toldailytopic: What sport requires the most skill?

Status
Not open for further replies.

tetelestai

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
Sure, but how many turns can they get on their pirouette? How many times do they need to go through a dance combination before they can duplicate it? Can they do a shoulder stand or a fish flop? How's their turn-out and how long can they balance en passe releve? I wonder if they'd even make it through a decent dance class :plain:

If you rounded up every dancer that ever lived, and trained them as long as you wanted to, not one of them would ever be able to do this:

Dwight Howard
 

gsweet

New member
Depends a lot on how skill is defined. If it's a learned ability (for example, finesse) then I'm going with baseball; specifically pitching. If it is an innate ability, I'll go with endurance sports. The world's top sprinters always amaze me: there's only so much training you can do and only so much conditioning. I feel like your physical build, genetics, etc. dictate a maximum fitness level you can achieve, so the individuals who are so dominant are pretty much built that way...
 

The Berean

Well-known member
Basketball in a landslide

Dwight Howard is 7’-0”, weights 275 pounds, can bench press 345 pounds, runs a 4.8 40, and has a 40 inch vertical jump.

No athletes in any other sport come close to having these numbers.

Though NBA players can be quite athletic, world class decathletes are even better. I put this guy over any NBA player in terms of athleticism.
 

The Berean

Well-known member
:sozo: Tennis!

I'm surprised that hasn't been mentioned yet. :D

Well yes, kmoney's favorite female athlete, Serena Williams, is quite athletic. :cool:

serena-williams-picture.jpg
 

tetelestai

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
I put this guy over any NBA player in terms of athleticism.

He's 5'-10"

I wouldn't put him "over" an WNBA player

I don't think people get how big and strong and athletic NBA players really are.

Look at Antonio Gates. He played basketball at Kent St., didn't even get drafted in the NBA draft because he was 6'-4". Went to the NFL and has been to the Pro-Bowl six years in a row.

You don't see many guys who don't get drafted in the NFL draft going to the NBA and becoming all stars there.
 

Nydhogg

New member
If we're speaking about skill, baseball.

If we're speaking about general athlethicism, Rugby League.

If we're speaking about sheer brawn, hockey.
 

pqmomba8

New member
MotoGP (Motorcycle Road Racing) Without questions the MOST DIFFICULT sport at any level. Requires both ULTRA quick response (mental sharpness) and physical / endurance abilities......
 

nicholsmom

New member
Basketball in a landslide

Dwight Howard is 7’-0”, weights 275 pounds, can bench press 345 pounds, runs a 4.8 40, and has a 40 inch vertical jump.

No athletes in any other sport come close to having these numbers.

My husband is only 5' 8", weighs only 205 lbs, but he benched 345 lbs just two weeks ago - and he's getting stronger every month :D As to jumping, he jumped some 3' into the air immediately after having dead-lifted something over 500 lbs (the compression of the dead-lift is great for a high spring) - but that was back in the days when he only dead-lifted around 550 for a max :DK:

But I already said that power lifting is not a high-skill sport. Bench press and jumping and even running don't take much skill, just strength and agility.
 

nicholsmom

New member
If you rounded up every dancer that ever lived, and trained them as long as you wanted to, not one of them would ever be able to do this:

Dwight Howard

Then it's not about skill. You seem to mistake genetic predisposition (talent even) for skill.

The thing about dance is that there is always something new to learn - not just variations on a theme, but something really new. A different way to move the body and connect to the music and the audience. It requires not only physical strength, flexibility, agility, stamina, and balance, but also mental agility and a mind-body connection that can only come of serious and continuous training. That is skill.
 

chrysostom

Well-known member
Hall of Fame
Depends a lot on how skill is defined. ..

is this our first 'it depends' post for this thread?

yes, it does depend on how it is defined
and
that is why we have a dictionary
and
you should learn to depend on it
 

The Berean

Well-known member
He's 5'-10"

I wouldn't put him "over" an WNBA player
I guess you do not know much about decathletes. Bryan Clay is 5'10". And? He has personal bests in the following events.

100 m - 10.35 sec
200 m - 21.34 sec
400 m - 47.78 sec
110 m hurdles - 13.64 sec
1500 m - 4:38.93 sec
long jump - 8.06 m (26' 5-1/4")
high jump - 2.10 (6' 10-5/8")
pole vault - 5.15 (16' 10-5/8")
shot put - 16.27 (53" 4-3/8")
discus throw - 55.87 (183' 3") (world decathlon best)
javelin throw - 72.00 (236' 2")
60 m - 6.65
60 m hurdles - 7.77
1000 m - 2:49.41 sec

When Dwight Howard can match these get back to me.

I don't think people get how big and strong and athletic NBA players really are.
Yes, I do know big and strong and athletic NBA players are. But against elite decathletes they are not as athletic. You pit Bryan and Clay against Dwight Howard and what do you have? Clay is faster, stronger, and can jump higher.

There is a company called SPARQ that has developed a test and ratings system to rate a person's athleticism. Clay was tested in 2008 and the SPARQ people were stunned at the test results. The SPARQ tests are sports specific for six different sports football, boys’ soccer, girls’ soccer, baseball, fastpitch, boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball. Clay rated at the top or near the top of every test.

Test results

Look at Antonio Gates. He played basketball at Kent St., didn't even get drafted in the NBA draft because he was 6'-4". Went to the NFL and has been to the Pro-Bowl six years in a row.

You don't see many guys who don't get drafted in the NFL draft going to the NBA and becoming all stars there.
I'm not sure what this proves? :idunno:
 
Last edited:

kmoney

New member
Hall of Fame
I don't think I've seen anyone say gymnastics yet either. That's another good pick!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top