Which Athletes Are In The Best Shape?

[TANK25]

Originally Posted by someday

you're kidding, right? race car drives are athletes as much as a bowlers, poker players or dare i say fisherman.

triathletes, swimmers, dancers, boxers and some of the other suggestions all use their bodies and minds to their best ability.......no way i'd put a race car driver in that catagory.

LMAO!!!I knew that was coming!!!

[CapitalJay]

I'll put in another vote for triathletes, but IRONMAN triathletes: 2.4mile swim, 112mile bike, 26.2mile run. The best train, eat, talk about training, then sleep again. These guys/girls are animals.

[mtxpert]

There is nothing close to the output of a wrestling match as far as sheer physical output, no other sport will come close to the output of a wrestler. I love seeing football guys come in after they're "in shape" and puke repeatedly until they get into wrestling shape. The first two weeks of wrestling is pure pain as every muscle everywhere hurts, your neck feels like you've been rearended at 50+ MPH and every tendon has been pushed, pulled or stretched by your partner.
I would love to put a triathlete or some other "highly conditioned" athlete on a mat with a well trained wrestler and put them through a full 2 hour practice and watch them cry...

YES I'M BIASED

[CapitalJay]

Originally Posted by mtxpert

There is nothing close to the output of a wrestling match as far as sheer physical output, no other sport will come close to the output of a wrestler. I love seeing football guys come in after they're "in shape" and puke repeatedly until they get into wrestling shape. The first two weeks of wrestling is pure pain as every muscle everywhere hurts, your neck feels like you've been rearended at 50+ MPH and every tendon has been pushed, pulled or stretched by your partner.
I would love to put a triathlete or some other "highly conditioned" athlete on a mat with a well trained wrestler and put them through a full 2 hour practice and watch them cry...

YES I'M BIASED

I wrestled in HS and remember it fondly. I would run CC and be in great shape by the time wrestling season started. I think a triathlete would be interested in a wrestler's opinion of a 5 hour, no-drafting, 25mph bike ride followed by a 2 hour run, as well. It's all sport-specific strength and depends on how you define the word "shape".

[chrisbute]

Originally Posted by mtxpert

I would love to put a triathlete or some other "highly conditioned" athlete on a mat with a well trained wrestler and put them through a full 2 hour practice and watch them cry...

YES I'M BIASED

But I wonder if you put a wrestler in the ocean, had them swim 2.4 miles, then had them bike 112 miles and finally had them run a full marathon within the race time limit, if they would be crying as well. (they better not be crying since that is wasting valuable water and they may cramp up)

The question can't really be answered since there is no best answer. There is no doubt that wrestlers are in great shape, but how can you rank them them ahead of soccer players or ironmen triathletes? The reverse is also true. Is "Best Shape" defined as a low bodyfat percentage, a low resting heart rate or maybe an appealing look?

[TANK25]

Originally Posted by mtxpert

There is nothing close to the output of a wrestling match as far as sheer physical output, no other sport will come close to the output of a wrestler. I love seeing football guys come in after they're "in shape" and puke repeatedly until they get into wrestling shape. The first two weeks of wrestling is pure pain as every muscle everywhere hurts, your neck feels like you've been rearended at 50+ MPH and every tendon has been pushed, pulled or stretched by your partner.
I would love to put a triathlete or some other "highly conditioned" athlete on a mat with a well trained wrestler and put them through a full 2 hour practice and watch them cry...

YES I'M BIASED

I`M pretty sure if you put a pair of boxing gloves on a wrester and make him go 12 rounds with a first class boxer.He would get knocked the hell out.

[giantfan43]

Originally Posted by chrisbute

Is "Best Shape" defined as a low bodyfat percentage, a low resting heart rate or maybe an appealing look?

That's what I had said in my earlier post .. where does strength come into the equation ? I'm not sure I would say a tri-athlete is in the best shape without knowing what best shape means. Same goes for boxers or wrestlers.

[67fastback]

I think this question is like asking which vehicle is best. A dragster, oval track car, formula one, or is a truck better, a peterbuilt or kenworth. Which jet is best? F-16, harrier, f-18, sr-71?

The point is that they are all different and do different jobs/different sports.

So is true with athletes. Different conditioning required for different sports.
Triathletes are in great shape, but for the most part use slow twitch fibres (ask me I am a swimmer) so are not muscularly very sizable.

You would not put a triathlete on the line of scrimmage.

A soccer player has to play the full 90 minutes. Football player has to do short power bursts and then rest.

From a muscular/bodybuilding standpoint, I'd suggest that types of athletes which reflect what bodybuilders are trying to accomplish are ones like, a gymnast, a decathlete, a sprinter, a boxer. They would demonstrate bodies which many of us strive for.

