Sport > World > Lists > Fittest Sport > My List

Below are my top 10 sports considered I consdier to be among the highest in fitness requirements. This is just personal opinion - there have been other attempts to more accurately determine the world's fittest sports - such as my calculation and via online ratings of fitness components.

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The results of a few sports comparisons, testing and analysis came up with the sports of boxing, skiing and squash as the owners of the title of the World's Fittest Sport. It could be argued that many other sports are also worthy of the title. I'll let you make up your own mind. See the competition to determine the World's Fittest Sport.

1. Boxing

You can't go past boxing as the sport requiring the greatest all round levels of fitness. Aerobic endurance, strength, power, speed, agility and flexibility are all extremely important for success in boxing. I would make sure I was extremely fit too if I had to get in a ring with someone who wanted to bash me up.

2. Decathlon

The Decathlon is not a sport as such, but an event in Track and Field, though there is no doubt that the event requires the ultimate all round athlete. The decathlon comprises 10 events performed over two days: 100 meters, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump, 400 meters, 110 meter hurdles, Discus, Pole Vault, Javelin, 1500m. No wonder the Olympic decathlon champions are often given the title of the World's fittest athlete. Are decathletes the best athletes in the world?

3. Hockey

Whether it is field hockey or ice hockey, this team sport requires speed, power and agility, with a very good level of endurance. I rank both hockey versions here the same, though in ice hockey I would think that strength and power are more important, and in field hockey, played on a larger field requires higher endurance levels.

4. Australian Rules Football

Anyone who has watched some AFL football would agree that of all the football codes this is definitely the one with the greatest all round fitness requirements. With no protection, and the play going on all around them, players need to be quick and agile, strong in the tackle, and keep doing it for hours.

5. Cross-Country Skiing

If fitness was defined as endurance fitness, cross-country skiing would be expected to come out on top easily. A new section of the Topend Sports website lists the world best performances in many of the common fitness tests. In the VO_2max category, cross-country skiers are highly represented on the top of the list.

6. Squash

Squash is played in a confined space, but that does not restrict the movements of the players, who require superior fitness to quickly cover all parts of the court in this non-stop game.

7. Lacrosse

Invented by the American Indians, speed and agility are not enough in this sport. Going by the protective gear that they wear, it is also a very hard played sport requiring good strength and power.

8. Tennis

Gone are the days where skill only would enable you to reach the top in world tennis. Recent players with great fitness levels have dominated the game, with strong powerful strokes, and the speed and agility to cover all of the court, and the endurance to make it though sometimes hours of play.

9. American Football

American football is a sport that requires players with high levels of fitness in the range of components, though specialist positions mean that some players can concentrate on one area such as speed or power, creating superior linesmen, wide receivers or kickers with unique physical characteristics.

10. Triathlon Ironman

The Ironman is a long distance triathlon, comprising (raced in order with no break) 2.4 miles (3.86 km) swim, 112 miles (180.25 km) cycle, and finishing with a marathon run (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km). If fitness is defined by endurance and determination, then Ironman triathlon is the one.

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Related Pages

• Discussion about the World's Fittest Sport
• POLL: What do you think is the world's fittest sport?
• See also about the Fittest Athletes.
• Who is the World's Greatest Athlete?
• Vote for the Greatest Athlete of All Time?
• ESPN List of most demanding sports
• Is motocross the most demanding sport?
• Other sport specific lists
• More about the World of Sport

Recent Comments

• I've done boxing and it's a tough sport. At world Champ level like any sport it's very high level. For all round and fittest  I would put ice hockey, water polo, gymnastics, wrestling, Olympic weight lifting up there. (David, Jan 2021)

