With hundreds of professional sports out there and thousands of more professional athletes to choose from, Samir Becic and the HFR Institute put in 500 man-hours to compile this list of the 10 most all-around fit athletes. The list started with hundreds of professional athletes from various sports and was eventually narrowed down to the fittest 10. The list, though difficult to narrow down, was a result of extensive research by the HFR institute.
The research included various analyses of the demands, strengths and weaknesses of the different sports each athlete hails from. Furthermore, we took into account personal habits, such as on and off-season training regimens, diet and nutrition intake, and their involvement in promoting health and fitness in their communities.
“It’s not important who the fittest athletes in the world are,” Samir Becic said. “What’s important is that all the athletes spread the message of having a healthy lifestyle. With a healthy lifestyle, physical fitness, healthy nutrition, mental, social and spiritual balance, we can control, manage or completely avoid over 70% of all illnesses known to mankind.”
Our list placed swimming powerhouse, Michael Phelps on top due to his success at this years Olympic Games, which he still dominated despite having only come out of retirement 2 years ago. “Michael Phelps is one of the most successful atheletes in the history of the Olympic Games. And I actually mean, THE most successful athlete in Olympic history, period.” said Becic.
He continues “McGregor, making our list for the first time, is the biggest surprise. Usually, someone so new to the world stage doesn’t cut it. But, an extraordinary personality and unbelievable fitness regimen makes him deserving of this feature. Another well-deserved addition to this years list is Zlatan Ibrahimovic, an extraordinary athlete with an equally extraordinary personality who, even at 35, is making the soccer world crazy. Congratulations also to Andy Murray for a great comeback and year!”
Finally, Becic says “for the second year in a row, Michael Schumacher, the F1 mega-star, is an honorary champion. Schumacher- if anybody can do this, you can do it!”
We weighed several physical statistics including:
- stamina
- endurance
- cardio training
- strength
- flexibility
- mobility
- training regimen
- diet and nutrition intake
- and promotion of sports, physical fitness, healthy living and community involvement
Here are the Top 10 from HFR team and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:
1. Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimmer
“YOU CAN’T PUT A LIMIT ON ANYTHING. THE MORE YOU DREAM, THE FARTHER YOU GET.”
- Accomplishments:
- Youngest member on the US Olympic team at age 15
- Broke the world record in the 200 meter butterfly in 2001 at the age of 16
- 2003: Phelps won 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals and broke 5 world records at the world championships in Barcelona
- 2005: Phelps won 5 gold medals and a silver at the world championships in Montreal
- 2007: Phelps received 7 gold medals in the world championships
- From 2004-2012, he won 22 medals at the Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Beijing and London—18 gold, two silver and two bronze—and setting the record for the most medal wins by any Olympian
- After retiring after the 2012 Olympic games, he came out of retirement in April 2014, stating that this time, he would be swimming for himself- not the medals, fans, or fame.
- At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he won 5 gold medals and one silver.
- He is the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals, 23 of which are gold.
- Workout and Fitness:
- Works out 6 hours a day 6 times a week, incorporating both swimming and dry-land training
- Weight training, cardiovascular conditioning, and swims a minimum of 50 miles a week
- Balance between weight training and body-weight training
- Community Involvement:
- Founded the Michael Phelps Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on growing the sport of swimming and promoting healthy and active lifestyle, especially for children
2. Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter
“KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU WANT AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET IT.”
- Accomplishments:
- Regarded as the fastest human ever timed.
- Jupiter Award for work with United Way Jamaica.
- First Olympian in history to win both 100m and 200m races in world record times.
- 9 Olympic gold medals.
- 11 gold medals in the world championships and 2 silver medals.
- 6 time IAAF Athlete of the Year.
