Everyone wants to live a long healthy life. That’s why getting plenty of exercise is very important. Having the energy to do daily tasks, preventing metabolic conditions, and sleeping well are all benefits of regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight. Participating in sports is a sure way to stay fit and healthy.

Here are seven different sports activities you can do to keep yourself in shape:

1. Boxing
Boxing is a very unique way of staying fit. When you first start in the sport, you have to use your fists and arms to punch an opponent or a heavy bag to learn how to properly strike and defend. This helps to build muscle and endurance throughout the entire body, especially the arms and shoulders. Another method used for training in this sport is using CrossFit jump ropes to build speed and to train on the footwork needed to dodge punches from your opponent.

2. Basketball
Basketball is another sport that will keep you fit. Going to the neighborhood court with your friends to bounce and shoot the ball back and forth not only works your legs to make them stronger, but also your arms. It also results in an improvement in your overall mood.

3. Baseball
Playing baseball helps both your mental and physical health. You must be able to calculate the right time to swing the bat to hit the ball. That requires thinking, which trains your brain for teamwork, strategy, and exercise. Once you hit the ball, you need to run to first base which is far from the position you were in when hitting the ball. Running bases and playing outfield will help you burn a lot of calories.

4. Cycling
This particular sport requires giving your legs a tremendous workout. You will also find yourself with nice calf muscles. Your legs will develop a taunt, leaner appearance. The faster you go when training to do a race or marathon, the more fat you will burn in your legs, which will help protect your joints (i.e., knees and ankles).

5. Rowing
Rowing is another physical sport that can burn a lot of fat throughout the entire body. When you train as a rower, a water resistance rowing machine is used to help build up your arms, shoulders, chest, back, hamstrings, glutes, and other parts to get you ready for competition. You will have nice muscle mass and shape from this sport alone.

6. Swimming
Swimming is a very good sport that you can participate in to keep yourself healthy. It helps to build up your strength and keep your lungs along with your heart healthy. This sport is great for a cardiovascular workout that builds up your endurance and keeps your heart rate up.

7. Tennis
Playing tennis is a fun sport that will give you a great aerobic workout as you are constantly running back and forth on the court to hit the ball. It also helps to maintain your mental health which requires you to concentrate on where that ball is going to go so that you can hit it before it hits the ground.

As you can see these seven sports will help you stay in the best shape. You can find the one that works best for you, and start participating to get your body and mind in shape. Not only will you be healthy, but you will have fun enjoying any one of these high calorie burning and muscle building sports as a whole.