Old Comments

• I would go for Formula 1 drivers, a lot of people think it is easy to just driving around and not heavy at all. The prove of how heavy a race is can be best measured in weight loss, a race driver loses up to 4kg in just 1 race time. if he would not keep up drinking during the race he would have a serious problem. The long exposure to extreme G force (up to 6G is measured) and not allowing any mistakes during this time makes it extremly heavu both mentally as physically. It is often demonstrated when formula one drivers participate in any charity sport they usually have very little problem adjusting and keeping up. They are more like the Bruce Wayne of the sport world, they look like rich boys who could not do anything great but in reality they could most likely beat you in almost any competition. Alex (2013)
• Pat McEnery Alex (2019)
  An elite athlete, be that a runner, football player, golfer, boxer has to be on top of their game and thus each has a speciality. comparing is fun and just that as each is a champion of their sport, an inspiration to us all and gives us joy.
• Jojo (2013)
  I think soccer, or football, should have made the list.
• Weldon (2013)
  Just the fact that wrestling is not on there shows just how ignorant the author is. I can see how boxing and iron man triathlons can be on the list without wrestling but football and tennis?!?!?!?!?!??!!! None of these sports require the all around fitness to literally fight for your life full throttle using every muscle in your body for 9 or 10 minutes with no break.
• Michael Essig Weldon (2014)
  What you described at the end about fighting for your life for 9-10 minutes, reminds me a lot of rowing...
• Clint thorson (2014)
  Motocross and supercross by far the most physically and mentally demanding. 92% of max heart rate for 35mins straight then another 35min moto in 100 degree heat while maneuvering a 240lb bike and mentally being able to know everyskill on a dirt bike to be faster than the 40 other guys on the gate. Such as Knowing where and when exactly to start braking and accelerating on changing terrain. How much throttle to give for how long. What line to take off the jump or in the corner or the woops or Rythem. And taking that line what will it do. Did your back tire spin out of the corner will I make the jump do I have to go faster to make the jump. Where to stand where to sit. Every take off and landing of a jump being able to squat the force and absorb the landing as best as possible against forces greater than gravity and the 240lb bike and all the gear your wearing. And all that in just one section now Do that with 180 beats per minute for 35mins and you are the only one on your team because there is no team. No sitting on the bench no timeouts no hockey player switch. Nothing but you the bike and the track and 40 other riders. Hardest sport in the world Period.
• James (2013)
  i think that none of you have ever been in the Ring...So you probably shouldnt discredit it
• Ogara Casiano (2017)
  I always wanted to do motocross and I think it would be one of the sports that you mention. I would like to learn but I need time for it :(
• Soivring (2016)
  Soccer not in the list?😂 No one will know that it's definitely one of the 5 hardest and most exhausting sports ever until they play it. Just play a 11-on-11 match of 30 minutes only and you'll know what I'm talking about.
• Konstantin konstantinovs (2014)
  Olympic weightlifters are the world's greatest athletes!They are stronger,more explosive,faster,more flexible,can jump higher than 99,99% athletes from any other sport,so olympic weightlifting is the world's fittest.
• Zach Turner konstantin konstantinovs (2014)
  There aren't all round athletes. It requires for you to be strong but not much else
• Hicks (2014)
  I dont see how mix martial ats isnt on the list for the simple fact that it takes boxing and all other stand up fighting styles plus ground game aswell shuch as wrestling or ju-jitsu and you want to talk about taking physical damage and mental damage you could very easly get your arm or leg broke if you get caught in a good submistion and your not just takeing punches your are geting hit with knees, elbows, head and body kicks and you can get hit while you are on the ground the fight does not stop simple because u fall down and i know that it only last for 5minutes but that is a long 5minutes