An Olympic lifter, or wrestler may not have the body which bodybuilders strive for, but it does not mean they are not d@mn powerful athletes.

[namtrag]

I am partial to the ladies of Roller Derby!!!!

[TuffGirl]

Don't you guys know any real athletes?

[TANK25]

Originally Posted by TuffGirl

Don't you guys know any real athletes?

MMA has got a lot of votes.

[TuffGirl]

Oh, I see now... But no one named ME!

[ASWEDE]

I guess if I went with overall shape I would have to go with an elite boxer. Wrestling and MMA would be right up there though. All have to go through grueling training to succeed in grueling sports. Each sport presents their challenges. It would depend on what your definition of good shape is. Hard to compare one sport to another.

[IR45N]

Rodeo clowns.

[mtxpert]

Well since wrestling is pretty much the basis of the ground game, yes a well conditioned grappler/mma practitioner also get's my vote.

Also the triathlete vs a wrestler is conditioned vs endurance HUGE difference!

[BoiseLifer]

College Wrestles are right up near the top, if not at the top.

[BoiseLifer]

I'm sure if you put a boxer on the matt with a wrestler, he would get pinned MULTIPLE times and beat up...BADLY. See my point. =)

Originally Posted by TANK25

I`M pretty sure if you put a pair of boxing gloves on a wrester and make him go 12 rounds with a first class boxer.He would get knocked the hell out.

[ballinfrogs]

Rowers....dont forget bout em..

[Bubbarossa]

Since it hasn't been mentioned and it was my first thought, hockey players. Go play three periods of hockey and tell me how you feel afterwards.

[Hangmanzx]

I'm going to have to say some NFL TE's and LB's.

Vernon Davis Combine Stats:

6'3 / 254 LBS

40-Yard: 4.38 (fast)
Shuttle: 4.17 (quick)
3-Cone: 7.00 (agility)
Vert: 42'' (strength and condition)
Bench: 33 reps @ 225 (pure power)


The combination of speed and power is unparalleled imo.

Only thing is maybe endurance.

[TANK25]

Originally Posted by BoiseLifer

I'm sure if you put a boxer on the matt with a wrestler, he would get pinned MULTIPLE times and beat up...BADLY. See my point. =)

Who said I didn`t see your point?Mtxpert made the same point you did.I was just trying to show that his statement and yours doesn`t hold any water.Anyone at the top of his or her sport should be able to beat any other athlete in their own sport.A pro bowler should kick the crap out of a boxer in bowling.So that makes the bowler a better althlete?

[Tyrbolift]

As mentioned before, impossible to answer without a definition of "in shape."

Some might say we could exclude any sports where one's skill can possibly overcome an inferiority of "in shape" (whatever it is defined to be)

That would possibly knock out boxing and wrestling both--maybe even gymnastics to some degree. Definitely football, basketball, and baseball.

I think that a successful tri-athlete, combining the 3 endurance sports of running, cycling, and swimming, is more pure conditioning than any others. Honestly, never seen a fat one or even slight pudgy.

[michaeljazz]

I say NCAA Volleyball players.

[df252]

motocross racers are in great shape. RC trains like an animal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCuLkBOeuDw

[67fastback]

I was doing my journal and forgot one;

Waterpolo players. They are built like football players and swim.

When I played on our provincial team, We were doing a drill in practice where we would tow a team mate who hung onto our legs (as a drag factor) down the pool.

I remember this because one of the players who went on to the national team had to tow two of us down the pool. (the coach made us do this because one was not slowing him down) It took him 20 seconds to go 25m towing two people.
Just for fun, we then tried to pull him backwards while he swam forwards - we lost

[TANK25]

Originally Posted by df252

motocross racers are in great shape. RC trains like an animal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCuLkBOeuDw

Nice clip,I just learned something. I didn`t know motocross racer train like that.

[Chipman]

While not an athlete I would say that if these two guys had a sister it would be my bet that she would excel in fighting and running skills that would make her a match for most of the athletes that have been mentioned here.

[bbbom]

Originally Posted by michaeljazz

I say NCAA Volleyball players.

x2 cause I used to be one!

Originally Posted by TANK25

Nice clip,I just learned something. I didn`t know motocross racer train like that.

Of course we do! Now if I had some talent like RC I'd be really happy!

That guy is amazing, seriously. We watched him do a handstand on the bars when his feet came off the pegs in a whoops section, he's flopping in the air above the bike, still full throttle and manages to save it and just keep right on riding.

[SR800]

They don't call RC the G.O.A.T. for nothing. He is one of the most incredible athletes of our generation. A true phenom!

[bluescorpion]

Soccer players