The traditional approach to getting in shape involves going to the gym, hopping onto a mind-numbing cardio machine and striding, pedaling or walking your way into fitness boredom.

While you may be able to adhere to this approach in the short-term, most of us eventually will give up because of boredom and the lack of results.

What many people fail to realize is that you can get fit outside the gym and it can - dare I say it - be fun.

Remember when you were young and played pickup games of basketball, tag, and other games that had you running, jumping, and actually enjoying yourself?

These games are great for improving agility, increasing speed and reaction time, and making us more efficient in speeding up and slowing down.

Bottom line: Engaging in activities that are fun will keep you feeling young, energetic and, most importantly, keep you consistent.

Here are some basic games and drills that will make you feel like you're back in recess. Try to incorporate a play-like workout into your routine at least once or twice a week.

3-POINTER DRILL

Shoot a basketball from the top of the key behind the 3-point line. Quickly rebound the ball and dribble back behind any point of the 3-point line and shoot again. Repeat until you reach five shots. Recover by shooting two free throws and continue for five rounds. Make it a game by keeping score.

KICK AND SPRINT DRILLS

Take a soccer ball to the middle of an open field. Kick the ball as far as you can and quickly run and retrieve it. Return to the starting point by kicking the ball up-field like a soccer player going at a jog/walking pace. Take a short break, then repeat five to 10 times.

BOX DRILL

Place four cones in the shape of a rectangle or square with each cone about 30 feet from the others. Start at one corner and sprint to the top of the square. Shuffle across the top of the square. Then back shuffle. Laterally shuffle back to the start. Do this five times one way. Take a break and go the other way.