# What are the most difficult exercises/athletic feats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453 "2017-04-14T16:39:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/21 "2017-04-15T01:48:49Z")
Just for the sake of argument we can throw in the RAAM (Race Across America). The most grueling bicycle race from the West Coast of the US to the East Coast. [http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/](http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/) The records according to Wiki: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race\_Across\_America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_Across_America) In 2014 Christopher Strasser traversed the country, 3020 miles, in 7 days, 15 hours, 56 minutes (over three mountain ranges) at an average speed of 16.2 mph. There are no stages. It’s start to finish. Typically the rider may be off the bike about 45 minutes a day. Try that. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/22 "2017-04-15T13:46:49Z")
[Campusing in Climbing.](https://youtu.be/b_t0ie0ZZeQ?t=28) I used to be able to do it, 10 years ago. Not so much now. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/23 "2017-04-15T17:56:40Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > Just for the sake of argument we can throw in the RAAM (Race Across America). The most grueling bicycle race from the West Coast of the US to the East Coast. > > [http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/](http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/) > > The records according to Wiki: > > [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race\_Across\_America](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_Across_America) > > In 2014 Christopher Strasser traversed the country, 3020 miles, in 7 days, 15 hours, 56 minutes (over three mountain ranges) at an average speed of 16.2 mph. There are no stages. It’s start to finish. Typically the rider may be off the bike about 45 minutes a day. > > Try that. Umm, sleep anyone? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/24 "2017-04-16T01:59:33Z")
There are two ways to go with this: strength vs. endurance, which **Textual Innuendo** referenced. You’ve already got lots of examples of the first. In the bad-ass ultramarathons category you’ve got things like: [ul] [li][Badwater](http://www.badwater.com/event/badwater-135/) - 135 miles Death Valley to Mt. Whitney[/li][li][Barkely](https://www.outsideonline.com/1924491/60-hours-hell-story-barkley-marathons) - only 14 have ever finished[/li][li][Marathon des Sables](http://marathondessables.co.uk/) - 6 marathons in 6 days…in the Sahara Desert![/li][li][Treppenlauf](https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.treppenlauf.de/&prev=search) aka Mt. Everest Stair Marathon, 39,700 steps equaling the height of Mt. Everest.[/li][/ul] > [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Umm, sleep anyone? :eek: Ummm, [Shermer’s Neck](https://www.bikeaccidentattorneys.com/shermers-neck-raams-own-unique-malady-by-vic-armijo/) anyone? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/25 "2017-04-16T02:37:04Z")
I’ve always heard that hitting a major league pitcher is one of the most difficult feats in sports. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/26 "2017-04-16T04:03:05Z")
How about the side crow position in yoga? > **[3-Step Core Prep for Side Crow Pose (Parsva Bakasana)](https://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow/3-steps-prep-core-side-crow-pose/?scope=anon)** > > Kathryn Budig demonstrates how to use a blanket to tap the core strength needed to soar into Parsva Bakasana. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/27 "2017-04-16T04:29:02Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > I’ve always heard that hitting a major league pitcher is one of the most difficult feats in sports. [Robin Ventura](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIZB9O24BEE) found that out the hard way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/28 "2017-04-16T05:05:59Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Deadlifting over, say, 700 lbs? It wasn’t done until Bob Peoples did it in 1947, but it doesn’t require someone to be a genetic freak and/or drugged up, like deadlifting 1000lbs would be. Just a long, consistent, strenuous training regimen and plenty of food. No. That’s like saying anyone can run a 4-minute mile, or get a PGA (pro golf) card, if he just practices long enough. It does take a lot of hard work and practice to do any of those things, but you still need the genes. People say nobody worked harder at basketball than Michael Jordan, or nobody worked harder at golf than Tiger Woods, and they may even be right. But hard work won’t make you a pro if you’re not also a genetic freak. Jordan could have played in the NBA with half the work he did, and Tiger could have played in the PGA with half the work he did. Maybe they wouldn’t have been as great as they were, but they could have played at the pro level. On the other hand, pick a young, healthy guy at random, and 99 times out of a hundred, he won’t be able to play in the NBA or PGA no matter how much he practices. Pick a young, healthy guy at random, give him the best training and coaching and facilities for ten years, and 99 times out of a hundred, he would be absolutely smoked by a kid with Jordan or Tiger talent who had only six months of practice. You may think deadlifting is an exception, because it involves very little skill, but strength is just as genetic as speed or coordination. If you take 10,000 people, and give them all the money and food and coaching and facilities and time in the world, maybe 1% of them will be able to run a 4-minute mile, or play PGA-level golf, or deadlift 700 pounds. Probably less than 1%. 1% of 10,000 is a hundred, so it can be done. 1% of (say) 2 billion healthy men in the world is 20 million, so if even a small fraction of them show up at the same PGA qualifier, or track meet, or powerlifting meet, it may seem like anybody can do it with enough practice. But no, only 1% or less can do it. Anyway, to answer the OP: the men’s gymnastic events (like pommel horse and still rings) are unbelievably hard. The average guy not only can’t get a decent score in them, he can’t do most of the required moves at all. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/29 "2017-04-17T02:24:01Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Umm, sleep anyone? :eek: There is a rather obscure documentary that was done about the first Canadian woman attempting to complete the RAAM in the allotted time. It is titled “Labour of Love”. Here’s an article about it: [http://www.muskokaregion.com/community-story/3588506-huntsville-filmmaker-chronicles-epic-cycling-race/](http://www.muskokaregion.com/community-story/3588506-huntsville-filmmaker-chronicles-epic-cycling-race/) I found the film to be interesting, educational and mind-boggling. The limits that push people to extremes is, well . . . ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453/30 "2017-04-18T22:16:43Z")
> [@](#): > > How about the side crow position in yoga? > > [http://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow...ide-crow-pose/](http://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow...ide-crow-pose/) I’ve done it, which I say not to brag, but to show that it is not extremely difficult. Yes, it’s hard, but not on a par with some of the other things mentioned here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-difficult-exercises-athletic-feats/784453.md?page=1)