Racquetball - A Fun and Effective Way to Stay in Shape

When I went away to college many years ago, I had never played racquetball. In fact, it had never even occurred to me to play racquetball. That changed one night, however, when a few of my buddies who lived on the same floor asked me to come along with them as they went to play themselves. Ever since that evening I have been hooked.

Racquetball is a game that is not only fun, but will also keep you in shape. If you play with any level of seriousness you can't help but get a workout, because you'll be running and changing directions continuously in an effort to chase down the ball. For those who aren't familiar with racquetball, here is a link to the basic rules. To just give a brief synopsis of the rules, the basic idea is to hit the ball off the front wall so that your opponent can't retrieve it before it bounces twice.  And since you're playing in a high walled rectangle, you can use either of the side walls, or the back wall as leverage to get the ball to the front wall. This can result in some interesting strategy, and usually a serious workout!

Here in Topeka, you can find racquetball courts at the YMCA, Wood Valley Racquet Club, and the Hillcrest Community Center which is a part of the City of Topeka's Parks and Recreation Services. Unfortunately, these facilities do all require a fee or membership to use, but the health benefits and enjoyment far outweigh the cost. And the need for equipment is fairly minimal. You will need a racket and goggles which both can be purchased for as low as $20 apiece, and a can of balls, which generally will run you a few bucks. Get those items, find a court, and you're ready to play! If you don't have a partner, most facilities can help to match you up with other members who play, while if you're new to the sport many times there are classes or tutorials for beginners where you will play with others who are at the same skill level as you. Playing by yourself could also be an option.

Here are some books from our collection that pertain to racquetball. I encourage you to check them out and give racquetball a try!

Racquetball Fundamentals by Jim Winterton