With the Olympics fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to find your inner-Olympian! Maybe you won’t have enough time to prepare to represent your country, but you can still keep fit and challenge yourself in different disciplines this summer. Here’s a round-up of suggestions on where to train like a gold medalist in and around L.A.

AQUATICS (SWIMMING, DIVING, SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING, WATER POLO)
The aquatics portion is one of the most popular spectator sports in the Olympics. Does the name Michael Phelps ring a bell?

Santa Monica Swim Center
2225 16th St,. Santa Monica
(310) 458-8700
smgov.net/aquatics
For Santa Monica residents, the entry fee is $1.25; for non-residents it’s $2.50 –and for clean pools and helpful staff, it’s well worth the money. Plus, there is a large fitness pool that is separated from the warmer lap pool meant for children, so you won’t have to worry about bumping into a little one. Besides exercise classes, the center also offers lessons in diving, water polo and synchronized swimming –all Olympic sports!

ARCHERY
Since its introduction in 1900, South Korea has won the most gold medals in these events.

Rancho Park Archery Range
2459 Motor Ave., Los Angeles
(619) 993-4122
A former Olympics training facility, this public archery range nestled in West Los Angles used to be a local secret. Now, with the success of The Hunger Games and Brave, it’s probably better if you show up on weekdays to avoid the crowds. Note that in order to use the range, you must attend their free “safety orientation” class on Saturdays at 11 a.m.; go early because there are limited spots in the class. After that, if you have your own equipment, the range is yours for free. Otherwise, renting equipment is easy too.

BASKETBALL + TRACK & FIELD + TENNIS
By far, the United States is the most successful nation in Olympic basketball; 20 years later, we’re still talking about the “Dream Team.”
As far as track & field goes, Usain Bolt became a household name last Olympics, and these events have been around as long as sport itself.

McCambridge Park Recreation Center
1515 North Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank
(818) 238-5378
A lot of parks can be unsafe late at night or early morning, but not McCambridge. Even after 10 p.m., young men can still be found playing basketball on the clean, well-lit outdoor courts; indoor basketball courts are also available on the weekends. The running track is spacious, and a great place to get the heart pumping. Public pools, tennis courts, and renovated playgrounds can also be found in the public park!
 
BOXING
Boxing was introduced to the Olympics in 1904, and now, for the first time ever, women’s boxing will be introduced this year.

PKG Training Center
8954 Ellis Ave., Los Angeles
(310) 280-3800
punchkickgrapple.com
Run by a family of fighters, the PKG Training center is welcoming to all beginners. Clean and professional, the gym will transform you into a lean, mean fighting machine in no time, as long as you’re willing to put in some work. They have previous Olympians teaching the boxing classes, but also offer classes in such disciplines as MMA, Muay Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

EQUESTRIAN
Horses are the only non-human animals that compete at the Olympic games.

Los Angeles Equestrian Center
480 W. Riverside Dr., Burbank
(818) 840-9063
la-equestriancenter.com
For $20 for the first hour and $15 for every hour after that, the beautiful trails and well-mannered horses are worth the price of the experience. Guides will always be close behind, but will give you and your group space if wanted.

GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics has been contested in every Olympic games since its birth in 1896, and it still keeps many viewers on the edge of their seat waiting to see if the landing is stuck.

All Olympia Gymnastics Center
12500 Beatrice St., Los Angeles
(310) 301-8066
allolympiagym.com
Okay, so the dream of being a gymnast should probably be left to the young’ns, but you can still challenge yourself by taking a one and a half hour adult class offered at this L.A. gym – which coaches some national competitors – offered twice a night. Expect your appreciation for the turning and tumbling to increase tenfold after trying it yourself.

FENCING
Also a staple of the Olympic games since its birth in 1896, fencing is a game of wits played on a physical level, oft called the sporting world’s version of chess.

Swords Fencing Studio
Main studio: 2115 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank
(818) 840-8690
swordsfencingstudio.com
Swords is the largest fencing club in California, with nine locations in the greater Los Angeles area. Some of its students have even gone on to become part of the U.S. National team! $10 will get you the day’s entrance, but you can also pay $65 to get a full month’s worth. A private lesson will go for $25.

SHOOTING
Introduced in 1896, live pigeons were used as targets during the Paris Games in 1900. Since then, it’s been immobile clay targets, and the events have increased to 17 different tests of skill.

Los Angeles Gun Club
1375 E. 6th St. # 7, Los Angeles
(213) 612-0931
thelosangelesgunclub.com
First-time shooters are welcome at this gun club, where the staff is helpful and friendly. A great stress-reliever and an overall experience, shooting can become really addicting, but the prices here are fair. A word of note: most people remark how hungry you can get from all the concentration. All the food in Little Tokyo is in reach, and a bar called Villains is right around the corner too.