement said: "All-around." So, this does not mean just ONE skill such as running or hitting a baseball. You cannot say a sport such as Football because there are so many different positions which require individual skills, not all-around. A Center for example ; he doesn't have to run fast, throw a ball, or catch a pass.

I think the answer is BASKETBALL........all players have to : run up and down the court, pass the ball, catch the ball, jump to rebound, shoot the ball, and be quick enough to play defense.

 

[connie]

A lot of bubble-blowing here.

“Hitting a baseball is THE hardest thing to do in the world of sports.” Really? Harder than landing a quadruple axel? Harder than running a 2:05 marathon? Harder than the 4-6-7-9-10 split in bowling?

“We can probably eliminate boxing...” Really? We can? Why?

There is unlikely to be any consensus on the topic. But we should at least attempt some consensus as to what we are measuring and how those measures are weighted. Here’s a beginning (one that places boxing and ice hockey at 1 and 2).

Degree of difficulty— sport ranking

 

[JoePgh]

I would like to suggest that you sharpen up the question a bit. Here is how I would do it (certainly not the only way):

First, limit the scope to the four major professional sports: baseball, football, basketball, and hockey.

Second, ask the question about the requirements of a position (e.g., point guard in basketball, center fielder in baseball).

Third, to allow for the fact that someone playing almost every position in every sport benefits from great athleticism, focus on positions which demand extreme athleticism simply to play the position. For example, a forward in basketball certainly benefits from great athleticism (e.g., Michael Jordan or Lebron James), but someone can be an excellent player at that position without being a world-class athlete (e.g., Larry Bird).

With those three restrictions, I would propose that the position in any of the four major sports that has the highest entry requirements to play it competently is the cornerback position in football. A cornerback needs Olympic-level speed, as does a wide receiver, but the receiver runs a pattern and knows where he is going, while the CB needs to stay attached to the WR no matter where he goes. That means he needs great reflexes and the ability to turn on a dime -- attributes that the WR really does not require. A safety plays further behind the line of scrimmage than a CB and has more time to read the play and get in position to make the tackle, so he can be a step slower than the CB or the WR and still do his job effectively.

A safety probably requires more cognitive skill than a CB to read the play and recognize where the pass is going to go, and a quarterback certainly requires more cognitive skill than either the CB or the safety.

But for pure athleticism (speed, agility, quickness, leaping ability to contest a reception by a tall receiver), I can't think of any position that is more demanding than that of the NFL cornerback.