The Gym Sports Site

Playing gym sports is a great way to stay in shape, but if you can’t make it to the gym all the time because of commitments like your family, there are so many options available to have fun and stay fit in your backyard.

Basketball – If you have a driveway and/or a garage, you can easily set up a basketball hoop.  Attach it to your garage or get a hoop with a pole and stand that is free standing.

Badminton – I used to play this a lot when I was younger.  It is a great racket sport that delivers an aerobic workout with a pretty decent upper body workout too.  For most kids, badminton is a terrific introduction to later playing tennis.

Horseshoes and Bocce Ball – Both are on the low end as far as calorie burning is concerned, but it is a fun addition to a day hanging out with friends in your backyard for a barbeque or something similar.

Volleyball – A backyard volleyball set is extremely fun and a smart sport to pick for working out.  If you have a pool that you can use in conjunction with the volleyball net, you have an even better workout using the natural resistance of the pool’s water.  Or if you can play on a beach, the lack of firmness in your footing will make you work out harder.

Frisbee Golf – It sounds rather bizarre, but it is endless fun.  While it isn’t that much of a workout, it does work your abdominal muscles in the rotation before throwing the disc.  If you don’t have a large backyard you could always play in the park to give yourself more room.

In addition, there are endless games to be played with simple equipment like a baseball, mitt, football, etc. Even throwing a ball back and forth for a half hour is better than nothing at all.  So if you can’t make it to the gym or don’t belong to a gym at all, use a home gym sport to get an awesome home workout.

When thinking about getting in shape, a lot of assumptions are that it has to be nothing but hard work to get fit.  Everyone thinks you need a gym membership or a home gym machine.  That is simply not true.  Even outside of the gym, there are so many different ways to get healthy and to stay there.  And to have some fun as well.

Adding sports into your life can help you reach your health goals while having a great time.  No matter what your age, there will most likely be a league in your town for most of the more popular sports.  Its a matter of asking around and looking up information online.  When I started playing basketball at the gym, I was unaware that there was a league that played several times a week with dozens of guys my age.  Once a joined, that was sometimes all the workout I needed and I wouldn’t even have to go to the gym.

Sport fitness is important because as you get older, your body isn’t going to be able to do the things it can right now.  But by pushing yourself to participate in activities and exercises you are not used to doing, you are keeping your body more fit and will keep you feeling younger longer.  Playing sports is something people can always incorporate into their schedule even if they don’t belong to the gym.

So many people’s excuses for not being able to workout is because they have a family to take care of.  That is precisely why sports is an excellent way to stay in shape and to help your family do the same.  Instead of watching TV or playing a board game, play a more physically demanding sport.

There are dozens of sports to play in your backyard.  Badminton is a great workout, so much so that it is an Olympic sport.  Horseshoes can be a surprisingly effective workout for your arms, particularly your forearms.

Most sports are fitness sports, but you should focus on ones that have you up on your feet and moving as much as possible.  Tennis and golf are great, but not as active as sports like soccer and basketball.  But even something like Wii Sports is better than nothing at all.

To also keep your body on its proverbial toes, introduce new sports every once in a while.  You’ll work new muscle groups while preventing yourself from plateauing if you are also trying to lose weight.  Take advantage of seasonal sports that you can’t play year round like beach volleyball or skiing.

And remember, as important as it is to stay fit, it is more important to have fun.  Don’t let yourself get frustrated with working out because it is boring and mundane… have a good time while making your workout more exciting.

Some of my greatest memories from when I was younger come from the time when I was on a youth swimming team.  As soon as I would hit the water, I would feel like a fish who had finally been returned to the water.  Incorporating it these days as a gym sport was easy and fun.

The pool in my gym is a good size pool, not Olympic size, bit sufficient none the less.  Luckily, they also organize an intramural water polo team which is incredibly fun.  For those of you who have never played water polo, I want you to picture a game of soccer in a pool.  Water polo gym workouts are even more exhausting than they sound, which is why it makes a great gym sport. When you are in the pool, you don’t even feel like you are even working out.  It’s only when you step out that you can feel how sore your muscles are.

