What is the most difficult sport? What the numbers prove is the number 1 (2023)

Any sport is difficult if you are not good at it.

but some areparticularlydifficult.

You get a different kind of athlete, even a slightly crazy one.

I coveredthe sports that attract this type of freaks before (What is the most dangerous sport?).

This time I want to cover the hardest sports.

The 7 Hardest Sports to Play

It turns out that there is almost no objective way to assess which sports are the toughest.

However, in the next section I will use statistics to "prove" which ones are the most difficult if you want to go pro.

Of course, that doesn't mean they are the heaviest.

For a sport, to create this first list, I used two criteria.

First, the sport must be televised or played at the Olympic Games at least once a year.

Then yes,Extreme ironing seems difficult, but does not qualify.

Sorry.

Second, it has to be something I've tried before (so I'm an expert) or something I would never try because it seems too difficult (an expert judgment I make).

Alright, without further ado, here are the hardest sports to play (or not even try).

7. The Ring

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the world.

Originally a fight to the death,Origins of wrestlingThey date back to 3000 B.C. in Babylon and Egypt.

While you no longer need to kill your opponent to achieve victory, it can sometimes feel like killing yourself to train as a fighter.

Similar to gymnastics (which may or may not appear on this list, so keep reading),Wrestling requires a crazy combinationof speed, stamina, strength and, perhaps most importantly, discipline.

Even if a college wrestling match has bouts that last only two or three minutes, the contestants will likely face multiple consecutive opponents in a single match.

A short recovery time means fighters must have incredible cardiovascular endurance, so training can't just focus on getting bigger and stronger. Rather, fighters must also train their bodies for stamina.

Fighters also have to deal with injury risks, especially to the shoulders and knees. Rashes and staph infections are also common.

If you think you would like to try wrestling, think about whatLenda Tun Wrestling Dan Gable Theseafter her performance at the 1972 Olympics:

"The point of wrestling is that it hurts and you get over it. It never occurred to me that it shouldn't hurt.

See you on the mat?

6. Figure skating

From afar, figure skating is a graceful spectacle of dazzling costumes, graceful leg movements and serene performances timed to perfect music.
Up close, however, this sport is anything but a simple lap around the ice rink.
It can be brutal, physically terrifying, and even potentially dangerous.
Skaters balance on small metal bars and have to jump, spin, and launch their bodies into the air.

You risk a dislocated shoulder or a bruised tailbone, elbows, shoulders, knees is the price skaters pay to pursue their passion. In pursuit of higher scores, most skaters suffer numerous injuries. The ice isn't exactly soft for landing.

And while I toovery cowardlybusy practicing skatingVideo of skateboarders succumbing to gravityconvinced me that it's probably for the best.

US Olympic figure skater champion Peggy Fleming began training at the age of 9. She described how she committed to exercising 6 to 7 hours a day, 6 days a week, 11 months out of the year.

As she says, she skates“he gets a lot out of everything: of your whole family, of your coaches and of you.

5 golf

Golf is a game of precision..

And patience.

Quiteof patience

Using a five foot metal pole, your task is to somehow drop a one inch diameter ball into a hole hundreds of feet away.

Damn the energy here.

Proper technique and precision determine the green and the fairway.

Despite the buzz around golf, the strokes and strokes that professional golfers execute deserve a standing ovation.

But any true fan of the sport knows that part of respecting the game is controlling noise levels. Mental preparation and perseverance are key for professional golfers who have thousands of eyes watching their every move.

A wasted sigh or shout can completely stop a golfer's swing and send the ball into a sand trap or a lake of despair.

Practice (and patience) make golf perfect, making it a challenging game for someone ill-equipped to deal with that kind of pressure.

4. Water polo

In a nutshell, water polo is basically soccer, except the court is replaced by billiards and 'no hands' is replaced by 'what else are you wearing?'

But simple definitely does not mean easy.

First of all, players can't touch the bottom of the pool, so they may have to tread water for an entire quarter, which usually takes around 12 minutes!

(Yes, there are subs, but still)

They call their variant Pisando Agua"a whisk' because it's supposed to be more efficient than the version most of us do for about 10 seconds before getting tired and swimming to the edge of the pool.

From the moment the referee starts play and drops the ball in the middle of the pool, players claw and grab for possession.