• Al Sanwick (2014)
  It is painfully obvious that none of you have ever ridden motocross!!!! it has consitantly been rated as 1st or second in the world. how can american football even rate..you rest for 45 seconds then play for 10.
• Zach Turner Al Sanwick (2014)
  American football is better than aussie football.
• Good guy (2014)
  Where is the Baseball and what is squash
• Mitchell (2013)
  Swim could be 4-5. Swim demands a lot of endurance. We get three second breaks. You have to limit your oxygen intake because breathing could cost you the loss of a race. You swim until you throw up, and then you keep going. People think you jump in the water and just swim laps. It's not like that. Swimming is also a full body workout so you stay really fit. I think that swimming could have beat tennis, I mean compare the fitness of a tennis player to Michael Phelps. Endurance wise, it's one of the hardest sports. Also the technique is very difficult. You can get disqualified if you flinch on the start, if you push off the wall the wrong way. There are people who train 5hours a day every day. Not just swimming, but land exercises too. You run 2 miles and then you get in the water and you swim, 3 miles. Every time you practice you can feel lactic acid burning your muscles, but you don't stop. Unless you faint or die, you don't stop. Not even is you puke. People think anyone can swim, but can anyone swim 3miles daily while working on crazy techniques? I don't think so. It would take a year of preparation or more before you join a team. And for the teams, summer teams and high school teams dont count. Swimming burns about 600-800 per practice. Swim is very difficult. Probably not as difficult as wrestling, but it should definitely be about 4-5 on the list.
• Bobby Lee (2013)
  Water polo should be at least top 5. You expect me to believe tennis is harder than water polo. In your dreams.
• Sally Kelly (2013)
  It is a well-known fact that ballerinas are fitter than AFL footy players and are most definitely fitter than boxers. They have to have extremely strong calf and thigh strength to stay up on their Pointe shoes for so long. They work so hard and cannot show it, unlike every other sport. They have to have fast thinking brains and have to think fast to pick up exercises and corrections quickly. They have to have muscle and body control, and are very disciplined. On top of all this, they make it look easy, unlike boxers who let out all their pain.
• Kieran kose Sally Kelly (2013)
  Yeah only problem? Its not a sport sunshine.
• Zach Turner Sally Kelly (2014)
  Have you tried sports?
• Tdog Sally Kelly (2014)
  Yeah awesome!! How fast can they run an endurance marathon?? Or what's their best sprint time?? You've picked out one aspect of fitness and said they are completely fitter as a whole!! Put our best afl player against a the best ballerina over a range of various test and I'm a 100% sure afl will come out on top
• Zach Turner Tdog (2014)
  Put an NFL quarterback up.
• Taisin smith (2020)
  I don't agree with this list (list i'm making is purely American sports because i have no experience with other sports, but i have participated in these sports at high school level and this is my ranking )
  1 water polo
  2 boxing
  3 wrestling (any kind roman, greko, freestyle)
  4 triathlon/ cross country( fitness purely )
  5 Rock climbing
  5 gymnastics( mainly because of the upper body strength required)
  6 Soccer
  7 MX
  8 rodeo roping, barrel racing etc. ( jock has to stay light for horse comfort)
  9 Hockey
  10 Football( only certain players RB, WR, etc.)
• Liam McLay (2020)
  Forgot wrestling
• Dr Jim (2020)
  How could Rugby not be on this list??? Can't be valid list without Rugby in the top 5. What was your criteria???
• Ron Wike (2017)
  I vote for motocross. If you have ever done it you would agree.....
• Joe Smith (2016)
