by Stefani Deoul

Created on: May 07, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Not everyone belongs to a gym, but that's no excuse for not getting in a good workout - especially with longer daylight hours and glorious weather abounding. All you need to do to get literally in the swing of things is get outside in your backyard or local park and start your heart rate rising.

We've all become so conditioned to "working out" meaning gym time that the simple pleasure and exercise a good game of catch can bring is often forgotten. And if catch sounds a bit too tame for you, raise the stakes and try Frisbee or tag or does anyone remember running bases. In running bases each thrower/catcher takes up a position and the assembled group of runners must get from one base to the next before the ball gets to the other side and they are "tagged out." We used to play that one all summer long.

Getting sweaty yet? Why not put up a net and have some friends over and play Badminton. "Badminton!" you screech. Trying to get under and hit the birdie will definitely cause shrieks of laughter all the while providing a great workout. Too tame again you say? Then get a volleyball going up and over that net. A few good spikes, a few good digs and your heart rate is on the move.

By now you should be feeling the burn, so if you have access to a pool, jump on in. We all know laps will get your exercise quotient in, but it might leave out the fun. Why not try a game of Marco Polo instead? For those who have not indulged, Marco Polo is a form of water tag wherein the "it" person closes their eyes and yells out "Marco", the other players in the pool yell out "Polo" as the it person tries to locate a player and tag them as the new "it". Several inept times around the pool promise to have you and your friends laughing the laps away. Still in the pool? Volleyball again is another great way to really work out the body -especially if you're the one who has to play the deep end of the pool!

Maybe you're thinking that's kids stuff. Well you could mow the lawn - in fairness, that too will get the old heart rate going. But it might send the blood pressure up with it. So...

...Shoot some hoops, roller blade, learn to do a cartwheel, roller skate, bicycle ride, hula hoop, sprinkler hop, hopscotch, peg a croquet ball, head a soccer ball, smile a great big smile. Heart rate's saying color me happy. It's summertime and the best part about your great outdoors, it's waiting right there for you. A backyard, a front yard, a local park - no driving needed. Just a little spirit can take you a long way.

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