Making the water polo a weekly gym sport was an easy decision.  However, taking the swimming aerobics class took a bit of convincing.  I guess I sort of doubted how an actual class could give you a good workout.  But after taking the class once, I was shocked by how worked my muscles felt.

Besides water polo gym workouts, even simply swimming laps for a while is a phenomenal way to burn calories and get in better shape.  Most gyms with swimming pools will have designated times for laps.  It’s also a great workout for senior citizens, because the water is better for brittle bones and bad joints.  Since the gravity isn’t as strong, there is less pressure in the joints.

It is also a phenomenal way to end your workout.  I particularly enjoy it after my kickboxing class or using one of the multi gyms.  When you aren’t swimming too fast, it feels great.  Sometimes I’ll even do my stretching in the pool.

Even not treating it as a gym sport and playing a game of Marco Polo or water volleyball can a great way to burn calories without even realizing it.
Like tennis and golf, certain gyms may not have a pool, so always inquire before joining.  If they don’t, you could also look into a community pool.

You’ll want to watch out for the chemicals like chlorine that are put into the pool.  They are needed, especially since so many people share the pool each day.  Click here to check out some great goggles to keep your eyes from getting red and dried out.

Basketball is a great aerobic workout, which makes it a fantastic gym sport.  It works many different muscle groups along with improving your dexterity, balance, jumping skills and hand-eye coordination among many other things.

Basketball was actually invented when a physical education teacher came up with the idea of attaching a peach basket to a wall and had the students try to throw a ball into it.  He was trying to come up with an idea to keep his students entertained and active during the cold winters of Massachusetts.  The origin of the name basketball comes from that original usage of a peach basket in the first game ever played.

Basketball courts can be placed anywhere with a smooth area, so many basketball courts are outdoors.  During the colder seasons players flock indoors and build up their game skills.  Some exercises that are helpful to playing basketball include sprints and jumping.  Even the simple act of dribbling the ball through out the game is a steady workout for your upper arm and forearm.  In fact, dribbling a ball around your home makes a great and simple home exercise gym idea.

Incorporating basketball as a gym sport into your workout is relatively easy.  Contact nearby gyms to inquire if they have courts.  Most gyms will offer their courts to non members for a rental fee in hopes of convincing them to join their gym.

A surprisingly good way to improve at basketball is through playing water polo, another great gym sport.  After having to throw the ball with the water resistance, passing a basketball outside the water feels easier.

Since it is a team gym sport, basketball is a great way to meet new members of your gym.  Next time you need a spotted while doing your bench presses, look for one of your new basketball buddies.  And if you end up enjoying playing basketball, you can always look into joining a local league.

It also doesn’t require much equipment.  A ball, suitable clothes and optional protective items such as safety goggles is all you really need once you have a court to play on.  Click here to check out some great products if you are interested in pursuing basketball as a gym sport.

While not specifically a gym sport, tennis and golf are what I would call “country club” sports.  You’ll be hard pressed to find a gym that offers full tennis courts and golf greens.  While not something you can incorporate into your workout at the gym, these can be considered great hobbies that keep you in good shape.

Golf is an incredibly focused sport.  In essence, you are trying to do the same consistent swing over and over again while changing the weight and shape of your club to hit further distances.  In the little golf that I have played, I was surprised by how sore my upper body was.  Particularly my shoulders and arms.   And from trying to keep your form for the entire swing, your core and abdominal muscles get quite the workout.

In addition, you could even go to a driving range and hit balls over and over again.  It doesn’t have the satisfaction of getting a ball in a hole, it does feel more like a gym sport because you are working your body without a long pause between swings to move to the location of the ball.  If you do end up playing a game of golf, skip the caddies and the golf carts to get more of an exercise.