- Workout and Fitness:
- 90 minutes daily – focusing on his core and back
- He focuses his time not on building muscle but rather building his explosiveness with leg extensions and hamstring curls
- 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest – three sets of each of the following: leg raises, side sweeps, reverse crunches, side plank clams
- Diet and Nutrition:
- Daily protein intake consists of saltfish for breakfast (traditional Jamaican dish)
- Chicken for lunch, and pork for dinner. His carbs include pasta, rice, and potatoes.
- Diet contains 60% protein, 30% carbs, 10% fats.
- One of Usain’s nutritional secrets is yams – a good source of vitamins C and A
- Community Involvement
- Founded the Usain Bolt Foundation
- Focuses on providing a healthy and safe environment to children in need
- Also creates educational and recreational opportunities throughout the Kingston community
- Supports Small Steps Project (humanitarian organization)
3. Cristiano Ronaldo, Professional Soccer Player
“YOUR LOVE MAKES ME STRONG, YOUR HATE MAKES ME UNSTOPPABLE.”
- Accomplishments:
- UEFA Best Player in Europe
- Ballon d’Or (World’s best Footballer of the Year). He received his fourth Ballon d’Or in 2016, the most for a European player in the history of the award. One year earlier, Ronaldo had scored his 500th senior career goal for club and country.
- FIFA World Player of the Year.
- 4-time European Golden Shoe award winner.
- In 2016, Forbes named him the world best-paid athlete due to his high marketability.
- In June 2016, ESPN ranked him the world’s most famous athlete.
- Workout Routine:
- Gets lots of sleep, goes to bed early
- Workout consists of a combination of cardio (running and rowing) and weight training to ensure that workouts target all areas of the body and increase both strength and stamina
- Considers cardio as key for building up endurance and stamina and staying trim. Aims for cardio workouts at least 30 minutes in length, gradually increasing the number of sessions over time
- Listens to his favorite music when working out to keep him motivated (hip hop & reggae)
- Daily workouts lasting approximately 3-4 hours each
- Workout includes squats, box jumps, broad jumps, jumping lunges, and lateral bounds
- Completes up to 3000 sit-ups per workout
- Diet and Nutrition
- Drinks plenty of water
- High protein diet with whole-grain carbs
- Enjoys meals with fish; will order a steak with salad when eating out
- Lots of fruits and vegetables
- Cut out alcohol
- Avoids sugary foods
- Community Involvement
- Supports many charities, including UNICEF, Save the Children, and World Vision
- Participated in raising funds for the reconstruction of Aceh, Indonesia after 2004 earthquake and tsunami
- Donated $83,000 to pay for 10-month old Erik Ortiz Cruz’s brain operation in 2012
4. Andy Murray, Professional Tennis Player
“Earlier in my career I used to spend a lot of time practising my tennis on court,” Murray says. “Now I’ve learned that it’s better to do just a couple of hours on court and two gym sessions a day. That’s what’s made me fitter and stronger.”
- Accomplishments:
- Currently ranked #1 in men’s singles.
- 3 time Grand-slam tournament winner.
- 2 time Olympic champion.
- Davis cup champion
- Winner of the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals.
- Following his run to winning the 2016 Paris Masters, Murray became world No. 1 on 7 November 2016.
- He was named a Knight Bachelor in the 2017 New Year Honours list.
- Has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award a record three times.
- Workout Routine:
- Says he spends most of the year maintaining his fitness, that he has very little time to actually improve his fitness.
- During the few short breaks in the year, he combines relaxation and rest with running the track and spending time in the gym.
- A full time tennis writer for Men’s Health said his training is so hard it borders on brutal and that Murray puts literally nauseating effort into his sprint sessions, as he aims to improve his speed and endurance.
- Does some 400m repetition running for endurance on the court.
- Lifts weights in the gym.
- Does a lot of core stability to work to improve his balance.
- Pays very close attention to details and perfection in his training.
- Is a huge boxing fanatic and even sees some clear parallels between the two disciplines. “When you train, it’s a lot like tennis,” he says. “You need to have agility, speed, aggression, co-ordination, tactics – there’s a lot of similarity between the sports.”
