Which combat sport sport requires the highest level of fitness ?

[Bateman]

which sport requires the highest level of fitness. I personaly think Boxing does. I have never had to be so fit to compete at a sport. My trainers have put me through a serious fitness process and some great stamina endurance work. they dont let up.

Just wondered what other peoples opinions are on this. Obviously this has had a positive impact on my BJJ but I dont think that required the fitness that boxing does.

[pauljono1120]

well... depends, maybe if your a pro boxer going through alot of rounds, then yeh id say boxing, but comparing amatuer mma + amatuer boxing, id say MMA, as ur using all muscles in the fight

[Bateman]

well... depends, maybe if your a pro boxer going through alot of rounds, then yeh id say boxing, but comparing amatuer mma + amatuer boxing, id say MMA, as ur using all muscles in the fight

but dont you get to rest more in amateur MMA with takedowns and grappling ? Boxing is just toe to toe so must require you are fitter ?

[pauljono1120]

Well i'd say you dont get tired out as fast, but in mma when someones got you down and your trying to roll them over while there punching your head/chest or w/e and putting there arm across your throat and shit like that, can easily get tired out.

[Allan Shrek]

Fit for purpose is teh key thing here.

If you're fit for BJJ you might not be fit to box and vice versa as it's a different load on the body. As MMA includes all aspects of combat sports and thus combat sports fitness it requires the highest levels of fitness.

Also how teh fuck can you get rest with takedowns? If you're attacking or defending a takedown you're working the hardest you do at any point in the entire fight. Shooting is so draining physically.

[MikeyL]

I think we have the best all round fitness. The others are very sport specific e.g. a boxer/thai would gas quickly grappling and vice versa.

was going to post an article but dont want the grief from Mr Taylor lol

[boxingbrit]

For CV fitness i'd say boxing. Running etc is much more important.

Muscle endurance is more important for MMA/ wrestling/ grappling imo

[Predator]

Full MMA requires the highest level of fitness IMO, Then followed by wrestling.

But it also depends on the person and pace. I can light roll for hours but only very hard roll at a fast pace for 5x5. And im blowing on the 5th :(

End of the day its as hard as you make it

[ReD_mIst]

Boxing requires the highest level of CV and stamina, overall I would rank it top for fitness as boxers have started to work on muscle endurance, etc over the last few years

people who haven't done pure boxing, rarely understand the level of fitness required and how much focus goes into the fitness during training.

[marc goddard]

Boxing requires the highest level of CV and stamina, overall I would rank it top for fitness as boxers have started to work on muscle endurance, etc over the last few years

people who haven't done pure boxing, rarely understand the level of fitness required and how much focus goes into the fitness during training.

+1


Freestlye Wrestling a close second

[marc goddard]

Full MMA requires the highest level of fitness IMO, Then followed by wrestling.

But it also depends on the person and pace. I can light roll for hours but only very hard roll at a fast pace for 5x5. And im blowing on the 5th :(

End of the day its as hard as you make it

no i disagree, in mma you can still have in fight "breathers" so to speak, opportunities to clear your head ie tying some one up in clinch or holding top side mount, or guard or what ever.

in boxing you do not get the chance to clinch, you are continually broken up and told to keep working. the same with wrestling [ and judo for that matter ] the ethic is on constant work.

[ReD_mIst]

Yes, I agree with Freestyle wrestling. In some ways it is above boxing, the physical strength and endurance is increadible. Less of a focus in carido, but definately a very close second

[marc goddard]

glad we are back to being in agreement mate. ;)

[Predator]

no i disagree, in mma you can still have in fight "breathers" so to speak, opportunities to clear your head ie tying some one up in clinch or holding top side mount, or guard or what ever.

in boxing you do not get the chance to clinch, you are continually broken up and told to keep working. the same with wrestling [ and judo for that matter ] the ethic is on constant work.

After 5 minutes of thought i agree lol.

Wrestling is the hardest, But i still stand by it depends who its against. Some people i train MMA with wont allow me to catch a breath in any postion.

TBH all combat sports are pretty fucking hard

[Smiler]

Hi,

Whereas all sports listed require great demands on your conditioning, I feel that MMA requires the strongest.

My reasoning...(and based on generalisations, and remembering there is a cross over...)

Grappling
- Anaerobic
- High maximum strength, strength endurance, elastic strength, absolute and relative strength, static strength

Striking
- aerobic
- High elastic strength

Each places different demands on the body and works across different energy systems. Each are hard in their own right.

But...

Put the two together as in MMA, and you have the added stress of switching between one energy system and another constantly, on top of the demands of each.

For that reason, and from experience (including working closely with the British Army Boxing Team for over a year), I would say that MMA, as a generalisation, places the highest demands for fitness.

Smiler

[marc goddard]

good points gary as per usual but grappling is also aerobic not just anaerobic

[ anything over 2 mins will be generally ] but i do agree the emphasis for wrestling in more anaerobic over aerobic where as boxing is the reverse.

[boxingbrit]

TBH all combat sports are pretty fucking hard

I think we can all agree on that

[marc goddard]

I think we can all agree on that


Agreed :)

[Predator]

lol.

Put it this way. I use hour and half 5 a side football and 2 hours tennis as my active rests on rest days.

You never had to "dig deep" IMO in no other sports apart from combat sports

[MikeyL]

I have to dig deep just to get out of bed!

[OllieR]

Hi,

Whereas all sports listed require great demands on your conditioning, I feel that MMA requires the strongest.

My reasoning...(and based on generalisations, and remembering there is a cross over...)

Grappling
- Anaerobic
- High maximum strength, strength endurance, elastic strength, absolute and relative strength, static strength

Striking
- aerobic
- High elastic strength

Each places different demands on the body and works across different energy systems. Each are hard in their own right.

