10 Most Physically Demanding Sports

Competing in sports, particularly at the highest levels, requires a physical commitment from competitors which often can lead to long term injuries. Although nearly every top sport requires sacrifices from its athletes, some sports stand out above the crowd as demanding the most from competitors, due to the intense personal exertion, and often the even more intense physical contact, involved.

  1. Basketball

    • Basketball is a sport which requires a great deal of athletic ability to be played at a high level. With an emphasis on height, a player must possess both natural height and the ability to jump high in order to get shots off while contested, as well as defend or rebound effectively. Additionally the sport can put a great deal of strain on the knees with its repeated jumping on hard wood or pavement.

    Football

    • As football evolves, the toll it takes on the bodies of players increases. The average size of football players has grown steadily, as has the speed of the game. Big hits with two players, each weighing more than 200 pounds and moving at near full speed, are common and contribute to the high concussion rate in the sport.

    Gymnastics

    • Although gymnastics may not be the first sport to come to mind when thinking of physical demands, it is quite a taxing sport. In order to be able to perform routines such as the bars, rings and floor routines a gymnast must develop muscles that are both strong and flexible.

    Hockey

    • With the game played on a sheet of ice, hockey players can reach speeds unmatched in other sports, and with hitting legal and boards to slam into this leads to high impact collisions. The sport also requires a great exertion of energy, so much so that shifts are often limited to about one minute at a time.

    Lacrosse

    • Similar to hockey, but played on grass, Lacrosse players must be strong enough to use their body to keep the ball, or separate an opponent from it, while maintaining the hand-eye coordination required to catch and throw the small ball. Lacrosse goalies endure substantial punishment as outdoor goalies rarely wear pads on their lower bodies, despite facing rubber balls thrown at high speed, over 100 miles per hour by some professional players.

    Mixed Martial Arts

    • Most well known for the Ultimate Fighting Championships, MMA is a modern combat sport which combines all martial arts, including jiu jitsu, boxing and wrestling. As fighters must know how to fight with striking as well as grappling, and rounds last for a full five minute period, longer than most combat sports, MMA demands intense dedication from its competitors.

    Rugby

    • Rugby is a sport similar to American football, however play is more open and padding is substantially less. Although the lesser padding does decrease the intensity of the hits in rugby, with no pads to protect the body the physical toll remains high.

    Soccer

    • Although soccer is often viewed as a low-contact sport due to how it is played at young levels, as players progress and grow, the sport becomes highly physical. Using one's body to establish position and force an opponent off the ball is common, and a mistimed slide tackle can cause a severe injury for either player.

    Tennis

    • Despite players remaining on opposing sides of the net, thus avoiding physical contact, tennis is still a highly demanding sport for its players. In chasing down opposing shots a player must sprint about the court which can become exhausting as a game extends into later sets. The longest tennis match in professional history was played over three days of intense burst running on each point.

    Water Polo

    • Water polo players tread water in a pool while attempting to move a ball down the pool and throw it into a goal. The players often will struggle with opponents for the ball, all while continuing to keep themselves afloat, requiring a great deal of endurance.