While heading to the gym for cardio workouts and attending classes at yoga studios are great exercises, there's nothing quite like the excitement offered by participating in a summer sport. The spirit of friendly competition is unparalleled in a race, while team sports provide a sense of camaraderie and shared victory that nothing else can match.

Have a look at these summer sports that will get you fit while you have the time of your life:

Beach Volleyball
Beach volleyball is a great sport that engages every muscle and trains coordination as you run, jump, spike, and dive your way through intense matches. It's also an obvious choice of sport to play when you're at the beach, and setting up an improvised court is trivial, while many beaches already offer pre-set courts and nets installed. It's an overall great outdoor sport, not just on the beach but also at parks, on lawns, and pretty much anywhere you can fit a net.

Football
Football is the most popular sport in the world, and trains endurance, strength, and agility, while building teamwork values that are absolutely essential to winning any match. There are many football clubs in the Philippines, and some communities offer open play sessions and summer classes for kids and adults to stay fit alike.

Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate Frisbee, or otherwise known as just “Ultimate,” is an outdoor sport where two teams of seven play on a big rectangular field. The objective of the sport is to keep passing the Frisbee until a player who's in the end zone gets it, much like how people play basketball, soccer, and football. Ultimate involves a lot of cardiovascular training. It increases your endurance, increases metabolic rate, and gives you a full body workout from squatting, jumping, and throwing the disc.

Swimming
Swimming is easily one of the best sports for losing weight and getting fit, with every part of your body moving against the resistance of the water. Since the water's resistance is far greater than air, you need to work harder to move through it, and as a result strengthens your muscle. A good activity all-around, swimming also keeps your heart rate up, builds endurance, and reduces levels of bad cholesterol. The cool water counteracts the heat of the sun beating down on the ground, so you'll never get overheated or feel sweaty, making it a great sport for the summer.

Running
Marathons, half marathons, 10Ks — a wide variety of runs of different lengths are available during summer, which anyone can sign up for. Regular running helps build strong bones and strengthens muscles. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight and improve your cardio. When you join a run, there is that sense of competition you have against the hundreds of other people who are running alongside you, and getting a good place means you've beaten a lot of other competitors and gives you that sense of achievement when you have reached the finish line.

There are a lot more outdoor sports you can do to help keep yourself fit during the summer. Choose one that you're really excited to play, improve your fitness, and enjoy!

Summer just got a whole lot better, indeed.