The impact of a nonsteady state, nonrhythmical exercise training program, such as racquetball, on health and fitness variables has not been adequately defined. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 12‐week racquetball training program on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). percentage body fat, and blood lipids and lipoproteins. Eight college‐aged male volunteers participated in a 12‐week, three sessions per week, minimum of 30 minutes per session racquetball training program (EG). Eight inactive college‐aged males served as a control group (CG). VO2max, percentage body fat determined from underwater weighing, and blood lipids and lipoproteins were measured before and after the 12‐week program. Heart rate (HR) was monitored in the EG on three separate days while subjects participated in racquetball play. HR was maintained at or above 75% of the subjects’maximum HR after the third minute of play. No differences were found between the EG and CG at the conclusion of the 12‐week training program in VO2max, blood lipoproteins, or percentage body fat. The percentage change in lean body weight after 12 weeks was significantly different between the two groups (EG, 2.0%; CG,‐2.0%). The 12‐week racquetball program did not significantly affect the group mean total cholesterol concentration in the EG, but a difference was found in the group mean total cholesterol between the EG and the CG at the conclusion of the study. Although the HR response to racquetball participation indicated that a racquetball program may be a beneficial, a positive change in several health and fitness parameters may not be routinely expected to be seen after 12 weeks of such training.