Is Water Polo the Toughest Sport in the World? Breaking Down the Facts
Mar 14th 2025
If you’ve ever played water polo, you already know the answer to this question. Water polo isn’t just tough—it’s the epitome of grinding. It’s the ultimate test of endurance, strength, skill, and mental toughness. And yet, for some reason, people still don’t give it the respect it deserves.
So, let’s settle this once and for all. Is water polo the hardest sport in the world?
Here’s why the answer is a no-brainer.
Try Treading for an Hour—Without Touching the Bottom
Most sports have breaks, a chance to catch your breath, maybe jog to the sideline, or even just stand still. If you stop moving in water polo, you sink or get pulled down by the opposing team. It's as simple as that. Athletes use a technique called the eggbeater kick to tread water for the entire game—which, by the way, is around 40 minutes of actual playtime (not counting stoppages like fouls or ejections or penalty shots). It’s not just casual treading; you’re constantly using your arms to scull and your legs to push yourself up to pass, shoot, block, and fight for position.
Ever tried treading water while holding a heavy weight ball? Or a 5-gallon water jug? That’s just a tiny taste of the grueling exercises water polo players have the joy of doing in practice. That’s why water polo endurance training is no joke—your legs are constantly working overtime just to stay in the fight.
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It’s Wrestling—But in the Water
Water polo is full-contact, and the refs only see a fraction of what actually happens. Above the water, it looks like everybody is swimming back and forth, throwing the ball, and scoring goals. Below the surface? It’s absolute chaos. Kicking, grabbing, dunking—anything to gain an advantage. And if you’re playing the center position or guarding center, prepare to have your water polo suit stretched three sizes larger with a side of gnarly scratch marks or bruises by the end of the game.
Think about it: wrestling is already one of the most physically demanding sports. Now imagine doing it while treading water and trying to score a goal at the same time.
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The Swimming Never Stops
Water polo players swim anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 meters per game. And it’s not casual laps—it’s all-out sprinting, stopping on a dime, and changing direction constantly. Think of it like playing basketball, but instead of running, you’re swimming full speed for four quarters straight.
And if you’ve ever done swim sprints, you know how exhausting they are. Now add passing, shooting, wrestling, and getting hit in the face with a ball.
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The Challenge of Throwing, Treading, and Outsmarting Your Opponent
Shooting a water polo ball isn’t like throwing a football or kicking a soccer ball. So, while they’re all in a similar weight range, a fully inflated water polo ball can be slightly heavier than a soccer ball or football. However, the texture and grip of a water polo ball make it feel different in the water compared to handling a soccer or football on land. When thrown correctly, it comes at you like a missile. The top shooters in the world can rip the ball at over 50 mph, and as a goalie, you’re expected to stop it with your face if necessary.
Water polo rules say you’re not allowed to use two hands (unless you’re the goalie). So every pass, catch, and shot has to be controlled with just one hand, all while staying above water while defending your body against your opponent. Ever tried throwing anything with one hand while treading water?
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No Pads, No Mercy
Football players have helmets and pads. Hockey players have gear. Even wrestlers have mats. Water polo? Just a cap and a water polo suit. That’s it. You’re getting hit, grabbed, kicked, and sometimes even elbowed, and there’s nothing to protect you other than the hard plastic encasing your ears. By the end of a tough game, most players walk out with scratches, bruises, and the occasional black eye. Want to see some great water polo videos? Check out @srsportaquatics on Instagram.
A good water polo cap can help protect your ears, and S&R Sport has some of the best water polo caps for practice and competition.
So, Is Water Polo the Hardest Sport?
Every sport has its challenges. But when you combine endurance, physicality, skill, and pure mental toughness, nothing beats water polo. It’s like swimming, wrestling, basketball, and hockey all at once—except immensely harder.
And why do we endure all of this? For the absolute love of the game. It demands everything from you—physically, mentally, and emotionally. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of outlasting your opponent in a grueling game, the adrenaline of putting away a perfectly placed high-corner bar-in goal, or the pure exhaustion of beating your defender on the counter-attack to earn the exclusion that just makes you want to come back for more. It’s the kind of sport that pushes you past your limits and teaches you resilience in ways nothing else can. You can’t hide in water polo—you either rise to the challenge or you sink (literally). That level of intensity, grit, and pure love for competition is what keeps us coming back, and it’s why water polo will always be the toughest, most rewarding sport in the world.
Send this article to anyone who thinks football or basketball is the hardest sport. If they still don’t get it, just smile, hand them a water polo ball, and tell them to come to practice. And don’t forget to send it to your water polo friends so they can back you up!
Gear Up for the Toughest Sport in the World!
If you’re ready to take your game to the next level, check out S&R Sport for all your water polo gear needs. From Delfina water polo suits to Water polo balls, we’ve got you covered.
Train Hard. Play Harder. The Best Water Polo Gear Is Here: srsport.com
