The Hardest Sports in the World

By B. Zarzur

1.     Boxing
Boxing was not ranked first for any reason. It requires many abilities - very good physical conditions, a very precise technique and outstanding pain resistance. During a boxing match, you will get beat down and pushed to your limit. You will also need agility and quick skills to defend yourself.

2.     Ice hockey
Ice hockey is a very dangerous sport. The pain tolerance a hockey player should have is very high - they get thrown onto the ice and slammed onto the walls. You also always need to play in freezing temperatures and must be moving on thin blades on a very slippery surface.

3.     American football
American footballers wear a lot of protection (up to 10kg, including pads and helmets), which means their opponents will hit harder, making it painful. You must be a very fast and powerful runner to be an American footballer, you need to be able to run very quickly while carrying weights with you (your gear).

4.     Basketball
Basketball requires a lot of coordination and speed. You must always have your eyes on the ball and never lose sight of it; you also must be running and dodging opponents. Additionally, you need to have good aiming towards the hoop to score points. The sport also uses up a lot of energy, making it very exhausting.

5.     Wrestling
Wrestling may not be the toughest sport there is, but it is one of the most tiring, as it requires many skills – a very good technique, mental and physical endurance and physical power. Wrestlers must also train to condition themselves to be able to tolerate the demanding sport - a lot of cardiovascular exercises and strength exercises.

6.     Martial arts
It is very hard to start a martial art if you’ve never tried it because it will challenge your body in many ways – mentally and physically. It requires a lot of technique and strength. You must train with an open mind and work hard if you want to succeed in the sport.

7.     Tennis
One of the main reasons why tennis is a tough sport is because you can never know exactly where the ball is coming from. You must be prepared for anything and it demands very precise timing. It also requires many years of practice to become excellent at it and you need lots of coordination. A strong mindset is also needed to be able to endure the long hours the game takes.

8.     Gymnastics
Gymnastics requires a huge set of skills, some of them being strength, flexibility, balance, speed and power. Their mentality also needs to be extremely stable because you can get very scared to jump and leap into the air when nothing is holding and securing you. It is essential to start practicing gymnastics young and train nonstop so that you build on to your flexibility. The pressure that is put on you during competition is immense – the need to be perfect and the best is very common among gymnasts.