Lanterne Rogue

Cycling and soccer / football are two sports where little guys can do well. They also are two sports that require (relatively) little upper body strength. Watching the World Cup made me wonder: Why do the soccer guys have much bigger pecs / arms / upper bodies?

I am a straight man, but my wife always wanted to watch the end of World Cup matches just to see the jerseys come off. She has never been interested in seeing jerseys come off at the end of the TDF. Wouldn't the extra weight of a developed upper body hurt the explosive speed of a soccer player just as much as a cyclist? Is it just the culture of the sport, or is there a better reason why so many cyclists look like the guys who get sand kicked on them at the beach?

lsberrios1 

Because Soccer players get paid to be "sexy" so they work out their upper bodies. Cyclist on the other hand get paid to win races so they do all that's necessary to dismiss excess weight. Soccer players concentrate more on sprint or rather quick efforts where bigger muscles pay off better than lightweight. Cycling is all about energy expenditure and savings so the less you have to move about the better. Sprinters on the other hand are pretty darn big. Take a look at Kittel and Greipel. The dudes are pretty big all around.

lsberrios1 

There is also more contact in soccer so you'd be better off having some muscle mass to defend yourself against being knocked down while in possession of the ball... however, it doesn't seem like it works too well since they spend about half the match crying on the floor.

RPK79

That Ridley is Hot.

Edit:

bikerjp

Football players seem to have really delicate bodies and low pain thresholds. They are constantly getting hurt and writhing in pain. Pro cyclists crash and jump back on the bike without blinking and even ride with broken bones and concussions. In a boxing match between the two I'd bet on the cyclist every time, but they do often look pathetic with their jersey off (and sometimes even on).

bikerjp

Non-DS photo and chain on small ring are clear violations.

TrojanHorse

You guys are crazy... cyclists look like concentration camp survivors with their shirts off. I wouldn't pick a cyclist in a boxing match unless the opponent was a 9 year old girl.

hubcyclist

Having played soccer in the past, I can attest that soccer does require a degree of upper body strength, such as generating power for headers, keeping balance. While both soccer and cycling require core strength, I think soccer players work on it much more as well.

merlinextraligh

Until you stand them next to normal people, not pro bike racers. Greipel is 6' 1/2" 165lbs, which makes him a little over average height, and well under average weight for the general population.

And the sprinters are the big guys for the most part.

bikerjp

That's my point, the footballers seem like 9 year old girls when getting hit.














(yes, I'm being sarcastic. Sure any of them could kick my ass with one hand.)

lsberrios1 

Agreed... Sad but true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwKaeWkYbqk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxvNxsJzyxI

TrojanHorse

I'm not disputing that... but I offer up Clint Dempsey as a counter point. Dude broke his nose and kept going with none of the histrionics of say, anybody from Brazil or Robben. The constant diving is a definite black eye on that otherwise fine sport.

Hilarious.

Darth Steele

that "writhing" in pain is a show to sway the referees. Any incidental contact will cause any soccer player to drop to the ground like he was taken out by a sniper.

dtrain

I think there's a lot more pushing and upper body use in soccer than the OP realizes.

bruce19

Don't confuse body type with toughness. Toughness can come in all body types.

cyclebycle13

This is a joke right?

Velo Vol 

Uh huh.

BoSoxYacht

If you are a straight man, why are you watching soccer in the first place?

aubiecat

Velo Vol 

His wife made him.

jfh

I do both; I play pickup games as well as an adult rec league for soccer, and ride in the hills in NorCal. There's quite a bit of physical contact in soccer (i.e. shielding the ball, going shoulder-to-shoulder on a run), and if you are skinny/weak in the upper body, you'll simply be pushed off the ball too easily.

Anyways, I like doing both sports a lot, it turns out to be a nice balance.

achoo

Well, without upper body muscles you can't effectively flop around on the grass like a fish out of water when you lose control of the ball near a defender.

If Cav were a soccer player, he'd still be flopping around on the pavement a month from now.

WhyFi

More upper body strength = more crabon asplosions.

WhyFi

It is rather strange that he felt the need to preface "my wife" with "I'm a straight man," innit?

Lanterne Rogue

I'm jealous. Wish I had a cycling bromance ala Velo Vol and PCad.