  Swimming uses every single muscle in your body, and swimmers train for like 5 hours a day. They are aerobically fit as well as muscular explosiveness and endurace and they have very strong lungs.
• Dylan storm (2014)
  This is bull tennis really? Where is basketball bad opinion
• Jam (2014)
  I'm guessing a lot of people went on here and we're thinking: "I just know football is gonna be on top". Fighters, not just in boxing, are usually always super fit. In football, just being a big guy would probably cover 70% of what's required for them to be good. Yeah, in positions that require running the ball, you would need speed and agility, but the backbone of the game is in the players who keep the other team away from the player carrying the ball.
• Sarah (2014)
  left out climbing, which is classed as a sport, those guys are insane, especially free climbers
• Bo (2014)
  Both tennis and american football is just standing around waiting half the time. Som NFL players can't even jogg 5km seen on hard knocks and simmilar shows.
  Soccer is a very demanding sport, playing 90 minutes with only one break, but the players are not as explosive or strong as in some other sports. I play tennis and badminton and badminton is a much more demanding sport that require cardio, agility, flexibility, explosiveness, speed, vertical etc. whilst tennis reqire alot of technique and fundamentals. I think gymnasts are the best overall athletes.
• Flo (2014)
  Gymnastics uses power, speed, dynamic strength, explosive strength, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, balance, timing and co-ordination? Why isnt it on here?
• Flo (2014)
  Gymnastics?
• Castle (2014)
  boxing is 8th or 9th and gymnasts are the fittest people around. Fitness is a combination of Strength, Power, Flexibility, Speed and Cardiovascular Fitness
• Scott (2014)
  The majority of offensive linemen at the college and pro level football would be classified as obese. Cannot agree that football players are more fit than basketball players either.
• Cleaver (2014)
  #2 wrestling is WAY harder than a decathlon
• Cleaver (2014)
  #1 water polo is easy
• C'los (2013)
  why isn't triathlon on the top along with boxing? i mean how is some ball sports harder than swimming biking and running at the same time? and the physical preparation for a race? swim like a swimmer, bike like a biker and run like a runner
• RowingIsForGayPeople c'los (2014)
  ive done a triatholon, i ride motocross, motocross is at least 5 times harder
• Dakota Olson (2013)
  I'm not going to say that running is the fittest sport out there because it may not be i don't know ... but what i will say is if you haven't ran track before and you try to accomplish any kind of record its not happening ... other miscellaneous stuff like taking care of horses may be hard but it's not a sport so technically can not be classified as one of the fittest sports in the world i have ran cross-country and track for the last 5 going on 6 years and no matter how much i run it never gets easier the competition just gets harder and harder as the years go on i currently run the mile in 5 minutes and 10 seconds when i first started i couldn't run the mile in 7 minutes flat and i tried hard but now i can running does get easier but the competition gets harder and then you have to pick up your training so you stay with your competition so like i said technically running never gets easier because when you think you are doing better because your time has improved someone out there is doing better than you are and you are going to want to step up your game another notch.
• Brad (2013)
  Ever see the Irish sports? Aussie football is an adaptation of Gaelic football, and Irish hurling is a stick sport like hockey but the fastest field sport on the planet, requiring speed, agility, power and a high level of fitness. Not to mention the danger levels! Problem is Ireland keeps all it's sports amateur so they don't make money and as such are rarely exposed to the world. But even their amateurs team up against pros in Aussie footie (the games are so similar!)
• Samuel howard Brad (2014)
  AFL is about 50 years older than Gaelic.
  Come on son!
• Zach Turner Brad (2014)
  Ice hockey is better!

