FitSugar

Wakeboarding: What to Expect on Your First Ride

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

When it comes to riding a board on snow, concrete, or water, my vote is for the wakeboard on water. Wakeboarding is the most exhilarating because you're moving so fast and the motion of the waves is so unexpected.

If you live near a lake or bay, or are planning a trip near water, you really should try a wakeboard. Just so you know, you don't need any prior surfing or waterskiing experience in order to ride. You can take a lesson and rent equipment for under $100 an hour, and learn all the basics. Let me warn you though that wakeboarding is incredibly tough on your body. Even though a motorboat is pulling you along, you'll be using a ton of arm, back, and quad strength to get yourself up out of the water and to stay balanced.

To find out the basics of wakeboarding read more.

You're going to be spending a lot of time in the water, so be sure you're wearing a sporty bathing suit that will stay put (this isn't the time for your sexy string bikini.) A life jacket is a must, and you can expect to hang out in the water for a while with both feet attached to your wakeboard, just to get used to the feeling (it's a pretty weird at first).

In order to stand up, you need to hold onto the tow rope with both hands and pull your knees into your chest as the boat slowly pulls you along. Point the nose of your board up and then push the board away from you. Don't be discouraged if it takes you the entire 60-minute lesson to learn how to rise up and stay balanced on the water's surface. After you're up, you want to concentrate on riding straight for a while. Then you can work on doing some small turns, where you alternately lean to one side of your board (called the edge) and then the other. Try to move with control and anticipate how the waves in front of you will affect your board. As with all new things, wakeboarding will take practice, but soon your body will learn to move in sync with the waves.

Fit's Tip: Your entire body is guaranteed to be sore the next day, so be sure to stretch out after your ride.

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Ride the Wake: Wakeboarding

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Wakeboarding is like snowboarding on water. If you have experience with surfing, water skiing, snowboarding, or skateboarding, you'll have to try wakeboarding. It's one of those sports that you can really get into if you like to work on cool tricks. Why is it called "wakeboarding?" The wake is the wave that the motorboat's engine kicks up behind the boat as the boat moves forward. It's a little rockier than still lake water, and that's what makes it fun to ride.

Basically it's a lot like water skiing, where a rider gets towed behind a motorboat, but instead of facing forward, the rider is sideways. This is a little bit obvious because of its name, but another major difference is you ride on a board not a pair of skis. This makes doing flips and spins easier since both your feet are attached to the board (instead of being separated on 2 skis). People don't really do tricks on water skis unless they're using trick skis that are shorter and have no fins.

All you need is a big open lake, a motorboat, a life jacket, a tow line (the rope you hold onto), a wakeboard, a driver, and someone else in the boat to watch the rider. This person's job is very important - they let the driver know if the rider has let go of the tow line, and point out where they are floating in the water (sometimes it's tough to see the bobbing person).

You don't have to have any water skiing experience in order to wakeboard, just like you don't have to ski before you snowboard. I definitely recommend taking a lesson so you can learn some basic skills, like getting up since this can be the hardest part. Like with everything, practice is the key.

You've got to check out this video of a woman using a trampoline to practice her wakeboard tricks, so

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Summer Exercises Calorie by Calorie

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:15:00 -0700

If you're like me, when summer is nearing to an end, I get a little sad thinking about all the fun outdoor activities I won't be able to do once the weather cools down. So here's a little kick in the pants to motivate you to get out and enjoy (or try) these sunshiny weather workouts before it's too late.

Summer sports and activities are some of my favorites because even though you're working every inch of your body, you may not even realize it because you're having so much fun. Just be sure to take precautions so you don't get a sunburn (which can lead to skin cancer), become dehydrated, or get heat stroke.

Want to see how many calories a person burns doing 30 minutes of each? Then read more

Activity (30 min)	120 lb	135 lb	150 lb	165 lb	180 lb	195 lb
Casual Walking	108	122	136	149	163	176
Brisk Walking (12 min miles)	244	275	306	336	367	387
Jogging (10 min miles)	272	306	340	374	408	430
Running (9 min miles)	299	336	374	411	449	486
Moderate Golfing (with no cart)	109	122	136	150	163	177
Moderate Biking	163	183	204	224	244	258
Intense Swimming	217	244	272	299	326	344
Moderate Scuba Diving	191	214	238	262	286	302
Moderate Water Skiing or Wakeboarding	163	184	204	225	245	265
Moderate Canoeing, Rowing, or Kayaking	136	153	170	187	204	221
Moderate Badminton	163	184	204	225	245	265
Moderate Hiking	136	153	170	187	204	221
Heavy Backpacking	272	306	340	374	408	442
Moderate Volleyball	136	153	170	187	204	221
Moderate Tennis	163	183	204	224	244	258
Heavy Soccer	327	367	408	449	490	517
Moderate Horseback Riding (trotting)	180	202	225	247	269	292
Moderate Muscle Conditioning (Yoga, Pilates, lifting weights, strength training exercises)	136	153	170	187	204	221

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Get in Gear: Sealine Dry Bags

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

If you are going to be near water, either backpacking, camping, swimming, going to the beach, boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, or kayaking, you've got to protect all your stuff from getting wet. You know - the stuff that absolutely can't get wet like your camera, cell phone, wallet, and dry undies.

Check out this very practical dry bag (it means it's waterproof) made by Sealine. They make many different kinds of bags, but these Dry Seal Roll-Top Closure bags are great because they're made with transparent vinyl. So if you are looking for something in your bag, you can see right through the plastic to make sure it's still in there.

The bottom is made out of heavy-duty vinyl to protect against abrasion. All you do is place your things in the bag, roll down the top a few times (to keep the water out), and then you easily secure it closed with the D-ring closure.

These see-thru dry bags come in 4 sizes: 18 oz ($23.95), 14 oz ($19.95), 10 oz (16.95), and 6.5 oz ($13.95). They also make other kinds of bags that are much larger, so check out the Sealine website if bigger is what you need. If you are planning to be on or near water, dry bags are a total necessity.