If someone asked you what the surest way to build muscle and define your physique is, what would you say? Perhaps 90% of people would name the gym as the number-one activity for sculpting your body without a second thought. And they’d be right. But there are other sports that help you develop strong, healthy muscles.
Contact sports such as rugby, boxing, kickboxing and wrestling are not only an effective way to relieve the stress of a long day, but also an ideal way to shape your body. What makes these sports distinctive is that they focus on specific parts of the body, which get most of the training. Below, you’ll read how you can combine different contact sports to achieve a balanced, well-defined physique.
Rugby
According to an intriguing legend, this game originated in the town of Rugby, England, in the early 19th century. The story goes that while a young boy was playing football in his schoolyard, he unexpectedly picked up the ball and ran towards his opponent’s goal. We’re not sure whether the legend is entirely true, but every player in the sport knows it. The first rugby union was established at the end of the 19th century. From then until 1995, the sport was played only at amateur level. It was then recognized as a professional sport, and its popularity began to grow rapidly. Rugby is a high-intensity sport that effectively works all muscle groups. During a rugby match, players run up and down the field more than a hundred times at high speed.
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Like football, rugby develops endurance and agility on the field. The difference is that the upper body is also actively involved. To perform well, players need a strong grip to keep the ball from being taken away. Playing rugby, even at an amateur level, strengthens the arms, builds a stronger, broader back and tones the triceps. Combine this sport with gym workouts and you’ll quickly develop your upper body. Just be careful, as collisions with opposing players are direct and injuries can happen.
Boxing
There’s no doubt that boxing is one of the oldest sports. It existed more than 5,000 years ago, initially in the form of simple fistfights. History tells us that boxing evolved from bare-knuckle fighting into a sport and an art of self-defence thanks to the ancient Olympic Games. An interesting fact is that back then, the loser received the cup, while the winner had a statue made in Ayatis (a sacred temple) and was financially supported by the state for the rest of his life. Boxing’s modern history began in 1865, when Queensberry wrote the first set of rules for the sport. It also introduced the boxing gloves that remain essential today. Four years later, the first world championship bout took place, won by McCall (USA), marking the beginning of professional boxing.
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Boxing is one of the favourite sports and group activities of many men—and increasingly, women too. The cardio during warm-ups and bouts is an excellent way to shed excess weight and inches, and quite quickly. You can burn up to 800 calories during a boxing workout while engaging all your muscle groups, though your arms do most of the work. Technical punches on a heavy bag can help you build strong, toned arms and shoulders. If you’re a beginner, we recommend following your coach’s instructions carefully to avoid injuring yourself or your opponent.
Hockey
This fast-paced, physically demanding sport is among the most popular in the US (especially in the northern states), Canada and many European countries. The US and Canada alone have more than 1,100,000 registered active players. Among European countries, the Czech Republic ranks among those with the most players, with nearly 100,000. The word “hockey” comes from French and means “shepherd’s crook.” British soldiers in Canada used these sticks to invent a game similar to hockey, chasing small boxes along icy streets and fields. The game caught the attention of a group of local students who came up with the first rules in 1878, giving rise to hockey.
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Hockey isn’t one of the most developed sports in our country, but it still attracts interest and spectators. If you’ve decided to try an amateur training session, you should know that you’ll need not only well-developed leg muscles—thighs and calves—but also good balance on skates and ice. With regular training, you’ll quickly build muscle in your lower body and may even replace some of your gym leg workouts. Hockey helps improve your speed, endurance and coordination. It’s definitely a sport worth trying. Just watch out for pucks flying at 60 km/h.
Wrestling
The modern history of wrestling began in 1896, when Greco-Roman wrestling was included as a discipline in the first modern Olympic Games. In 1904, the other widely practiced style of wrestling—freestyle—was added at the St. Louis Olympics. Since then, both styles, Greco-Roman and freestyle, have been a permanent part of the Olympic program. In 1921, with the founding of the International Wrestling Federation, professional wrestling split from amateur wrestling, which became better known as “catch wrestling.”
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Wrestling is also a high-intensity sport that works every part of your body. During a match or bout, competitors use every muscle. Wrestling is a great way to mix up your cardio workouts. You’ll also build strength and have no trouble when you head to the gym for a strength-training session.
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