College and all-star cheerleading definitely are sports. The strength and flexibility needed to throw people in the air and tumble and jump is extraordinary. High school cheer can be if they stunt and if it is taken seriously. With some schools, it's more show and not very serious. My school it is taken very seriously and competitively. We do stunt and compete, and at football games every time they scored we had to do that many push-ups. So that's 7, then 14, then 21, etc etc etc. we had to do 25 at tryouts. It's a lot.
I could be biased but I also think baton twirling (I'm a twirler). Not majorettes or rec, but hardcore competitive baton. You have to be flexible and strong, you have to keep rhythm, you have to have strong hand-eye coordination and fast reaction time. Think combining dance and gymnastics, then adding a metal stick. Just YouTube Adaline Bebo or Karissa Wimberly and you'll see what I mean, if you really care that much. Just my opinions.
Free diving's intense too
Surfing. You need to be a strong swimmer, you need patience (to wait for a good wave), you need good ,explosive upper-body strength (to be able to do the pop-up, basically the explosive movement which takes your from lying down and paddling on your board, to standing up, rather like a burpee). You need to be commited to a wave (10ft+) or else you will get thrown over the falls. You need good balance also. While your doing all that, you also need to be able to look for rip currents, big sets and other surfers who may come flying into you. Skateboarding may be a lot more sore if you fall but you have far less to worry about than when your on a surfboard.
Gymnastics and competitive cheerleading
Before you protest w the cheerleading try it, it's MUCH harder than you would think
cheerleading.
NOT school cheer, but allstar cheer. especially the level 5&6 teams..along with most collegiate levels!
i know a lot of people are going to disagree, but you honestly don't have a clue unless you've done it.
and also..football! constantly sprinting! and being tackled. like no i can't.
Wheelchair basketball requires some SERIOUS upper body strength.
