Quote:
Originally Posted by alanu
I'd go with cycling and speed skating.
Team sports... football because of the beating a player takes.
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Cycling is actually an odd combination of team and individual sport.
While the US focuses on who won the Tour de France,(General classification for the rider with the lowest overall time) there's also a team that wins based on how they did as a group. Plus the overall winner simply couldn't manage alone. There are always a couple guys whose job is to burn themselves out fetching water and stuff for the stars.
There's also team time trials, team pursuit, and team sprint, plus the Madison and 6 day racing with smaller teams.
And those guys are hands down the best in any sport for legs. Both strength and being able to go a long time. Although the time is more of an overall conditioning. (An average pro might go 4 hours or more at a steady pulse rate of 150-160 then peak at 180+ for the final half hour or so as the pack speeds up towards the finish.
Strength? I did one summer of absolute bottom of the barrel cycle racing right after high school. I was fairly strong, but not pro strong. When we did leg presses before a year or so of extra riding/training I could do 500Lbs+ Probably a lot more by the end of senior year. (Moved a 900Lb pallet at work by bracing against a heavier one and giving it a good push with my feet. Not a good test, since the grit on the floor may have made it easier, but still...)
And the local riders who were just below national level were WAY stronger.
For traditional team sports? For strength I have to go with football linemen. Endurance, probably soccer since they're always moving.
Steve B