Does your fitness routine have you in a rut?
Dive into summer by learning a new skill for an exhilarating workout on the water. Leave the stuffy gym behind and add fresh air, sunshine and new muscle memory to your rotation. South Florida is the ideal place to get your feet wet with water sports.
Let your fitness level and skill set be your guide as you choose the water sport that floats your boat. We’ve grouped them from challenging to undemanding and give you a heads up on the muscle power involved and the kind of workout you’ll get.
So, breathe in the mood-boosting negative ions of the great wet outdoors and make a splash with these cool water sports.
FOR THOSE UP FOR A CHALLENGE
Kitesurfing
Where there’s a beach, there’s usually wind — perfect for colorful C-shaped kites to soar high over the ocean attached to their riders zipping through the surf.
Kitesurfing took hold in the United States in the 1990s in Hawaii and Florida, according to kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com. The terms kitesurfing and kiteboarding are often used interchangeably, but technically there are differences between them, mainly in the type of board used.
Kitesurfing calls upon core muscles, the lower back, quads and calves. Cross-training can help prevent injuries, particularly to the lower back, says kitesurfist.com.
The safest way to learn kitesurfing is by flying a trainer kite and then taking kitesurfing lessons from a certified instructor, according to jupiterkiteboarding.com, which says the average person can learn to kitesurf in two to eight hours of lessons.
You’ll need an inflatable kite, bar and line, board, harness, safety lead and knife, wetsuit and helmet.
Jupiter Kiteboarding will get you started. Kiteboard at Kite Beach in Jupiter, naturally.
For more information, visit jupiterkiteboarding.com.
Windsurfing
A combination of surfing and sailing, windsurfing requires balancing on a board while controlling the wind to propel yourself forward.
Innovations in design brought modern windsurfing to the mass market in the ’70s when its popularity exploded. Windsurfing became an Olympic sport in 1984, but with newer sports getting attention, it’s not as big as it once was.
Upper body, core and arm strength is required to steer your sail, according to kitesurfist.com. And rest assured, windsurfing will give you an excellent cardiovascular workout, says healthfitrevolution.com.
Equipment includes a board and a rig, consisting of sail, mast, boom, a universal joint, an uphaul rope to pull the sail up, harness and harness lines, helmet and oftentimes, wetsuit.
Take lessons in picturesque Key Biscayne with Miami Water Sports.
For more information, visit miamiwatersports.com.
Jet Surfing
No need to wait for a wave with jet surfing. A jetboard (a motorized surfboard that rides on the water’s surface) can be done with or without waves and on any body of water. The electric surfboard has been around since the 1960s, but the modern jetboard caught on fast. They’re easier to learn to ride than traditional surfboards and suit various fitness levels. According to surfertoday.com, it’s “probably as easy as riding a jet ski.” The upper body isn’t used for paddling out. The rider has to be able to balance on the board in a wide stance, so the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves will get a workout.
Similar to efoiling, the electric jetboard, which also uses a rechargeable battery, gives a shorter ride time, but reaches greater speeds. A helmet is advisable. Some have foot straps and handles and a wireless remote. Jetboards can also come in gas-powered models. Deciding between an efoil and a jetboard comes down to personal preference.
Get demos and lessons at Electric Surf Sports in West Palm Beach.
For more information, visit electricsurfsports.com.
Wakeboarding
If you crave an adrenaline rush, try wakeboarding, a combination of surfing, snowboarding and waterskiing. Any body of water works, but a lake is preferable for a smoother ride. The wakeboarder rides a board with foot straps, like a snowboard, holding on to a rope pulled by a motorboat. Getting airborne and doing stunts are part of the appeal.
Most attribute the origins of the first wakeboard to a San Diego surfer in 1985, says orlandosentinel.com.
According to healthfitnessrevolution.com, wakeboarding gives a full body workout. It strengthens arms and leg muscles, improves core strength and flexibility in hands and feet.
You need a wakeboard, bindings, wakeboarding rope, handle and a helmet.
A fun option (no boat required) is wakeboarding at one of the cable parks in the area, where riders are towed around a lake via a high-tech pulley system.
Ski Rixen USA Wake Park in Deerfield Beach offers group and private lessons, passes to ride and gear rental. Boards are slightly different for cable park riding, so do your homework.
For more information, visit skirixenusa.com.
Water Skiing
Water skiing, the grand dame of water sports, was first tried in 1922 in Minnesota. All you need are water skis, a motorboat to tow you and a rope and handle attached to the boat.
