Which combat sport sport requires the highest level of fitness ?

[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!

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[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?

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[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?