Hitting the weights and cardio machines at the gym can help you build a better physique, but the repetitive lifts and endless minutes on the treadmill can be boring. Switch up your workout by trying one of the intense sports to tighten and tone your body. You'll experience renewed motivation while meeting people and learning new skills.
Rowing
Rowing is a low-impact sport that gets your heart pumping while working your upper and lower muscle groups. Rowers tend to have the biggest muscles, densest bones and healthiest hearts of any athletes, according to Sound Medicine, a program at Indiana University. You'll burn more calories per minute rowing than a workout on a stationary bike, and rowing is a low-injury sport. Take a class at your local rowing center to enjoy nature as you exercise, or practice your technique on a stationary rower, available in most gyms.
Swimming
Swimming, another low-impact exercise, provides 12 to 14 percent more resistance than exercises performed on land, the U.S. Water Fitness Association states. The natural resistance when moving through water forces muscles to work harder while preventing sudden movements that can stress joints. You'll achieve improved muscular strength and balance, better endurance, a stronger heart, increased circulation and an overall improved physique with regular swimming workouts.
Water Polo
If aggressive contact sports are more your thing, give water polo a try. Each 45-minute game requires players to constantly tread water while battling for control of a ball. The basketball-soccer hybrid in the pool may be one of the most physiologically challenging sports out there, says George Washington University water polo coach Scott Reed. You'll get a high-intensity cardiovascular workout, hone your hand-eye coordination and develop bonds with teammates.
Sprinting
The explosive motions of sprinting give your calves, hamstrings, gluteal muscles, quadriceps and abdominals a workout in short spurts of activity. Unlike low-intensity cardio workouts, sprinting boosts your metabolism for several hours after you stop, increasing your weight-loss potential. Having well-defined, "six-pack" abs is one of the best aspects of a toned physique. Every time you lift your legs during a sprint, you're giving your abs a workout, says former Division I track star and fitness model Obi Obadike.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing, whether outdoors or at an indoor wall, forces you to find balance as you grip small handholds and footholds. You'll develop the muscles in your arms, back, calves, abs and fingers. Most climbing gyms offer introductory courses for beginners. As you build endurance, flexibility and strength, you can move on to more difficult climbs indoors and out.
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