[scoutcat]

hmmm. whats harder?
-swimming - possibly harder at elite levels but really just extreme cardio.
-motocross - not convinced of this.
boxing - this i do think is harder. going 12 rounds with an elite boxer has got to be super difficult.

 

[btadlock]

rock climbing/bouldering

I ride with a guy that does both, never tried it, but it looks demanding, requires a pretty good strength/weight ratio.

 

[Eric B]

hmmm. whats harder?
-swimming - possibly harder at elite levels but really just extreme cardio.
-motocross - not convinced of this.
boxing - this i do think is harder. going 12 rounds with an elite boxer has got to be super difficult.

Motocross. I ride mtb's regularly for part of my moto training. Moto is for sure more demanding if you're competeing imo. If you haven't tried it, it's harder to convince yourself.

 

[Wherewolf]

Running

Running. Ask Lance Armstrong after his first marathon "... hardest physical thing" he had ever done. You have to carry your own weight, it's hard on your body, and there is no stopping. Riding a bike for three hours is easy, very few people can run even close to three hours.

 

[womble]

The simple answer is "it depends". Depends on what your level is, how hard you push, what your riding conditions are, whether you are competing.

To be incredibly general, some sports I've tried:

Motocross - definitely harder. Lots of strength is needed, and your body is constantly pounded.
Boxing (just training) - blows away any other sport I've ever tried.
Rock/ice climbing - no way. Rockclimbing invovles lots of resting, pausing, thinking and short periods of exertion.

 

[rkj__]

Rowing

 

[Lakerat_sr11]

Slalom Waterskiing. Every muscle in your body has to have a muscle memory about correct position at all times. It doesn't take as long as mountain biking but the effort that you have to exert during a pass around the 6 balls, is far greater. You are essentially playing tug of war with a 300 horsepower boat. Crashes also happen a lot faster on water then they do on a MB.

 

[Qfactor03]

I agree with Moto.

Motocross. I ride mtb's regularly for part of my moto training. Moto is for sure more demanding if you're competeing imo. If you haven't tried it, it's harder to convince yourself.

A few hours at the local track on the ole RMZ450 wears me much worse than a half day ride at a good pace on the mtb. MX is a head-to-toe work out. I have got home from the track and almost collapsed getting out of my truck because my legs are so shot. The next three days are usually spent walking like I'm handicapped

 

[AC/BC]

Strong Man Competition

/thread

 

[Evil Patrick]

How do we objectively measure "harder"?

Scientifically, we'd need to hook all subjects to the equipment that can measure everything,
from caloric output to mental stress.

And all subjects need to be measured while competing or pushing at the highest levels
possible.

Studies that have done well indicate that soccer and motocross are on top. But those studies
that I'm familiar with are decades old. I don't know of any study that has been done to this
level on MTB'ers. And what type of riding are we testing? We'll get vastly different results
from, say, a pro DH'er and a pro Endurance Racer.

I used to race Enduros competitively on a national level and I've done a fair share of motocross
riding as well. In my opinion, the type of MTB'ing I do now is more physically demanding
than either of those throttle-twisting gigs.

Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
giving the answer here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

 

[rkj__]

Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
giving the answer here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

That list has been discussed before on MTBR. I can't say it really answers any questions.

 

[phoehn9111]

Worst thing I've ever done was heavy squats, taken to an extreme.
I've almost puked (and seen lots of others actually puke). Nothing
else is as physically uncomfortable for the brief time you are in the set.
Also, college wrestling is extremely demanding.

 

[rkj__]

If you want a challenge, you could do an Ironman.

 

[Mrwhlr]

How do we objectively measure "harder"?

Scientifically, we'd need to hook all subjects to the equipment that can measure everything,
from caloric output to mental stress.

And all subjects need to be measured while competing or pushing at the highest levels
possible.

Studies that have done well indicate that soccer and motocross are on top. But those studies
that I'm familiar with are decades old. I don't know of any study that has been done to this
level on MTB'ers. And what type of riding are we testing? We'll get vastly different results
from, say, a pro DH'er and a pro Endurance Racer.

I used to race Enduros competitively on a national level and I've done a fair share of motocross
riding as well. In my opinion, the type of MTB'ing I do now is more physically demanding
than either of those throttle-twisting gigs.

Anyway, Google is your friend - not mtbr. Well, ok...mtbr in an indirect way because I am
giving the answer here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

This is how you spend your vacation - giving people information they're not going to use?

 

[marzjennings]

Easy, Rugby (Union not that northern shite of League)

Way more abusive to the body than mountain biking.

 

[Evil Patrick]

That list has been discussed before on MTBR. I can't say it really answers any questions.

What questions are unanswered?

Are you having trouble understanding the results?

EDIT: Oh, I see. MTB'ing isn't on the list. Makes us wonder why it wasn't tested.

EXTRA-CREDIT-EDIT: They can't test MTB'ers. We break the test machines!

 

[scoutcat]

i take "harder" to mean physically demanding, high levels of skill, and a large amount of endurance.

running: definitely hard on the body but in my opinion (and as a former endurance runner) is not a difficult as MTB.

 

[rkj__]

What questions are unanswered?

Are you having trouble understanding the results?

EDIT: Oh, I see. MTB'ing isn't on the list. Makes us wonder why it wasn't tested.

What i mean is that you can't definitively say that one sport is more challenging than another, without exception. Some people have genetics that are much better suited to certain sports, making them less difficult for that individual.

 

[Evil Patrick]

What i mean is that you can't definitively say that one sport is more challenging than another, without exception. Some people have genetics that are much better suited to certain sports, making them less difficult for that individual.

Hmm...if they test the top athletes of each sport, we're pretty much guaranteed that they
have selected the most genetically advanced of that particular sport.

 

[jred321]

soccer. running for 90 mins with a lot of sprinting + eye/foot/head coordination + other people directly trying to stop you from doing what you want to do. constant physical, athletic and mental challenges

i play most of the year and bike as well. they're both demanding but the combination of the above makes soccer more physically challenging for me