- Diet and Nutrition
- Drinks 6 liters of water a day.
- Eats a varied diet.
- High protein diet with whole-grain carbs.
- Is said to eat 6000 calories a day.
- Avoids alcohol and sugars at all costs.
- Eats 6 meals a day.
- Community Involvement
- Murray is a founding member of the Malaria No More UK Leadership Council and helped launch the charity in 2009 with David Beckham.
- Often participates in charity tennis tournaments for various causes.
- As a result of his various charitable exploits, Murray was awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award for 2014.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimović, Professional Soccer Player
“Football is everything. It is made up of many small parts to make it whole. It is being healthy, being happy and something I love. For me, it is passion.”
- Accomplishments:
- Swedish Bosnian player who made his international debut on the Swedish national team 2001 and served as captain until his retirement from international football in 2016. He still plays for Manchester United.
- He is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the game and one of the best footballers of his generation.
- His remarkable bicycle kick for Sweden against England won him the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year.
- In December 2013, Ibrahimović was ranked by The Guardian as the third-best player in the world, behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (who is also on this list).
- In December 2014, the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter named him the second-greatest Swedish sportsperson of all time, after tennis player Björn Borg.
- Workout Routine:
- Thinks talent accounts for about 30% of success, that the rest is hard work. Has said “Talent doesn’t mean you will win. Talent is something you are born with. You see the opportunity of somebody with talent, but if you don’t work hard, this talent is a waste of time.”
- Sleeps very late after a game. Has said that after a match he cannot go to sleep due to the adrenaline. That if he does manage to fall asleep, it is usually at 5 or 6 in the morning, even though he does try to go to sleep at a reasonable time.
- Has a black belt in taekwondo, a disciplinary training which has undoubtedly helped his soccer training and skill. He has said of the sport “It (taekwondo) is a sport that requires control and is also a great way of releasing aggression. I am a black belt and I am often asked if I will be a judge at the biggest tournaments in the world.”
- Says he listens to reggae while he trains intensively, it keeps him calm.
- Does a lot of cardio, including running on the treadmill.
- Lifts weights for strentgh training.
- Does core work for stability.
- Diet and Nutrition
- Has said that at the beginning of his career, he didn’t pay attention to what he ate, but he is now very conscious of what he puts in his body. He says what he eats is directly related to how active he is.
- Community Involvement
- In February of 2015, Ibrahimovic temporarily tattooed 15 names of people starving in an effort to raise awareness about world hunger. He said at the time on PSG’s official website “Saturday evening against Caen, when I took off my shirt, everyone asked what these new tattoos were. I had 15 temporary tattoos on my body. They were the names of real people who suffer from starvation in the world. Even if the tattoos are gone today, these people are still there. There are 805 million starving people in the world. I want you to see them, through me, to help the World Food Programme.”
- This was the first time he publicly worked with a charity.
6. Novak Djokovic, Professional Tennis Player
“I THINK LUCK FALLS ON NOT JUST THE BRAVE, BUT ALSO THE ONES WHO BELIEVE THEY BELONG THERE.”
- Accomplishments:
-
- Twice named US Sports Academy’s Male Athlete of the Year.
- 4 time ATP Year-end Number 1.
- Best Male Tennis Player in Serbia.
- 12 Grand Slam titles: 6-time winner of the Australian Open, 3-time winner of Wimbledon, 2-time winner of the US Open winner, and 1-time French Open winner.
- As of August 2016, he holds the best match winning rate (83.00%) in Open Era.
- 2012, 2015, and 2016 Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year.
- 2011 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.
- Novak Djokovic was named the fittest male athlete on our list in 2015.
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- Workout and Fitness:
- Warm-up consists of explosive stretches and resistance band work.
- Workout includes fast-paced exercises with focus on plyometrics, reflex movements and balance.
- Off-season training includes implementing yoga.