In the late 1930s entrepreneur Dick Pope brought water ski shows to his theme park Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Fla. Winter Haven became the “Water Ski Capital of the World,” according to visitcentralflorida.org.
Water skiing uses core strength, grip strength, thigh, hamstring and back muscles. Boatingmag.com recommends stretching exercises to keep everything loose and limber and prevent back injuries.
Go waterskiing at McGinnis Water Ski, a private facility on a 50-acre freshwater lake in Fort Lauderdale. Reserve lessons or time to ski.
For more information, visit mcski.com.
Hydrofoil
You might need an aerodynamics tutorial to understand how hydrofoils or efoils work, but basically an efoil is an electric surfboard that lets you fly above the water, no waves required. A battery-charged motor and a hydrofoil, a kind of underwater fin, create the lift and speed. A Bluetooth remote control lets you decide how fast to go. They can go up to 25 miles per hour, says businesinsider.com. Helmets are recommended.
This hot new toy came into being in 2017 when Lift Foils, a Puerto Rican company, developed the first commercially available electric-powered hydrofoil surfboard. Other companies around the world have since come to market and hydrofoil technology has been adapted to other sports like kitesurfing and wakeboarding.
“People with flexibility and strength in their legs tend to enjoy the best outcomes,” says e-foilusa.com. Good mobility is essential to go from a prone position to standing. Also helpful are stretching and balance exercises.
Efoil South Florida sells a line of equipment and offers lessons at its lake location in Deerfield Beach, at Broward beaches, or will make custom appointments to come to your beach or yacht.
For more information, visit efoilsouthflorida.com.
Scuba Diving
If exploring the world under the waves appeals to you and you’re in good health, recreational scuba diving might be for you. Scuba stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, coined in 1952 by its inventor, but has come to mean the activity itself. Scuba diving requires specialized knowledge and skills and you’ll want to get your certificate from an organization such as Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). An Open Water Diver certification allows you to dive anywhere in the world.
You’ll need a diving mask and snorkel, wetsuit, buoyancy compensator, scuba gloves, fins, tank, regulator and dive computer.
To scuba dive you need to be reasonably fit and be able to swim. Water resistance provides a full body low-impact workout, says scubadiverlife.com. Proper fin technique strengthens the core as well as glute and back muscles. Diving can improve breathing capacity leading to better overall fitness.
Force-E Scuba Centers, with locations in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Riviera Beach and Pompano, offer a Try Scuba Diving course in a pool, beach or dive boat, before you decide to take the plunge with a certification course.
Blue Heron Bridge in Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach is one of the best shore dive sites in the U.S. and is good for Open Water Divers and snorkelers.
For more information, visit force-e.com.
Surfing
For some, surfing is more than a sport and recreation. It’s a lifestyle. There are between 20 and 25 million surfers worldwide, and the surf industry is worth around $15 billion, says surfertoday.com.
Modern surfing caught on in the early 20th century along Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, according to hawaiihistory.org. The sport has been riding the wave of popularity on beaches all over the world ever since.
It takes good balance, agility, strong legs and a strong core to stand up on the board and go with the flow. Cardiovascular fitness and shoulder and back strength come from paddling out.
“How long it takes you to learn to surf depends on factors like how old you are, how good your balance is, how fit you are and how you deal with frustration,” says surflearner.com.
Persistence, patience, practice and many wipeouts will get you hanging ten. So get a wettie (wetsuit) and hit the beach.
Learn to surf at Waves Surf Academy, Delray Beach.
For more information, visit wavessurfacademy.com.
INTERMEDIATE/SOMEWHAT OF A CHALLENGE
Personal Watercraft (Or Jet Ski)
Florida is jet ski paradise, but don’t call it a jet ski unless you have the Kawasaki brand of personal watercraft. Jet ski has become a generic word for the PWC that uses a jet propulsion system to move it forward. Other popular PWCs are the Sea-Doo by Bombardier and Yamaha’s WaveRunner.
PWCs have been around since the early 1970s.
“Florida is always the No. 1 market by a large margin,” says boatingindustry.com. PWC’s popularity comes from its variety of price points and its “easy rider” water toy appeal.
Recommended gear includes wetsuit shorts, water shoes, gloves, sunglasses and dry bag.
Not only super fun, jet skiing gives you a cardiovascular workout, according to healthfitnessrevolution.com. Riding also increases your endurance, improves core stability, helps balance, coordination and strengthens arms and legs.
Yamaha Waverunners are available for rent or for unlimited use with a membership plan at Boynton Boat & Jet Ski Rentals in the Boynton Harbor Marina.