Even Older Comments

• I say horse riding because it takes energy and a lot of skill. All of you who sit there saying it's not a sport you have no proof it's not a sport if I'm honest it's the only sport that involves an animal and until you have experienced horse riding and the care it takes for horses you have no argument don't sit there and tell me it's not a sport if you haven't tried it and you have never tried co-ordinating your hands and legs as well as keeping perfect posture and keeping your horse under control many of you will never understand that and you all underestimate us horse riders so tell me it's not an energetic sport when you experienced it I bet none of you can. (from Chloe April 2013)
• TENNIS! Requires all fitness compenets at a high level in order to compete professionally. Also, you never know what kind of match you are going to play...1 hour demolish...or 10 hours and 5 mins!!! Like the Isner vs Mahut marathon at Wimbledon. Also there is a demand for resistance to high levels of lactic acid..which is painful. Nevertheless, I admit there are other really demanding sports out there. In the end it depends on each person, whether they are natural in a sport or not and their body build. Sport is awesome! :) (from Rohan, Apr 2013)
• I agree with the #1, but add MMA to that as well. These sportsman not only give it, they take it, and very well. I've played pretty near every major sport at one time or another, boxing is tough enough when you're training on your own, but throw a sparring partner in the ring (someone that wants to take your head off) and it's another matter. (from Mick, Mar 2013)
• I do not agree with this. Gymnastics is by far the fittest sport, as well as Dance. (from Alix, Mar 2013)
• Ballet dancers-It requires flexibility, strength, and stamina. (from Alexandra, Mar 2013)
• RUGBY!!!!!!! (from moses paul, Mar 2013)
• Cannot be argued Ironman is the toughest, it pushes the body to its limits and i have never done one and never will.. absolute proof of this is that people die during a majority of these events... ill bet a rugby player or boxer will drown before they finish the swim, i most certainly would rather go play a conventional sport etc than do an ironman and i am fit in all the ironman disciplines (from Dan, Feb 2013)
• I remember an old study that showed Motocross Racers as the fitest athletes in sports. One of the reasons was the amount of muscle coordination needed to perform on the track and expertly handle the motorbike. Secondly, was the amount of energy expired in a single race. (from Bob Martel, Feb 2013)
• I played hockey, football, boxed and rugby, ran marathons 10ks, and triathlons - wrestling and rugby 7s are tougher than all the others. (from Bill, Feb 2013)
• Before u can begin to answer this question u have to ask what is fitness? If u ask the general question of who is the fittest u must take into account all aspects of fitness. Ie strength, speed, endurance, agility etc. Crossfit is the only sport that has looked at all of these areas and develops these in their athletes. If u were to take one top athlete from every sport and give them a series of different tasks measuring individual aspects of fitness then the crossfit athlete will not win any, but will be win overall. That therefore would define who is fitter (from Mark, Feb 2013)
• I think horse riding to people argue against us and say it takes no effort or skill you sit there on the horse well am sorry love but have any of you got a horse or cared and ridden on one unless you have experienced being with horses and riding and owning horses you can't say  nothing not saying any of these sports are easy they aren't they all require effort and hard work but riding is effort too (from Coe, Feb 2013)
• In The Superstars competition which featured athletes from all sports, competing in all sports, American football players won 15 of the 28 competitions. (from ballparkbob, Jan 2013)
• What about mma fighter? they do much more than a boxer. (from xyz, Jan 2013)
• Boxing is by far the hardest sport. To anyone that says running or gymnastics, how often do they get punched in the face while competing? Never. Boxers are no only the most fit, but some of the toughest athletes in the world. Running and Gymnastics don't even compare. (from John, Jan 2013)
• Consider crew im not amazing at it but read up on it or talk to someone who does it or try a 2k test then look at your list again i agree with some (from kyle, Jan 2013)
• I thought that Badminton players are the fittest athlete in the world. (from louis, Jan 2013)
• MENS GYMNASTICS is above all else and those who aren't gymnasts have no idea and should not deny it!
• I know who on earth put this list together gymnastics and running (cross country) are the most fit sports. I'd like to see who ever made this list try doing all the conditioning and energy and endurance in gymnastics an see you run hard for a long time.
• Gymnastics is a very intense sport. with all the conditioning and fast and energetic movements with a minimum of 3 hour practice. Conditioning is really hard an we usually do lots of cardio workouts to.