- Diet and Nutrition:
- Breakfast:
- Coffee or tea, grapefruit, gluten-free bagel with low-fat cream cheese, eggs
- Lunch:
- Salad, grilled lean hamburger, gluten-free bread, iced tea or coffee
- Snack:
- String cheese
- Dinner:
- Salad, oil and vinegar dressing, salmon prepared with lemon, brown rice and vegetables
- Dessert:
- Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
- Breakfast:
- Community Involvement:
- Raised $1,400,000 for early childhood education
- Founder of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, dedicated to creating a lasting change in the lives of Serbian children in need by promoting healthy eating, early education, constructive parenting, and becoming involved in exercise and sports
- Leader of a campaign against child labor
- He is also a UNICEF Ambassador in Serbia
- Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award
7. LeBron James, Professional Basketball Player
“YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT FAILURE TO GET BETTER.”
- Accomplishments:
- 12-time NBA All Star.
- 3-time NBA Champion.
- 4-time NBA MVPs.
- 2-time NBA finals MVP.
- 2 Olympic Gold Medals.
- Led Miami Heat to a 27-game winning streak – the longest winning streak in NBA history.
- Cleveland Cavaliers all-time leading scorer.
- No. 1 draft pick in 2003; 2004 NBA Rookie of the Year
- Workout and Fitness:
- Ices back and feet prior to workouts.
- 30 minutes of combines stretching and yoga.
- Incorporate Pilates reformer into his cross-training.
- Various gym and ball-on-the-court workouts.
- Off the court workouts consist of pilates, boxing, cycling, sprints.
- Cool-downs consist of stretching, as well as actively stretching throughout the day.
- Diet and Nutrition:
- Meal 1, 6:25 a.m.: Whole wheat bagel with 1 tbsp of peanut butter, 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese
- Meal 2, 9:30 a.m.: 1 cup orange juice, 1 banana, 1 scoop protein powder with 1 cup of low-fat milk
- Meal 3, 12:00 noon: Lean roast beef with whole wheat bun, lettuce, tomato, 2 tbsp of mustard, low fay cheddar cheese and 1-cup of low-fat milk.
- Meal 4, 2:30 p.m.: 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1 cup low-fat natural yogurt, 1/2 glass of milk, 1 granola bar.
- Meal 5, 6:00 p.m.: 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup milk, 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt, with optional 1-2 tablespoons of honey.
- Meal 6. 8:30 p.m.: 1 1/2 cup small broccoli, 1/2 cup rice, 1/3 cup
- Community Involvement:
- Founded the LeBron Family Foundation.
- Is active in Wheels for Education, Boys and Girls Club and the I Promise Network.
8. Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Professional Boxer
“A TRUE CHAMPION WILL FIGHT THROUGH ANYTHING”
- Accomplishments:
- First championship belt won in 1998 at 21.
- Record 49-0, 26 knockouts.
- WBC super featherweight champion, WBC lightweight champion, WBC light-welterweight champion, WBC light-middleweight champion.
- He is a two-time winner of The Ring magazine’s Fighter of the Year award (1998 and 2007)
- Three-time winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Fighter of the Year award (2007, 2013, and 2015), and a six-time winner of the Best Fighter ESPY Award (2007–10, 2012–14).
- In 2016 Mayweather peaked as BoxRec’s number one pound for pound fighter of all time; as well as the greatest welterweight of all time.
- In 2016, ESPN ranked Mayweather as the greatest pound for pound boxer of the last 25 years.
- Workout and Fitness:
- Favorite pre-fight workout is shadowboxing.
- Drill work includes sparring, speed & heavy bag, neck workout w/weights, 200 sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, jump rope, and 5-8 mile run.
- Diet and Nutrition:
- Personal chef Quiana Jeffries said Mayweather only eats organic fruits/veggies and focuses on high levels of protein, low carbs, and no pork!
- Community Involvement:
- Founded the Mayweather Foundation, which empowers and encourages community alliances, impacts youth leadership and strengthens family foundations through community development, entrepreneurialism, and education resulting in a healthier community.