You would be much more likely to find tennis courts at a gym than a golf course.  Larger gyms may have indoor courts for year round playing, though they won’t be as frequent as racquetball courts.  Tennis makes a great gym sport whether you are playing doubles with a group of friends, singles with one other friend or even by yourself hitting balls off of a wall.  Obviously, tennis works your upper body, but it is also a great workout for your legs as well, which is why it makes a great gym sport.

In addition to finding tennis courts and golf courses at gyms and country clubs, you should also research what community locations are nearby.  Most high schools have tennis courts nearby that aren’t used all the time.  Take advantage and incorporate this gym sport into your repertoire.

Golf supplies like clubs can be quite expensive, but driving ranges will usually have clubs you can rent.  Luckily, tennis requires little besides balls and a racket.   Click here to see some great tennis supplies that can get you on your way.   Good luck and have fun!

For me, one of my favorite things about working out are the many classes that my gym offers. They not only keep me on my toes and engaged, but also excited to see what the instructor has in store for me. By far, the best is my weekly kick boxing class.

I would consider this a gym sport because even though you are technically not boxing, you are given the full experience of what a boxer’s training is like. Some gyms will also provide punching bags to give you the full contact feel.

The class that I take doesn’t have punching bags or anything like that. The instructor leads you through an intense full body workout. Warming up usually entails a bit of stretching followed by jumping rope.

Boxers jump rope to make them quicker on their feet and to improve their balance. In the class it serves the same purpose. Jumping rope when you are a kid is very easy, but the older you get, the harder it is and the bigger workout it becomes.  It is also a great skill builder for another gym sport: basketball!

What sets this gym sport apart from the others is that its a bit less like playing a game and more like you are working out like an athlete would. All major muscle groups are worked and getting your aggression out feels amazing even if you are hitting nothing but air.

My class also ends with an incredible abdominal workout that hurts to just think about. And while you are enjoying this gym sport, why not inquire about other classes that your gym offers. While it isn’t a gym sport, a spinning class or any other class for that matter may be all you need to get out of your workout rut.

The person who teaches my kickboxing class also teaches an amazing self defense workshop.  After taking it, it was great to be able use some of the skills learned in my kickboxing class in a practical, realistic situation.  And I’ll admit, it makes me feel great to know that if the situation arose, I would be able to defend myself.

If your curious about kickboxing but don’t want to take the class, check out a kickboxing DVD.  Here are some of my favorites.  You can even give it a try at home to decide if you want to take the class as well.

One of the most popular sports to be played at a gym is racquetball.  This gym sport is great for getting the heart going.  For those who have never played racquetball before, it is a racquet based sport but is different because it doesn’t involve a net like tennis or badminton.  The four walls create a racquetball court, with the exception of the top of the back wall.  The racquet is smaller than a tennis racquet and the balls are slightly smaller, denser and faster.

A main reason that this is a popular gym sport is because it is easy to build and doesn’t require much equipment.  The court is 40 feet by 20 feet with red lines marking the service area.  It is played with two players, so it is also a great way to meet new friends at the gym.

The great thing about racquetball as a gym sport is its fast paced aerobic exercise.  Your constantly moving, working muscles all over your body.  And for those who have relied on video games to build your hand-eye coordination, you can pick up a racqet instead as racquetball along with sports like tennis and badminton are great for building up your hand-eye coordination.

Your ability to play it year round may also help sway you.  Whenever you feel like playing, any time of year, you can grab your racquet and enjoy this gym sport.  For tennis players, this is also a great way to keep your game up during the off season.

Racquetball can be dangerous.  You are hitting a ball around a room as hard as you can!  Proper eye protection is always required.  Other protective devices for sensitive body parts are also highly recommended.

Overall, Racquetball is a fantastic workout and is very fun and competitive.  To help you get started in this gym sport, click here for a selection of awesome racquetball racquets, equipment and accessories.  Have fun!