• Played rugby, football, Tennis, Karate to name just a few for years, after these I boxed, another world of fitness, just holding your hands up constantly is hard enough ask the military who beast people like this, when I trained for the amateur championships I ran over 18km every morning, not the fastest but I managed,fitness is the key as you do not play sports like boxing as it is not a game,if you start losing rugby matches you just drown your sorrows with a few beers and next week you might be different, if you start losing boxing contests you hang up your gloves before you get seriously hurt, if you are not super fit you will get an hiding, no point half way through blowing like a steam train, you cant just quit like a runner as this is shameful only the towel or ref can save you and you will have to take punishment for that to happen, so the fitter you are the better. (from Jack, Nov 2012)
• EVER HEARD OF EQUESTRIANS? WE ARE THE TOUGHEST PEOPLE OUT THERE AND WE HAVE HAD MORE INJURIES THAN ANY OF THOSE OTHER SPORTS. They might be hard, but not hardest. You might be strong, but not strongest. We cant communicate with the 1000 pound animal that carries us over 40 mph and jumps 6 feet in the air, not to mention when it gets scary. (from horselover, Oct 2012)
  • "EVER HEARD OF EQUESTRIANS" - Yes, the horses are quite fit, the riders are just plonkers! (from Michael McMillan, Feb 2013)
• wrestling should be up there (Oct 2012)
• Ridiculous list as RUGBY is not included, I agree Boxing is most likely the fittest all round but Rugby players are in a league of their own when you consider their entire body has to be at peak fitness and then they have to run, fight and take huge impacts against their bodies for 80 minutes. I think you need to redo this list. (from james clarke, Oct 2012)
• AFL has to be the fittest sport. running avg of 13-20km a game, no pads tackling, kicking every body needing part to play the game. you don't understand the concept of fitness in AFL study it. (from leigh pattinson, Oct 2012)
• Someone forgot water polos first i mean half the football players are fat lineman. (from hgvjnv, Oct 2012)
• I think boxing requires the most fitness, then field hockey and ironman then. i guess each sport could be argued the fittest but when the body gets hit many times you need to be fit to keep going. (from patrick, Spet 2012)
• I'm sorry but hardly any  other sport deserves to be up there more than squash. Squash has aid to be the top-ranked sport to make you sweat the most, and takes superior fitness to get to all to all part of the court. If you think its easy go play it when you have a 150 - 250 kph rubber ball that bounces like 10cm off the ground and you only have a 1.5 sec gap to react to receive the ball. It works every where unlike cycling that only uses your legs and needs endurance. Squash needs agility and speed and skill to play the right shots to win. (from CJ, Sept 2012)
• I think gymnastics is the hardest u need so many strnght and hard work and it takes ages and sooo much hard work that u cry while u do it and dats just training (from jasmine, Sept 2012)
• I disagree with all that, i think motox should be on there because it uses evevry bone in your body (from coco, Aug 2012)
• Crossfit is the sport of fitness! Constantly varied high intensity functional movement! Fittest on earth (from jarrad holcombe, July 2012)
• Ironman or Aussie Rules. But where is MMA? (from Thomas, July 2012)
• I reckon to play any sport at a decent level you need to be fit.I've played Football, Rugby, Mountain Biked, and trained in Boxing and Weightlifting,All of these were hard going at times,I felt good after performing but also nackered at the same time !But if I was to choose the fittest of the lot I would go for Boxing.You try and work out with these blokes,they are so fit it's unbelievable how they keep going.The stamina levels are high along with their strength too, you think three minute rounds will be a piece of cake, till your lungs feel like their ready to burst,and your heart is thumping so fast you think it may explode. Sweat comes out in buckets and your arms through punching can hardly be lifted,and through all this your supposed to fight ! SO mega respect to all sportsmen and women in whatever sport your in,your all warriors anyway,but I take my hat off to Boxers as your in the toughest and fittest sport on the planet. (from KEVIN HALLS, July 2012)
• Emm ... Guys ... What about ballet? You may not count it as a sport but these guys are seriously fit when it comes to dancing all day 7 days a week, trust me I see them rehearsing all the time and they are honestly unbelievable! (from Jamie, July 2012)
• gymnasts are very fit. especially male gymnasts. (from hannah, June 2012)
• To be honest cycling is a dodle I do boxing lol boxing fitter then footballers and cyclers and running (Sprinting). Boxing is the fittest sport out there better then football because you take hits but not football.
