The Fittest Sportsman

[arc_of_time_]

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.

surely fitness is endurance, strength, agility etc etc

 

[stickroad]

I would have to pick Rowers.

Physical, Endurance and Mental Strength.

 

[dannyjo22]

There was an article in a paper a couple of years ago and it had rowers at the top. Of course I couldnt vouch for accuracy.

I was surprised when that superstars program was on how unfit some people where. Especially the boxers who from rocky films you have visions of being super fit. Mcculloch (spelling) and Hatton where both on their and where both pretty poor at anything that wasnt short burst explosion events. Stamina seemed a real problem and when you consider they way they both fight I was surprised.

The sprinters too, campbell etc and even ewan thomas a 400 meter runner could barely do the 800 or so meter run they had to do.

You would think Thomas would be running 800 all the time to increase stamina.

That was quite a good program for showing up fitness in various sports.

 

[The_One]

Cyclists in the tour de france.

Dont think theres any other sport that comes close

100+ kms at fast pace for two weeks. Hardcore indeed

 

[jdderbys]

i think it depends what you like. There is no difinitive answer and you cant say a certain sport has the fittest as there will always be other people from other sports fitter than 95% of the so called fittest.

Although you tube

UFC All Access Sean Sherk for the most committed ahtlete iv even seen. This show has a behind the scene look at his training and diet and its intense. He eats nothing he likes and trains harder than iv ever seen anyone so far

 

[jdderbys]

Part One

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2fFbYg_8zLk

Part Two

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fdTERAMuFN8

Its intense and well worth a watch

 

[gillywibble]

The people that really amaze me are mountain runners. The record for running up and down Ben Nevis is 1 hour 25 minutes and 34 seconds

Considering that it's 1344 metres high and the average time for walkers is four hours just to reach the peak, that gives you some idea of their staggering fitness!

 

[PlatinumFX]

I reckon Triathletes or possibly any one elite in the areas of swimming, running or long distance cycling.

 

[>:|sh4d0w|:<]

One of the problems is how do we quantify fitness, people will always disagree the relative importance of endurance, power, stamina etc.

 

[tomanders91]

pornstars by far

 

[Sem]

One of the problems is how do we quantify fitness, people will always disagree the relative importance of endurance, power, stamina etc.

ive always thought fitness = endurance/stamina

 

[Slinwagh]

I always thought that rowers were pretty high up there.

A fair few years ago their was a behind the scenes documentary following Steve Redgrave and Mathew Pinsent preparing for the Olympics. they pushed them selves top the point where they were collapsing from exhaustion, bear in mind at the time Redgrave had just discovered he was diabetic and he was still adjusting his diet to compensate.

Also the distances they trained over were longer than race distance, very fit guys.