Harder Job: Professional Athlete or Professional Dancer

[Razkul]

So yesterday I got into an arguement with my girlfriend about which career, job, whatever was hardest. Being a professional athlete and a Professional Dancer. I argued that it was much harder to be a athlete than a dancer. What do you all think. Please post your answer and an explanation.

[Pwellzor]

Its a lot easier to be a pro athlete when you have a six figure paycheck. Good luck finding a dancer with that kind of inspiration.

So yesterday I got into an arguement with my girlfriend about which career, job, whatever was hardest. Being a professional athlete and a Professional Dancer. I argued that it was much harder to be a athlete than a dancer. What do you all think. Please post your answer and an explanation.

[Archangel Tyrael]

Do I need to point out the Elephant in the room?

[Blood Fox]

They are both difficult in their own respects, they both train daily just because a dancer isn't rushing another guy over and runing 30 meters dosent mean they arnt working just as hard coordinations hundreds of muscles and balace. People have to work really hard to suceed in both acitivies.

If I had to answer Id say dancing but I am baised in the fact I can't stand watching football.

[ptwonline]

Leaving out the possibility of being a stripper (technically that could be "dancing" professionally), it's probably harder to be a dancer. Job openings are so few, the level of technical expertise required can be extremely high, getting and keeping a job is often not about merit but about connections, and the physical toll can be harsh.

There are crappy jobs for pro dancers just like their are crappy jobs for pro athletes (like playing in the very low minor leagues).

The amount of competition for jobs for pro athletes is higher, but there are also many many times more job openings. Remember: pro athlete is not just in baseball, football, basketball. There are countless pro and semi-pro circuits for dozens of sports.

[Grizzly Willy]

Probably athletes. I know that you have to be physically fit in both, but the amount of pure strain you put on your body in a football or soccer game is probably greater than what you would find in a professional dance routine.

Not to mention how messed up professional football players are by the age of 50 thanks to the brain damage they suffer.

[ptwonline]

Probably athletes. I know that you have to be physically fit in both, but the amount of pure strain you put on your body in a football or soccer game is probably greater than what you would find in a professional dance routine.

Not to mention how messed up professional football players are by the age of 50 thanks to the brain damage they suffer.

You do realize that "pro athlete" also includes things like golfers, bowlers, handballers, etc, right?

Some sports are very hard on the body. Others...not so much.

[Urti]

What do you mean by "harder"?
If you mean which is more physically demanding, then athlete no doubt. People will point out "Bowling! Golf! LOLOL!!!1!" but the fact is that those are exceptions and are vastly outnumbered by demanding sports.
If you mean which is harder to make a career out of, then dancing no doubt. People will point out "Strippers LOLOL!!!1!" but the fact is that strippers aren't really what we're discussing. Honest jobs dancing professionally are rare as hen's teeth and the competition is insane.

In my opinion, the two aren't mutually exclusive. Dancers ARE athletes.

[ptwonline]

What do you mean by "harder"?
If you mean which is more physically demanding, then athlete no doubt. People will point out "Bowling! Golf! LOLOL!!!1!" but the fact is that those are exceptions and are vastly outnumbered by demanding sports.
.

I bet there are many TIMES more golfers and bowlers than football players. Even at the pro and semi-pro levels.

[iceberg265]

It depends what sport and what type of dancer. Obviously a dancer works harder than a bowler, but an american football player definitely works harder than a dancer.

I'm not belittling dancers in any way, they work hard and are obviously in fantastic shape, but physically demanding sports, especially contact sports, take A LOT out of a person.

[Twoflower]

dancing is a sort of sport.

There, i said it

Even though it's a artsy fartsy thing, it's still a sport.

[Grizzly Willy]

You do realize that "pro athlete" also includes things like golfers, bowlers, handballers, etc, right?

Some sports are very hard on the body. Others...not so much.

True. I hadn't considered those.

[Ethes]

Seems like a bit of a pointless discussion for the fact that "hard" is subjective. Though I think you could say both are more or less equally hard as being a professional sporter or dancer requires serious amounts of dedication and training.

On terms of golf, bowling and chess... These are sports that require a different type of effort. If you wish to claim any of these sports are easy I dare you to play the best in each and see how you'll do!

Although it should've been obvious to everybody that Capoeira is the hardest thing around as it is Martial Arts (Sports) with elements of dance (Dance) and music in it.
Therefore it's a bit of both and it must be the hardest to be a professional at

[Roose]

Athlete. Next question.

I guess you could call a professional dancer an athlete, though.

[TechnoKronic]

Probably athletes. I know that you have to be physically fit in both, but the amount of pure strain you put on your body in a football or soccer game is probably greater than what you would find in a professional dance routine.

Not to mention how messed up professional football players are by the age of 50 thanks to the brain damage they suffer.

I'd like to see a golfer lift a woman over his head, while holding just her hands...

[Beavis]

I'd like to see a golfer lift a woman over his head, while holding just her hands...

I'd like to see a dancer hit a ball smaller than a chicken egg 450 yards and get into a hole the size of a coffee mug in a single stroke.

[Clevername]

So when you refer to professional 'dancer' what exactly is that? I'll just come out and say it, is your girl saying being a stripper is harder than being a pro athlete?

[bringitback]

I'd like to see a dancer hit a ball smaller than a chicken egg 450 yards and get into a hole the size of a coffee mug in a single stroke.

A good bowler will strike many times in a row. Id like to see any golfer even a 10-15% success rate for hole in one at 450yrds.

[Clevername]

A good bowler will strike many times in a row. Id like to see any golfer even a 10-15% success rate for hole in one at 450yrds.

Are you seriously comparing a 62ft lane with a 450yd hole?

[bringitback]

Im saying 450 yard hole in one is not something to use for your argument because its hardly something that is easily done by even the best golfers. What you speak of is more luck than anything.