Playing team sports helps people get in shape more quickly than just running, according to new research in Denmark.

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Scientists studied untrained men 20 to 40 years old as they started playing soccer twice a week, jogging two or three times a week or not doing anything.

After three months, the soccer players lost fat, gained muscle and improved their blood pressure.

The joggers also saw improvements, but they were not as dramatic, the researchers said.

Also, the soccer players continued to show gains after eight weeks, which was not the case for runners.

The sports scientists said they believe that the shifts between walking, running and sprinting caused the soccer players to experience better health improvements.

The variety of motions also use high-intensity muscle fibers, they said, instead of just slow fibers used in running for distance.

Joggers also said that they always found the work hard, but soccer players did not, even though they covered about the same distance. Researchers said it may be because soccer players can focus on their team or other activities, while all runners have to think about is themselves.