For more information, visit boyntonboatrentals.com.
SUP
What’s up? Stand Up Paddleboard or SUP, one of the fastest growing water sports. A combination of kayaking and surfing, SUP gives full body workout, especially targeting core muscles and balance and can be done in any body of water.
With its roots in surfing culture, SUP began to grow as a sport in the early 2000s.
The user stands up on the paddleboard and propels through the water with a paddle. Paddleboards come in different sizes and materials. What you choose depends on your weight and usage. A leash attaches to your ankle so you won’t lose your board if you fall off, and a fin underneath gives it stability.
Comfortable beachwear is recommended attire.
Island Water Sports in Deerfield Beach offers free SUP lessons on the beach every Saturday from 7 to 9 a.m. Equipment is provided or bring your own. SUP clinics for a reduced fee are held on Saturday 9:30-11 a.m.
For more information, visit islandwatersports.com.
Sailing
Whether you’re cruising or racing, monohull or catamaran, there’s no better maritime recreation than sailing in the beautiful waters of South Florida.
Sailing builds aerobic endurance and muscle strength, says improvesailing.com. Upper body, core and lower back strength are a must in sailing to prevent injury.
Courses and lessons for all ages, experience levels and sailing craft are plentiful on the Gold Coast. Private clubs like the Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club offer youth sailing lessons that are open to the public. Palm Beach Sailing Club offers sailing summer camps for beginner and intermediate youth that are open to the public and also gives sailing lessons to members and nonmembers.
Blue Water Sailing School in Fort Lauderdale offers basic, intermediate and advanced courses for adults in sailing and navigation and has a week-long live-aboard cruising course format.
Take a lesson and rent a Hobie Wave 14 catamaran sailing dinghy right on the beach at Delray Beach Water Sports.
For more information, visit delraybeachwatersports.com.
EASY/ JUST ENJOY
Kayaking
Where there’s water, there are always recreational kayakers. Kayaking is relatively easy to do and is a fun, low-impact way to get a cardio workout, build upper body strength and enjoy nature. A flat-water kayak, either with a cockpit for sitting or a sit-on-top model, is a lightweight craft with a double paddle for propelling.
Kayaking goes back to ancient times, but the indigenous peoples of the Arctic are credited with creating the vessel. Since recreational kayaking was popularized in the 1970s, there are many places to rent kayaks and take guided kayaking ecotours, a great way to explore the scenic beauty of hidden waterways.
Wear a swimsuit, hat, water shoes and polyester fabrics that wick moisture. As a kayak is considered a non-motor powered vessel, after sunset and before sunrise, carry a flashlight and a whistle as required by Florida boating regulations.
Kayak Lake Worth offers lessons, rentals and ecological tours in the salt water estuary ecosystem of the Snook Islands of Lake Worth Lagoon.
For more information, visit kayaklakeworth.com.
Sea Scooter
A fun gadget to add to your water toy box is the sea scooter, also called underwater scooter or Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV). The compact, underwater device pulls divers or snorkelers through the water using a rechargeable battery and propeller housed in a chassis. The rider holds on to the two handles and away they go. The advantage for divers is that it takes them farther than they could otherwise with just fins and therefore saves air.
DPV were used by the military during World War ll and by specialized divers. They’ve been adapted for lighter recreational use, available in a variety of models and capabilities and can be used in a pool or fresh water.
Sea Scooters add speed to snorkeling or diving and lessen the exercise load of swimming or finning. The novelty of zipping through the water will give your smile muscles a workout.
Beach Ventures at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale offers a guided snorkeling tour with a Seabob, a sea scooter that looks like an underwater jet ski. A safety harness connects you to the machine. Seabob rentals are also available.
For more information, visit flbeachventures.com.
Parasailing
If you’re not afraid of heights and want a different perspective on life, try parasailing. Riders are attached by a harness to a parasail wing, like a parachute, attached to a boat and towed along while they soar hundreds of feet in the air. Two people can ride in tandem, depending on weight and wind conditions. Parasailing took flight in the 1970s and has been popular in coastal regions and tourist destinations ever since.
While there are no direct fitness benefits to parasailing, there’s something to be said for the relaxation element of soaring above it all and covering a lot of ground with no stress on the joints.
Wear comfortable beach attire and nothing that can fly away like flip flops.
Enjoy coastline and Intracoastal views of Palm Beach leaving from Riviera Beach Marina with Parasailing Palm Beach.
For more information, visit parasailingpalmbeach.com. O