Need to take fast action pics in not only gym settings but outside

Also, be sure to pick up the right lens.  Most dSLRs in this class can be bought with or without a "kit" lens.  The typical kit lens is the 18-55mm, which will likely disappoint you if you are looking to take close ups from a distance.  These cameras have a cropped sensor so you have to multiply everything by 1.6 to get the actual perspective.  Canon makes a 55-250mm lens, which would work, and an 18-135mm lens, which makes a great travel and general purpose lens.  Some kits will have the 18-135mm lens included.  A more serious lens would be a 70-200mm f/4, which will focus much, much faster and lets in twice the light when zoomed in.  You can get a used one for a reasonable price.