FitSugar

Getting Down With SUP

Susi May — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:02:30 PDT

I recently tried my hand, well, whole body, at stand-up paddleboarding. After looking at photos of Jennifer Aniston and Matthew McConaughey tooling around with paddle and board, I thought I was prepared. While SUPing is really not that difficult, especially when the water looks like glass, I was still hoping for a few beginning pointers other than terse advice to "balance" from the rental desk where I picked up my 11-foot board.

But that one word of advice is not to be underestimated; balance is key. You do not, however, need to start immediately standing on your board. Start in a low kneel (booty on your heels), then work your way up to a high kneel ("standing" on your knees), and eventually to standing. When you do make it up, it helps to have your feet just a bit wider than hip distance apart, toes pointed slightly outward, and knees slightly bent. Actively engage your core (just like at the gym when confronted with standing core exercises), but allow your entire body to respond as the waves roll in.

If you're ocean bound to SUP, I suggesting heading out in the morning when the water tends to be less dramatic. I jumped on my board in the later afternoon as the wind was picking up, making for choppy water. Ultimately, these conditions turned my rough start into a killer workout. Heading directly into the bumps and swells the ocean offers up is easier than riding parallel to the breaking waves. If you roll off the board due to waves, you have a splashy and refreshing landing into the water.

Learn another crucial bit of advice when you keep reading.

Summer Water Activities and the Calories They Burn

Heather Dale — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:32:50 PDT

Summer is such a spontaneous season: one minute you're lounging in the sun, and the next minute you're putting on snorkeling gear or strapping on water skis. During the Summer months, fun in the sun can also be a workout in the sun, thanks to the following sports that make it effortless to burn calories.

Whitewater Rafting: Just an hour of whitewater rafting burns 341 calories. Which way to the rapids?
Water Skiing: If you like skiing on water - who doesn't?! - you can burn 409 calories in an hour.
Water Trampoline: Jumping up and down on a water trampoline for an hour burns 222 calories. Now this is a workout I can get used to.
Water Biking: Feel the burn on a water bike. An hour on the water will burn 546 calories with a moderate level of exertion.
Kayaking: Joining a friend for some kayaking fun for an hour will burn around 342 calories.
Snorkeling: Suit up with a diving mask, a snorkel, and fins, and you can burn 360 calories an hour cruising along the top of the ocean as you check out the sea life below.

*All calorie totals are based on a 150-pound individual.

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Guess Who

FitSugar — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 01:00:08 PST

Can you guess which celeb was spotted hanging 10?

Fun in the Sun: Canoeing 101

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:00:46 PDT

I recently joined some friends on a three-hour canoeing trip down California's Russian River, and boy, was it a great workout. I'm by no means a canoeing expert - we rented old-school metal canoes from a local business - but it's an easy and fun activity to learn.

For a 130-pound woman, one hour of canoeing burns more than 200 calories. It's a great workout for your arms, lats, and shoulders, and you'll work your abs as you focus on sitting up straight.

You can have some fun and enjoy a guilt-free beer when you're done. If you want to add canoeing to your list of Summer sports, here's a little primer to get you paddling. Keep reading.

Gear for a Day on the Water

FitSugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT

You can squeeze the last little bit out of Summer by spending a day on the water. Nothing beats exercising in liquid. Here's some gear that I think may come in handy. Check it out.

Burn It Up in the Sun and Surf

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:30:00 PDT

I'm sure many of you are psyched that the weather is so warm so you can enjoy exercising outdoors, especially in the water. Just how many calories do Summer activities burn? Click the "Start" button to find out. All the calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.

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Water Sport Must Haves

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:00:00 PDT

While it is true that I like to work out in a pool, playing in open water – any lake, pond, or ocean will do – is one of my favorite summertime adventures. Check out my ideas of must haves for your time on the water.

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Sporty Swimsuits

FitSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:11:57 PDT

Hot days will soon be upon us and that means hanging out and playing in the water. If you like being active in water, you definitely don't want to let it all hang out or fall out. Check out these swimsuits that'll keep you covered while you play in the waves.

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Get in Gear: Sealine Dry Bags

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:15:00 PDT

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.

Ride the Wake: Wakeboarding

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:30:00 PDT

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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