9. Conor McGregor, Professional MMA Fighter
“There’s no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist, we are all equal as human beings. You could be anyone if you put in the time. You will reach the top, and that is that. I am not talented, I am obsessed.”
- Accomplishments:
- He is the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion and former UFC Featherweight Champion.
- He has competed as a featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight.
- Has fastest victory in UFC title fight history- 13 seconds into the first round.
- Became the first fighter in UFC’s history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.
- He is known for being the biggest pay-per-view draw in MMA.
- Workout and Fitness:
- Does not adhere to a strict schedule, but as soon as he wakes up, he’s moving.
- Said he is self-taught and nothing is done by the clock.
- Does yoga every day and believes that balance is imperative- anything that doesn’t improve his core is not beneficial in his opinion.
- Does jiu-jitsu.
- Boxes.
- Swims.
- Jump ropes.
- Lifts weights.
- Dead hangs from objects.
- According to him, however, his most valuable skill is intangible. “My belief is my best asset, and I have a stronger mindset than my opponent,” he says.
- Diet and Nutrition:
- Drinks water first thing in the morning, even before coffee.
- Tackled his sweet tooth by substituting his cravings with cinnamon instead.
- Has a notorious “Eat Clean” diet.
- His coach posted a picture of the fridge his McGregor’s house and the entire contents of it included: salmon, chicken, steak, fruit and veg.
- No bread.
- Doesn’t eat fast food.
- Has said “I have a sweet tooth — that would be where I’d put on some weight out of fighting is somebody brings in a pack of cakes and coffee. But the majority, I’ll eat good-quality meats, good-quality greens, good-quality carbohydrates like sweet potato and butternut squash, and that is it.”
- Community Involvement:
- Has done various appearances to raise funds for the homeless charities in Ireland.
- In 2015 he donated €50,000 to two of Ireland’s homeless charities: Simon Community and Focus Ireland.
10. Wladimir Klitshko, Professional Boxer
“YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE OPPONENT PSYCHOLOGICALLY – INSIDE OUT – AND MENTAL STRENGTH IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT MAKERS. YOU’RE EITHER GONNA BREAK IT OR MAKE IT.”
- Accomplishments:
- Former Heavyweight Champion, holding WBA, IBF, 2-time WBO, IBO, and The Ring championship titles.
- Ph. D in sports science.
- He is known to be a highly strategic and cerebrally-minded boxer, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time.
- He is among the hardest punching knockout artists in the history of the division.
- Klitschko has fought in 28 heavyweight title fights, more than any heavyweight champion in the sport’s history.
- He also holds the record of having defeated the most boxers with an undefeated record, at 12.
- Workout and Fitness:
- Recently launched a fitness program focused on total body performance. The app matches a workout regimen and nutrition plan to the user.
- Diet and Nutrition:
- Loads up on carbs the week before fights. He eats a lot of oatmeal and pasta, and red meat for iron. He says this helps him perform at his highest levels.
- Does not consume meats any less than 6-7 hrs before a fight.
- Community Involvement:
- Supports Laureus Sport for Good Foundation & UNESCO
- Charities focus on at-risk youth, children, education, human rights, literacy, poverty, and sports.
- On 29 March 2012, during a charitable auction in Kiev, Ukraine, Wladimir auctioned off his 1996 Olympic gold medal to a buyer who bid $1 million. Klitschko said he would use the money to help the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children. After the sale, the buyer immediately returned the medal out of respect for Wladimir and because he wanted it to remain with the Klitschko family.
Honorary Fittest Athlete in the World
Michael Schumacher, Formula 1 Driver
“I’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER GIVE UP AND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP FIGHTING EVEN WHEN THERE’S ONLY A SLIGHTEST CHANCE.”
