The body is an amazing thing. We have tremendous potential when we discipline ourselves to take on extreme demands, and it’s amazing to see some of the things we are capable of if we push ourselves beyond typical limits and allow the mind to give us that extra push.

Sports and athletics also require psychology to beat intimidation, an overtaxed body, and the fear of failure. Let’s explore some of the most mentally demanding sports in the game right now (according to science!)

#5 – Swimming

Swimming takes the breath out of you, works the muscles against the dense force of water, and requires the ability to go without breath for periods of time.

Beyond having conditioned muscles, swimming requires a conditioned heart, and the ability to work past breathtaking exercise. Many swimmers are so conditioned in this respect their hearts typically beat slower and more relaxed than the average person’s.

There is a certain pain in being out of breath, while also having to hold your breath during a stroke, you have to try to turn this feeling off and push through it, all while keeping focus on your movements and breathing patterns.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming

#4 – Decathlon

Few sports consist of the variety of skills required of the decathlon. Understanding the ten events over two days calls for tremendous preparation, and the honing of a plethora of skills.

Though not as physically demanding as some of the others listed, you will have to keep track of many things, strategize, and push yourself past the feats of your competitors.

There is a lot of thinking involved, knowledge of other participants, equipment, weather, your overall conditioning, and event averages. Your mind must be keen to achieve success here.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decathlon

#3 – Gymnastics

Despite its popularity with youth, and an expectation that you start at a young age, gymnastics is no easy sport. By the time you reach a professional standing, you will have undergone years of training and conditioning.

Balance, speed, and knowledge of the body’s movements are essential concepts a gymnast must study. Although you can train your body to better function within these concepts, you also have to train the mind to achieve fluid control.

Balance for instance, can be thrown off when focus is broken, and equilibrium is lost within the mind. Some feats require a certain speed, the feeling of which has to be recognizable to the athlete. Fluid body movement, most of all, requires extensive muscle memory and breathing patterns, and an understanding of how to transition between movements.

Competition can be fierce in gymnastics, and being able to achieve feats greater, or more advanced, than a rival can truly test your limits. All of this coupled with the dangers of severely injuring the body, both temporarily and permanently, earn this sport a spot on our list.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnastics

#2 – Triathlon

The strenuous demands of triathlon events are just one part of what makes this competition so demanding. A large of part of the challenge happens before the actual event.

It starts with conditioning the body to give it the possibility of completing the three events, all of which are considered exercises in endurance. Participants take months of time planning their training, diet, and mental fortitude in preparation.

Not only this, they also have to train their body to function and move seamlessly between events, as seconds matter. Practicing to transition from swimming to cycling for instance, is a test of mental preparation in itself, as you have to remove a wetsuit, put on items like socks and shoes, and perform various objectives just to continue onto the next race with a clock ticking the whole time.

A highly-conditioned mind is vital to successfully complete this competition.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triathlon

#1 – Big wave surfing

The biggest hurdle when it comes to surfing is having trust in your skills. Through years of practice, you can increase the size of waves you ride.

Having a fine-tuned body capable of handling the physical requirements to provide enough paddle to catch a wave is one thing. Having the nerve to ride a massive wall of water, loudly charging through the ocean is another thing altogether. It’s not unheard of to hear of the death of a professional big wave surfer, despite them being at the top of their game.

The psychology required often creates an almost cliché spirituality among surfers, and when it comes to riding these goliaths, it’s no joke.
The art of big wave surfing isn’t so much overcoming the fear of sharks, it’s overcoming riding the shark.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_wave_surfing

And, let’s not forget…

Baseball, downhill skiing, freediving, wrestling, boxing, American football, rugby, Formula 1, cliff diving, and probably many, many more.

All Sports Require Mental Fortitude

Although these sports require the mind to be highly conditioned, any athlete in any sport benefits from mental strength. Thinking up complex strategies to push the body past pain and exhaustion, the conditioned mind allows us to move beyond what our bodies are capable of or the limits we feel against an intimidating obstacle.