But...

Put the two together as in MMA, and you have the added stress of switching between one energy system and another constantly, on top of the demands of each.

For that reason, and from experience (including working closely with the British Army Boxing Team for over a year), I would say that MMA, as a generalisation, places the highest demands for fitness.

Smiler

what he said..... ha ha

[marc goddard]

You never had to "dig deep" IMO in no other sports apart from combat sports

thats a dangerous thing to say, cycling ? you think lance armstrong has never had to dig deep ? athletics ? you think marathon runners have never had to dig deep ? swimming ?.....

not being funny here, just being realistic. various world beater and olympians etc have dug deeper than most know is possible.

[boxingbrit]

I reckon Lance Armstrong has dug deeper than most

[Duchman]

Lanca amstrong is GOD. no one comes even close to this man.

Out of all sports above. Competition free styile/collegite wrestling. Competition there is a very fast stall call. You cant make it slow unless you want to lose.
its pretty well known that wrestlers are most well rounded on the fitness side of things.

[Leigh]

Yes, I agree with Freestyle wrestling. In some ways it is above boxing, the physical strength and endurance is increadible. Less of a focus in carido, but definately a very close second

They are complete odds to each other. Wrestling is almost totally anaerobic, boxing is mainly aerobic

MMA fighters need both but maybe not in such high demand

[Predator]

thats a dangerous thing to say, cycling ? you think lance armstrong has never had to dig deep ? athletics ? you think marathon runners have never had to dig deep ? swimming ?.....

not being funny here, just being realistic. various world beater and olympians etc have dug deeper than most know is possible.

Sorry i meant on lower level then that. As in average joe training at your local MMA gym digs deeper then your local football player etc.

Of course theres a expcetion to the rule. But generally speaking.

I would think every professional athletic digs deep or why the hell are they getting paid for it lol

[Smiler]

Aye Marc, thats why I put a few caveats in! Both tend to each other...I just played on the strengths...

But true, boxing can be very anerobic too for sure, especially in later rounds.

Lance Armstrong - he's got balls that fella! Oooops....

I like the 400m description from Roger Black...'first 100m is getting up to speed, second and third is sustaining that speed and keeping form, fourth 100m is just hanging on in there and fighting the pain!'

All sports dig deep in some way or another.

Actually, when I box the mental intensity I need is at its highest. The concentration level is incredible, I really find it incredibly mentally tiring. I actually find the fitness no sweat at all, even going flat out I can keep going more than most of the army fellas, and they train like top pros should....

I think the mental demand comes from just having two weapons to worry about. In kickboxing, there's four, Thai there's eight, MMA is endless...you have to have a more 'open mind', I think I go into a more 'zoned out state' in MMA to be receptive.

Just some thoughts!

Smiler

[Bateman]

do you think boxers moving into MMA have a better advantage than wrestlers moving accross ?

[Smiler]

Oh, a further thought - anyone seen the GB rowers doing their ergo tests on the concept 2?

2000m and they are seriously in need of medical attention - totally wasted.

Wonder how many of us have been like that lately in training lol?

Smiler

[Wiegieboard]

This is hard to comment on. There are so many aspects to fitness. Strength, flexibility, endurance, co-ordination. How do we really define fitness? It can be so sport specific at times?

Over many elements surely it would have to be MMA overall?, but I imagine that there are certain elements that are trained to a much higher level in certain sports whereas they might be lacking in another area. Surely this is very hard to call?

[boxingbrit]

I love the concept 2 for training, so much you can do on it.

[123 MMA]

Why isn't there an option for MMA?

[Rosi]

Nothing gets me as tired as quickly as pure wrestling.

[Soldmysoulforabeer]

None.

You could be a great Boxer but your legs are not conditioned to take the kicks from a Muay Thai Fighter. A Muay Thai Fighter isnt conditioned to grapple a BJJ Fighter. A BJJ Fighter isnt conditioned to take punches from a Boxer.

I say "I like Boobies" as its the best choice.

[Baz]

intensity = mma (more muscles used)
duration = boxing (more rounds)

[jimmy_bullard]

Actually, when I box the mental intensity I need is at its highest. The concentration level is incredible, I really find it incredibly mentally tiring. I actually find the fitness no sweat at all, even going flat out I can keep going more than most of the army fellas, and they train like top pros should....

great point I find that but I thought it was either down to inexperience or an individual thing where I was thinking too much

[piratebrido]

Judo. Cause no one else has said it.

[Duchman]

Nothing gets me as tired as quickly as pure wrestling.

i hate to do it again but = rosi = correct.

[ocuana]

I am the first person to mention v02 max? And I'm sure I'm right in saying (since olympic testing) that from "sports" per se, Cyclists specifically L.Armstrong have the best VO2 max in the world - including resting heart rate etc and for consistent output, rowers and cylists alike.

As for Combat sports - I was reading a National Geographic article about the fintess levels of Thai Boxers (native - including their training regime) and that it's (for the rounds) almost 50 percent aerobically more intense than boxing (without clinching being broken etc).

I'd love more scientific testing on these.

[thaison]

Im sure Lance armstrongs VO2 max scoring wasnt as high as testers expected (although it was still stipidly high) his lactate threshold scroing was more impressive.

Wrestling kills me most, although boxing with agressive combination punchers and trying to keep up with them is also a fucker

[Duchman]

Im sure Lance armstrongs VO2 max scoring wasnt as high as testers expected (although it was still stipidly high) his lactate threshold scroing was more impressive.

Wrestling kills me most, although boxing with agressive combination punchers and trying to keep up with them is also a fucker

= Correct

i actully just read armstrong book. His lactate threshold is out of this planet