• It is well known that Formula 1 drivers are among the fittest sportsmen in the world. Being in a cockpit which can be up to 60 degrees in a fireproof clothing (with 80%+ humidity in Malaysia), having 5G being pulled on your neck (basically imagine 40kg-50kg of weight being put on your neck) for several seconds multiple times every lap for 60 or so laps. Then the braking force required, about 100-120kg of braking force required to slow the car down enough. There average bpm for almost 2 hours is  170-190 beats per minute, higher than the average for almost all sports. Then of course you have the mental factor of everything which is just on another level! F1 drivers are without a doubt among the fittest sportsmen on the planet, that's not an opinion that's just a fact. (from pwm, May 2012)
• Cross fit is without question the sport that requires the most fitness.  To complete in cross fit you need cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.  The only thing that comes close is boxing/kick-boxing/karate type sports.  Its super high intensity over a period of time, rarely any rest, and if there is rest, its small periods and in rounds similar to boxing. (from JCR, April 2012)
  • Cross fit, mimics a boxing/mma routine ... That's why it works (from Josh, July 2012).
• Football, American (from Drew, April 2012)
• Being a builder has got to be the hardest job on earth u know like come on people out in the sun all day with a nail and hammer (from bob the builder, April 2012)
• OK guys, Karate is definitely the fittest sport, you have to be strong and flexible and have loads of stamina!!! (from Banana, April 2012)
• Where is basketball? this list is crazy. I think triathlon ironman is for sure on 1.  Field hockey is for sure NOT the most fittest. Lacrosse and tennis are not sports who can compete in this list. You really need to get some facts right. (from max, April 2012)
• I have competed in a variety of sports over the years and if we are talking about physical fitness in regards to agility, endurance etc, then there a few sports which should definitely top the list. (from Pippa, April 2012)
  - Rowing - Where do I start with rowing? Rowing pushes all the key muscles in the body to exhaustion [when done correctly]!! A definite top of the list.
  - Cycling - Tour De France [enough said!].
  - Swimming - yet again pushing all the muscles to the limit.
  - Boxing - a wide variety of fitness components required.
  - Marathons or Ironman events - very fit people!!
• For goodness sake, there is no way you can select just one sport. Tough physical challenges are present in a huge variety of sports have their claim. If you're looking for a sport requiring high degrees of ALL the components of fitness (endurance, speed, strength, power, flexibility), you can have arguments for rugby, football, badminton, squash, tennis, middle distance runners (sprinters don't need aerobic endurance and long distance runners don't need sprint speed), martial arts, even mountain climbing. If you're looking for sports with highest levels of VO_2max, then its obviously the likes of long distance running, cross-country skiing, road cycling etc. For enduring sheer physical pain and prolonged agony, you're looking at ironman triathlons. (from Nick, March 2012)
• Er.. surfing anybody!? (from abennychugg, March 2012)
• I've played rugby and soccer. Both require high levels of fitness but they're not on the same level as boxing and MMA which I'm doing now. And to the guy that said hockey, watch Bully Beatdown and see how tired the hockey player gets after 3 mins of just grappling. (from Irfaan, Feb 2012)
• Formula 1 drivers are the fittest! They cope with extreme heat and work in an environment with very very little room for error for a long time!! They also lose a lot of their body weight in sweat and have to probably drink a lot of fluid during that time. (from Herman, Feb 2012)
• Did this bloke even look at aussie rules? not saying it would be at the top but definitely deserves to be higher up than some of the sports on this list. (from p, Feb 2012)
• I'm pretty sure golf is the fittest sport ... (from Bob, Feb 2012)
• RUGBY LEAGUE - no1 (from cjg, Feb 2012)
• Distance runners are the fittest.  Everyone knows that. (from Nick, Jan 2012)
• Personally, i would have had MMA and rugby in this list somewhere but otherwise pretty good! Any sport that mixes up cardio and strength training is going to test you and it really does depend on the level you are competing at. (from martyn, Jan 2012)
• If you consider the human body as a machine the more effort the sport requires the more energy is needed to keep going, some sports happen very quick 100m running and some take a long time snooker match and both will use the same amount of energy therefore you have to take into consideration the length of the event and the total amount of energy used, sports such as 100m swimming where the body will be subjected to a large amount of energy released very quickly require the athlete to be very fit but the fittest athletes would be cyclist due to using the largest muscles in the body and the distance these muscles are from the heart and lungs, next would be distance swimmers. (from John, Jan 2012)
