going with the flow
Summer Water Sports for Everyone
Whether you’re swimming, wakeboarding, paddleboarding, kayaking, or taking a simple swim, sometimes water provides the ideal escape. But when it comes to choosing the most fitting way for you to tackle the water, it’s best to know the ins and the outs of each sport. Here, we share a rundown of some of the most popular water sports so you can take full advantage of the water, lake, or ocean this summer.
. . . SUP really targets your core, making it an ideal low-impact exercise . . .
KAYAKING
What Is It? Like its relative the canoe, the kayak sits low to the water where the paddler either sits on top or inside. Unlike with a canoe, kayakers use a double-bladed paddle to propel themselves forward through the water, which can range from still water to more intense and advanced environments such as white-water rapids.
Who Is It Best For? It depends. For those looking for a leisurely paddle down a river or on a pond, kayaks are a great option because they’re relatively stable and easy to maneuver, even for the uncoordinated. But for adventure lovers, the kayak can provide some serious adrenaline—as seen at the U.S. National Whitewater Center outside Charlotte, North Carolina where Olympic kayakers have trained on the man-made rapids. Seek instruction from a trained professional before boarding, as the kayak can tip over and cause paddlers to remain underwater.
SUP (STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING)
What Is It? Paddling atop what looks like a surfboard may have surged in popularity over the last decade, but its origins are said to date back thousands of years with cultures that would stand up on watercrafts to fish.
Who Is It Best For? Pretty much everyone. While it takes some coordination and balance to mount the board and then stay upright without tipping over, once you get the hang of it, it’s relatively easy to master and maintain a good paddle. Like kayaking and canoeing, it’s a great upper body resistance workout. But even better, SUP really targets your core, making it an ideal low-impact exercise.
WHITE-WATER RAFTING
What Is It? The king of all water sports, white-water rafting has long been popular with families, world-class athletes, and adventure seekers alike. Maybe it’s the anticipation of some seriously intense rapids that piques the interest of many people. Or maybe it’s the popular locations to simply go white-water rafting—Costa Rica! Australia! Colorado! Canada! Chile! Ecuador!—that are a big draw for the sport. Either way, white-water rafting is one of the world’s most popular water sports.
Who Is It Best For? That depends on the location. If someone were looking at white-water rafting during the rainy season or spring months in Colorado when the rivers are flooded with water from melting snow and ice and the rapids are advanced and, well, dangerous, it might not be the best time for a novice. But if it’s the dry season in, for example, Costa Rica (read: summer and early fall), then the chances of treacherous rapids are pretty minimal and even the most beginner paddler can hold strong and make it through.
KITEBOARDING
What Is It? Kiteboarding, also known as kitesurfing, sounds so easy, doesn’t it? It’s not. Don’t be fooled by the seamless way a seasoned kiteboarder glides through the air and back to the ocean without ever really missing a beat. Achieving that level of kiteboarding takes practice—in and out of the water. Like SUP, kiteboarding surged into popularity in the early part of the century and was added to the Summer Olympics in 2016.
Who Is It Best For? To be honest: a true athlete. There’s a considerable amount of athleticism and strength required to use the wind to pull yourself out of the water and into the air. It’s also not for the faint of heart (or those who are scared of heights). At times, boarders/surfers can expect to be catapulted out of the water or pushed around at high speeds by some seriously strong winds.
/ Written by Blake Miller.
Photography by GeorgeRudy/iStock/Getty Images Plus.
