The Fittest Sportsman

well what are the key components of fitness?
Strength, Power, Agility, Balance, Flexibility, Cardiovascular endurance, Stamina, coordination?

I think all round fitness is key rather than just extreme fitness in one discipline, for instance a triathlete isn't likely to be as strong a cycler as lance armstrong but i'm guessing could beat him in running or swimming. whereas a decathlete again has a broader range of fitness skills than a triathlete.

my bet would be on someone who performs a variety of varied activities to a very high level not on someone who performs a single task to an exceptional level.
 
DanH84 said:
well what are the key components of fitness?
Strength, Power, Agility, Balance, Flexibility, Cardiovascular endurance, Stamina, coordination?

I think all round fitness is key rather than just extreme fitness in one discipline, for instance a triathlete isn't likely to be as strong a cycler as lance armstrong but i'm guessing could beat him in running or swimming. whereas a decathlete again has a broader range of fitness skills than a triathlete.

my bet would be on someone who performs a variety of varied activities to a very high level not on someone who performs a single task to an exceptional level.
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Bad choice of cyclist. Armstrong was a succesful triathlete before his career in cycling :p
 
davestar_delux said:
I find sprinters fascinating, so much training put into an event that lasts no more than 10 seconds but it's difficult to see where they would stand and they are so rarely mentioned in something like this but I reckon they could compete with a good amount of strong-men and long-distance runners .
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I remember Michael Johnson recoiling in horror at the training Paula Radcliffe was doing. Sprinting is a power event long distance running is an endurance event.
 
Tennis players are incredibly fit with stunning stamina, especially when they are out playing 3-4 hour long matches in the blistering heat.
 
Definitely Iron Men athletes, got a mate who's into it and he's fit/strong to epic levels. My brother's into his triathlons and this guy walks all over him. He came 48th out of a few hundred after swimming 3.8k, cycling 180k and running a marathon. Nutter.
 
The hardest sport I have ever played is singles in badminton. Obviously not at a mucking about level, but as you get to the elite levels, it's bloody mental.
 
DanH84 said:
well what are the key components of fitness?
Strength, Power, Agility, Balance, Flexibility, Cardiovascular endurance, Stamina, coordination?
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just to add, badminton incorporates every one of these abilities.
 
I would agree with badminton, I was playing it today seriously (although I'm rubbish) and it completely takes it out of you. Squash is similar.
 
Hmm that depends on if it's sustained or burst... I did the London to Brighton bike ride then went and did kickboxing, there's a completely different type of fitness required.

I would have thought Sky Runners would be up there - basically running marathons over mountain ranges.
 
just to throw my idea into the melting pot, what about those edurance runners. 3 marathons in a row in 3 continents. those kind of things, extreme team sports.

there is a Dr in my trust called mike stroud, you might of heard of him he runs multiple marathons with his dad. now that is fit. he also did the walk to the north pole with sir ranulph feines. ?sp.


rotters
 
Mr.Stu said:
Fitness to me means physical endurance, not short bursts. Therefore I'd go with tour cyclists (180bpm+ heart rate for long periods of time etc)... these guys usually have crazy high lung capacities as well.

Them or people at the top of the iron man game. The thought of running a sub 3 hour marathon after swimming 2.4miles and biking over a 100 is just mind boggling.
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Id have to agree with the cyclists, many have resting heart rates below at insanely low levels.
 
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