• An average soccer player runs minimum of 17k in a game (excluding the goalie). And when I say running, I'm not talking about waltzing about with the ball ... I'm actually talking about sprinting. Its all about fast pace in soccer. I'm 17 and have been plying football on a professional level for three years. I've never touched a cigarette and alcohol in my life. But 90minutes of huffing and puffing, tackling and dribbling is bound to make you feel like you kept all the cigarettes and beer in the world to yourself. And having to have ball control is not an easy thing when you have people trying to put you off balance ... When a player has the ball they fight to keep it in their possession as if their lives depended on it. A footballer is NOT someone who kicks the ball and chases after it. A true footballer touches the ball with every step they make with their preferred foot (unless if you are Messi or Louisa Necib who's elegant touches apply to both feet). Try doing that occasionally adding fancy moves without having to trip head over hills, don't forget to be fast while you're at it. Sorry for the long comment (~^,) (from khumo, Jan 2012)
• Yall are crazy, GYMNAST are stronger than any football player or boxer (from c, Jan 2012).
• These comments are comic. (Jan 2012)
• A cyclist who does a 3 week grand tour doesn't count? Hawaiian ironman? Rubbish article (from Tim, Jan 2012)
• Guys cross-country and marathon running is bloody hard they should be up there!!! (from Ethan, Dec 2011)
• Hockey should be number 1 because the energy they put out is crazy. 1 player cannot play for 2 minutes without having to take a break because they are so worn out it is redic. this list is so wrong. (from noah, Dec 2011)
• Who on earth put this list together? How can tennis make you fitter than rowing ??? Half the time you're picking tennis balls up. Only if you are a pro tennis player can it make you really fit. Very poor advice for the 'average' person wanting to get fit. (from Tim S, Dec 2011)
• That cant be right, why isnt swimming up there - that's one of the fittest i'd place it probably 4th and have triathlon 3rd (from carl roberston, Nov 2011)
• I think rugby should be listed at the top.. it's a very fast and intense contact sport. You need a lot of speed and endurance to play this game. On average a rugby player with run 6-17 miles during a match. (from Nov 2011)
• It would be interesting to know how many of your commentators are actually Athletes? I am a cyclist so the Tour de France which is raced over 3 weeks proves comfortably who is the fittest, toughest competitors. There is no other sport in this world that continually competes for 3 weeks before finding a winner. (from Alex Cameron, Nov 2011)
• What r u people talking about like seriously wii tenis haha hockey and motocross and boxing require real effort (from the truth, Nov 2011)
• Water polo is damn hard. A quote i've heard many times is that if water polo were easy it would be called football. But triathlons are hard too (from Tim, Oct 2011)
• Hever heard of motocross ? These guys are nuts ! (from Yan Sauvé, Sep 2011)
• What about Wii tennis? that is seriously draining! (from Josh, Aug 2011)
• What about cycling (from Aug 2011)
• You have never played in a Rugby backline doing 7 to 8 sequential phase runs have you? I will bet anyone, anytime that a rugby scrumhalf is by far the fittest athlete of all disciplines. I have wrestled, boxed and was a champion bodybuilder for 13 years. Ski-ing? Tennis? Bull!!!! (from Paul, Aug 2011)
• Horse riding lol (from dirk, Aug 2011)
• Really wrestling should be on this list. probably the top too (July 2011)
• Horse riding? In what way? Lifting water buckets and running after your horse isn't sport at all. But arguing is useless too as no one can compare and prove their point, in my opinion its either: Mountain climbing, F1, or cycling (from Sasuke Uchiha, July 2011)
• Marathon runners. Anyone can play tennis, squash, boxing, soccer, rugby. You name it. But ask them to run a marathon and they can't. (from Jim Wilso, July 2011)
• Crossfit is the fittest sport (from Lucas Reid, June 2011)
• What about water polo? Gymnastics? Trampoline? Diving? (from Kim, June 2011)
• rugby? (from liam finlay , June 2011)
• Taekwondo and/or other martial arts requires all levels of fitness. In sparring, you use foot work and there is punching as well. (from Jannelle, June 2011)
• I think swimming should be in the top ten for sure!  It works all your muscles and gives you a great work out! (from Anne, May 2011)
• I think you need much better fitness to fight in MMA than in boxing.  What about motocross? (from Tinman24 (Apr 2011).
• Football players ahead of ironman triathlon? Do you realize that the preseason fitness test for linemen on most NFL teams is a 200 yard run (not for time but for simple completion)?  What about rowers? The only sport I know of where athletes burn over 200 calories in under 6 minutes (from Rob, April 2011)
• basketball is 2nd squash is 1st! This website is rubbish! (from paolo, April 2011).
• I think its horse riding if u own a horse its a lot of work i have 13 and ride them all u have to muck them out lift water buckets and muck out,empty wheel barrows and riding taker over a hour and walking up and down the hill to catch your horse (from chloe, April 2011).