Rules provide an agreement of understanding to competition. In sports, rules define what is allowed or not allowed to occur during situations on and off the court. Rules govern anything from wearing proper uniforms to how to keep score during games of different levels of competition.

Playing sports can have a number of positive life-long effects, namely the promotion of health and fitness. It's also a way to develop important social skills. For a lucky few, playing sports can even be financially lucrative.

Playing sports is an emotional, mental and physical adventure. You have the opportunity to learn what you're made of and to determine if you're a team player or a maverick. And, as with any adventure, there are risks involved; but experts agree that the advantages are worth it.

While some athletes prefer the structure of organized sports, others opt for the freedom of extreme sports. Extreme sports include a multitude of activities, including skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing and BMX.

Gatorade and Powerade are the number one and number two sports drinks in America, respectively. Both brands have different flavors and lines. Gatorade has a line of three “performance” drinks for before, during and after exercise. Powerade offers ION4 and the ZERO calories series.

Soccer and volleyball are sports that can be played both indoors and outdoors with teams of either men or women. But that's about where the similarities between the two end.

Moving from general gym goer to powerlifter can feel like a big leap. You may be the strongest guy or girl in your gym, but when you step onto the platform with other competitors in front of hundreds of spectators, it can be a daunting experience. This needn't be the case if you're properly prepared though.

Despite their obese appearance, Japanese sumo wrestlers must endure vigorous physical training before becoming official rikishis, the Japanese term for sumo wrestler.

Parkour is more than a fitness or health program, and it has origins that have ties to the military. It's classified as an extreme sport called free running and requires participants to avoid and overcome obstacles using nothing other than their own body and physical capabilities.

Although there are dangers involved with any type of high diving, even when training in controlled conditions for platform diving, the biggest dangers are associated with jumping into unknown waters from cliffs or other high elevations. When diving from great heights, water doesn't soften your landing.

Powerlifting is a competitive sport that features “raw” weightlifting where competitors strive to reach their maximum capability in three specific exercises. The main exercises are the deadlift, the squat and the bench press.

The excitement an athlete feels when participating in a sport or activity is the release of adrenalin into their circulatory system. Adrenalin, also known as epinephrine, is the body's response to stress and at one point, centuries ago, may have made the difference between life and death.