Technically, they really can'tscratchno more. Employees check to be sureThe players' nails are filedbefore each game. Otherwise, the contestants will end the games with scratches, welts, and bruises, some even coming out with ripped bathing suits.

And although hitting is prohibited, players make the most of the water, Kick or punch below the surface to gain an advantage.

Basically, it has nothing in common with actual polo, which is downright relaxing by comparison. Water polo is an incredibly brutal sport that only the best athletes can perform.

3. Gymnastics

2016 US Olympic team memberjake dalton saidthat gymnastics "is about being as strong, flexible, and light as possible."

Being one of those things can be quite difficult. Being all three is necessary only to compete in gymnastics.

Because of this, gymnasts need to train at the top of their game. at least 40 hours a week.

This is basically a 9 to 5 desk job (unless it's good for your body).

Even beginners can expect around 15 hours of training per week, so there's not exactly an "easy level" for this sport.

Gymnastics requires special skills in balance, strength, speed, and hand-eye coordination.

And modern gymnasts must be able to use all abilities to compete in a variety of events.

If gymnasts want a higher potential score, they should include up to 6 or 7 power elements. And as the rules change and potential scores fluctuate, gymnasts need to stay on top of the latest strength and nutrition trends to keep up.

Gymnasts are so relentless when it comes to pushing the boundaries of the sport that some even develop their own moves to score more points in a competition. yes a gymnastget your new train outand pre-accredited by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique, they can cement their legacy almost immediately.

Whether gymnasts are circling the pommel horse, dangling their entire bodies on rings, or jumping off the vault, they are always at risk of a near miss or a freak injury from a small mistake.

Getting a perfect landing in gymnastics or a perfect 10 is probably one of the most challenging accomplishments in any sport.

For all the grace and power gymnasts need to excel, they've got it.anythingin our two most difficult sports to play.

2. strong man

If you need someone to open a jar of pickles, I'm the one.

if you are looking for someoneFlipping tires that weigh half a ton, I'm your type... saying that you need to talk to a strong and professional man.

second on my listStrongman is a sport with a very basic purpose.: receiveextremelyheavy objects and move them.

Some of my favorite challenges are theseAtlas-SteinmiBauernweg.

The Atlas Stone is named after the mythological titan that held up the sky.

Strong men don't have it so bad. You only have to take five huge concrete balls that are increasing in weight and place them on a platform.

And then there is the Paseo de los Agricultores.

Competitors take a barbell in each hand with weights stacked on the ends and walk as fast as they can to the finish line.

Whileconventional trainingare beneficial in a gym, strongman competitors should also have access to things like trunks, giant tires, and even cars. Yes. You move them too.

Thats not all.

It's literally the only part of this sport that I can remotely identify with. The best athletes need to consume almost 10,000 calories a day!

... I have a feeling that maybe I've done this before.

Being a strong man requires a big body, a big appetite, and a tremendous competitive spirit. If you want to become strong enough to become a strong man, it has to become your obsession.

But there is one more sport that arguably takes the human body further than any other on this list.

1. iron man

Getting to number one on my list of the hardest sports to play isIron Man.

NO,it's not that.

OThis.

I'm talking about crazy athletes who push their bodies to the limit by participatingtriatlos ironman.

At the annual Ironman European Championships, competitors swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles.

I'm tired of just talking about it.

If you add it all up, you have really unbearable tension in the body.

The biggest risks that competitors face areheart attackand in some casestod.

actually theMost triathlon fatalities occur during the swimming portion of the competition., meaning these athletes never made it past the first half of the season.

It's no wonder that in order to train and compete in such grueling competition, players need to keep their bodies in good shape, eat a balanced diet, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

At the same time, Ironman participants must be careful not to risk drinking alcohol.too muchwater (called "hyponatremia"), which can be fatal in the most severe cases.

Too much water in the system cancause low levels of sodium in the blood.

After all these physical demands on the body, who would have thought thatmuch watercould it be something bad?

Masters of land and sea (and of rivers and bays), Ironman athletes sometimes make the most difficult sport look like a walk in the park. But hats off to anyone who thinks running a full marathon alone isn't impressive enough.

And after making this list, I think a walk in the park is just what I need.