Since Michael Schumacher’s skiing accident on December 29, 2013, the 7-time Formula 1 world champion has been fighting for his life and I have kept him in my thoughts. I grew up in Germany and Michael was a living legend and inspiration to people everywhere said Samir Becic, 4-time world’s best fitness trainer. This accident affected me in a way I had not anticipated – it brought to mind my own vulnerability. Considering that Michael Schumacher is fighting for his life, and he’s not giving up, and considering he was one of the fittest Formulate One drivers in the history of the sport, the Health Fitness Revolution team is honoring him as the honorary fittest athlete in the world.
Michael, get well soon!
- Accomplishments:
- Seven-time Formula One World Champion and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time
- He was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year twice
- He holds many of Formula One’s driver records, including most championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions and most races won in a single season – 13 in 2004 (the last of these records was equalled by fellow German Sebastian Vettelnine years later)
- In 2002, he became the only driver in Formula One history to finish in the top three in every race of a season and then also broke the record for most consecutive podium finishes
- According to the official Formula One website, he is statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen
- Workout and Fitness:
- Michael Schumacher trained up to six hours a day for improving his physical strength, reaction time and coordination
- The sports training concentrated on improving his physical strength, his reaction time, his coordination and flexibility
- Is a legendary workout freak who became quicker, stronger, and fitter than his competition by outworking them in the weight room
- Spent hours in the gym honing himself into a lean, light and strong performance athlete, with a combination of endurance training and core strength exercises
- Diet and Nutrition Intake:
- A journalist once said that his interview with Schumacher was interrupted every 45 minutes by Michaels’ nutritionist, who would hand him his next handful of calorie-controlled, nutritionally-balanced mixed nuts and berries
- Formula 1 drivers know the importance of a strict diet and fitness, which can sometimes be a matter of life and death. An F1 nutritionist says that drivers must eat proteins (meat — even better if white — eggs), carbohydrates (pasta, bread), vitamins and fibers (cereals, fruits, vegetables). They should of course, avoid too much fat, carbohydrates, and alcohol.
- Michael has his own health instructor and dietician who help him in charting out the right diet plan and regulating his carbohydrate and protein intake.
- During race weekends he eats food with lots of carbs like pasta and bread. This helps in keeping the energy levels up.
- Before and throughout a race he drinks lots of water to avoid dehydration. A F1 driver loses about 3kgs of weight in every race
- Community Involvement:
- The former Ferrari driver is a Special Envoy for Education and Sport and donated €1.5 million to the organization
- In a 2002 interview with the organization, he explained his dedication to funding projects: “I really want to help the ones people don’t know about. Nowadays, certain projects attract lots of donors. Then there are others you never hear about. Those are the ones I’m interested in.”
- He also once told F1 magazine that: “It’s great if you can use your fame and the power your fame gives you to draw attention to things that really matter.”
- In 2002, Schumacher funded the construction of a school in a poor slum in Dakar, the capital of the West African state of Senegal
- In 1997, Schumacher opened a clinic for child victims of the Balkans War. The clinic provides artificial limbs for amputees as well as psychological support.
- In 2002, he funded the construction of a ‘Palace for the Poor’ in Lima, Peru which caters for homeless children and provides education, food and medical treatment for street children.
- Along with his two sons, Schumacher’s bodyguard lost his life in in the 2004 Tsunami following the Indian Ocean earthquake. Schumi donated over €7 million in aid which meant that he gave more money than many individual countries, sports entities and organizations.
- Schumacher is also known to support UNICEF and Childline, as well as road safety campaigns.
Health Fitness Revolution by Samir Becic Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, to make the world a healthier, fitter place, please donate!
Ever heard of professional Olympic level Badminton players and legendary athletes like Lin Dan of China, Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, Peter Gade of Denmark to name just a few?
If you check them out you’ll be shocked, that’s all!
You removed Conor because you didn’t like his behavior? Wow, this just makes your list faulty. By your own criteria, he should be on the list, but because you are being a sensitive Nancy, you take him off. So if every single top athlete did something you didn’t like, you would remove them? Get over yourself.