Which sport is best for overall fitness, strength and body control?

Having been a dancer and now a powerlifter, I have to say that they're very different kinds of amazing shape.

My first thought, based on your description of what the character is doing, was American Ninja Warrior. People who are serious about obstacle course sports do a ton of cross-training for stamina, strength, agility, and control.

My first thought was parkour (spellcheck doesn't like it, but I think I spelled it right) given what you want the character to be good at.

mayqueen said:

My first thought, based on your description of what the character is doing, was American Ninja Warrior. People who are serious about obstacle course sports do a ton of cross-training for stamina, strength, agility, and control.

Click to expand...

I think if you're looking for someone who is a swashbuckler, the American ninja training routine is perfect.

http://breakingmuscle.com/parkour/t...famous-obstacle-course-american-ninja-warrior

American football or rugby. Certainly there are different positions and training for each, but there's a baseline training regiment that all players must meet which includes strength, speed and endurance, and reaction.

Outside of that, martial arts. Bruce Lee is an excellent example of someone who trained at the top level of martial arts and also tried to inspire others to achieve the same. You can even get his book Tao of Jeet Kune Do to understand his ideas around fitness.

Other than those, I'd say most other sports or activities that involve training might be lacking in spots. For example, dancers and acrobats don't need a ton of strength training (but they can be stronger than necessary). Most sports and activities certainly would develop a strong body, but perhaps not as strong as others.

Circus.

efreysson said:

But will combat training do for physical excellence?

Click to expand...

Yep.

Perhaps if she's already trained for fighting (I'm guessing for an actual purpose as a soldier/warrior) and you still want a sporty-type of activity outside of that, you can find something involving her training. Boxing, fencing, archery, sport shooting.

efreysson said:

I guess I ALSO should have mentioned that she's a trained fighter. But will combat training do for physical excellence?

Click to expand...

Then there's your answer. Martial Arts, boxing too, but it's the actual sparring that gets you into the best shape.

gymnastics by far with it need for strength/power , speed, and instant body control.

As for fitness:

Raining down sulphur is like an endurance trial man. Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, next to soccer.

Click to expand...

- Loki




Seriously, soccer players (particularly pros, where the game has very limited substitutions) run for miles and miles in a game and have to be very fit. Speaking as a not-very-fit 40+ year old player, the game kicks my ass every week.

I don't think that there is a perfect sport for training unless you know what precise type of combat they are going to be doing. You mention swashbuckling, so presumably unarmored sword fighting, Foil, rapier, epee, saber etc?

Fencing would be that sport for best combat skills but for the other stuff the characters will need to train in aerobic something or other, dance, gymnastics, freerunning. American football would help IF they were a runningback but probably no other position. Soccer ignores hand/arm strength and fine dexterity but if they are already doing fencing in addition to it, it certainly would add the aerobic component. Olympic rules wrestling would also be good, except for the heavier weight classes where they work more anaerobically. The light weights are more aerobic, pluss that would lend some unarmed combat skills

efreysson said:

I guess I should have mentioned: I'm writing a space opera setting, so I can't very well have her take in part in a modern day TV show. I was thinking of a particular sports discipline.

Click to expand...

That's why I suggested looking into the training routines of those athletes. Obstacle course racing is its own thing as a sport. It combines elements of track and field, gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, etc.

What sport is best depends on who you ask and what week you ask it. Physical strength, agility, cardio and a lot of other functions change based upon what the sport/activity is. Extreme athlete military training might suffice, or dancing, swimming, running, etc. You're going to need to work within your character's traits as well as your story line to come up with what works for her.

Personally, a sideline as a Vampire Slayer seems appropriate to your needs.

Jeff

> gymnast

Cue up "pole dancing" on YouTube and take a look at what some of those people do. Pole dancing has evolved from cheap beer joints to a sport all its own, and every year the competitors are pushing the envelope further.

A pole dancer doesn't need the kind coordination a gymnast does, but they need serious upper body strength for some moves... and its one of the few sports where men and women compete on a roughly equal basis. The extra male upper body strength is offset by their additional size and weight.

Swimming