The 5 most difficult sports to become a professional (statistics)

Okay, now let's take a look at the toughest sports based on how likely you are to make a living from them.

I finish8 million high school athletesonly in the United States, but only 6% of those competitors will continue to play at the collegiate level. And even fewer make it to play professionally or at the Olympic level.

Whether you're kicking a basketball, tossing a pigskin, or swinging the hurdles, playing professionally in front of a worldwide crowd of passionate fans is no easy mountain to climb.

And the chances of turning pro could be much lower than you think.

Here are the 5 hardest sports to turn pro (statistically).

5. The Clash

If you enjoy the majesty of sliding on the ice and the thrill of bumping into other adults, you may want to pursue a career in hockey.

but with one1.598 (0,17%)rocketed to NHL glory, it's a rise to stardom.

Ice hockey is one of the most dangerous professional sports. The players have a combination of athletic agility and aDesires to inflict painon anyone wearing a different shirt.

Used alone by over 35,000 high school hockey players11% will compete in college. And only about 270 of those lucky few make it to the professional level.

4. Baseball

Baseball is one of the most popular sports among children and fans.

And here's an interesting fact: If you watch a professional baseball game, you're actually more likely to be selected to play professionally by your favorite team (1 in 659, or 0.15%) than you are to be fouled.1 in 835o 0,12%).

So there is always an opportunity.

Even if you have reached the college level and can only be drafted in MLB28%these experienced athletes are selected to play at the next level.

So start perfecting that swing, learn the ground balls and maybelearn some trickswhile you're at it.

3. football

La Parrilla is not a place for the weak or cowardly.

In the hard-hitting, fast-paced game of soccer, players must expect pain.

Needless to say, it's not for everyone.

But even if you think you'd like to play in the NFL, your chances aren't good.

Statistically you have a higher chance of a meteor hitting your head(1 in 3,200) when sitting on the couch watching football than playing professional football (1 in 4,233 or just 0.02%).

I'm honestly not sure what would be more painful. Have you seen some of these?hard knocks that professionals do to each other?

No, thanks.

Despite this, more than a million high school players sign up to play football each year, despite the punishment that comes with it.

But those lucky enough to play college baseball and qualify for the pros aren't guaranteed to make it to the pros.

eben 20193.8% of draft-eligible players were selected to play in the NFL.

While the road from pop-warner football to college football is narrow, the road to the world of professional football is narrow.fenceto impossible

2. football

Soccer is the most watched sport in the world.

em 2018,3.6 billion people(more than half of the total world population aged four and over) tuned in to the FIFA World Cup.

It is also one of the most practiced sports on the planet. In 2019, FIFA reported 128,983 total global footballers.

But how challenging is it to play professionally?

With only a 1 in 5,768 (0.017%) chance of turning pro, soccer ranks second on my list as one of the most challenging sports to play at a professional level.

(By the way, it's number one on my list of sports I'm most fed up with)

Players need to practice intensely throughout their lives if they want the chance to kick a ball for more than just fun.

of course if youdomake it to the big stage, they have a chance to be handsomely rewarded. Actually 3 of the top 5highest paid athletes in the worldI come from the world of soccer.

Still, soccer is no match for my next and latest sport at number 1, not only as the (statistically) hardest sport to play, but also as the sport that makes the most money.

Think you have a good guess?

I'll give you advice.

It's a long shot.

1. Basket

It's alright, it's alright. This was a simple tray. Two points for you.

But entering the world of professional basketball is not easy.

Almost a million high school students play basketball (about 541,000 men and 433,000 women).

Less than 4% of them will play college basketball.

Overall, basketball players have a 1 in 12,363 (0.008%) chance of becoming a professional dribbler.

Statistically, men and women have almost equal opportunities to play professional basketball, although it is a bit more difficult for women:

• 1 in 11,711 (0.009%) for men
• 1 in 13,015 (0.008%) for women

If youthey areIf you are lucky enough to make it to the professional level, you will receive an open invitation to the sport that generates the most money.

Can you think of a sport that is even more difficult?

So what do you think?

Do you agree with my list of the toughest sports? Do you think some of the first list will be outshone by the highest paid professionals of the second?

Let me know in the comment section.

And if you're someone who wishes you'd tried a little harder in high school to become a professional athlete today, I hope you now see that it's basically impossible.

I hope that helps!