Climate Change Is Turning Outdoor Athletes Into Some of Our Planet’s Fiercest Advocates

Australian professional surfer Tully White’s visit to California for the Malibu stop of the World Surf League’s longboard tour was not going as planned. An oil spill to the south of Los Angeles meant that, each day, the precise location of the competition had to change based on where the oil floated. Among the fans, workers in hazmat suits scrubbed oil off of the beaches and wildlife. 

“Everyone said it was common,” White says. “Like it was no big deal.”

Meanwhile, back home in Sydney, White learned that the Australian government was in the process of renewing a petroleum exploration permit for an oil pipeline. The California oil spill and the Australian pipeline were on opposite sides of the globe, but White could not help but draw a straight line from one to the other. Once she had witnessed firsthand the damage an accident could cause, White did not want to see that permit get renewed, so she decided to do something about it: advocating against the pipeline, and all future oil and gas pipelines off of the Australian coastline.

Those of us who work at a desk don’t often come face-to-face with environmental destruction, which means global warming and damage to the planet can feel like remote, theoretical problems. But experiences like White’s—witnessing environmental harm in action—are more common among people who make their living, or spend a large portion of their time, exercising, competing, and playing outdoors. As a result, it’s little surprise that outdoor athletes have founded several organizations to advocate for conservation and environmental action, like Surfers for Climate, Protect Our Winters, Footprints, and others.

“They're actually living it and worried about it and thinking about it,” says Earthday.org president Kathleen Rogers.

The diverse experiences of athletes and outdoors people paint a broad picture of environmental disaster at every elevation and terrain—and subsequently spark action at every level, too.

For instance, as professional skier Sierra Quitiquit has traveled around the globe to countries like Japan and Switzerland, and seen once consistently snowy places like Alaska become more temperate, her skiing seasons have gotten shorter and shorter. (Researchers report that the average ski season was shortened by a whopping 34 days from 1982 to 2016.) Quitiquit has witnessed the impact this has had on businesses as well as athletes, and learned from the communities just how different things have become in recent years. 

“As a skier, you spend a lot of time outside in the elements and you really become in tune with the rhythm of nature,” Quitiquit says. “Showing up on locations that traditionally had snow pack their entire history for as far back as it was written and there being no snow, it just is this feeling that something is seriously wrong.”

It’s not just her travels; Quitiquit has experienced that feeling of unease in her hometown of Park City, Utah, too. As a young girl, she even started a MySpace page called “Skiers Against Global Warming.” Today, she is an activist with Protect Our Winters, a coalition of winter athletes, and an ambassador for Earthday.org’s Athletes for the Earth program. She also works with NATO, has founded her own environmental advocacy projects, and traveled to Capitol Hill to lobby for climate change legislation as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (called the Build Back Better bill at the time). 

Quitiquit’s representative in congress impressed upon her that if he was going to support the climate change provisions in the legislation, it was up to her and others like her to deliver public support for the idea. “He was like, ‘I need you to educate and mobilize the people in support of this bill so that I have the public's popular opinion and I can vote for this bill,” Quitiquit recalls. “It opened my eyes to the way that politics work and how we can't discount ourselves. The public has the ability to move mountains.”

The IRA eventually passed in August 2022, and the EPA describes it as “the most significant climate legislation in U.S. history, offering funding, programs, and incentives to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy [that] will likely drive significant deployment of new clean electricity resources.”

Rogers agrees that athletes are uniquely positioned to do the kind of heart- and mind-changing that supporting political action on climate change requires. She says that while celebrities like actors and singers are often considered “liberal,” athletes are viewed as more politically-neutral role models, and that hard-to-reach sectors of the public take what they have to say seriously. 

“You're trying to save winter because your career depends on it,” Rogers says. “It's not perceived as anything shallow.”

Contrary to much of the environmental movement, in which women disproportionately drive action on climate, Rogers’s experience is that male athletes tend to be more visible in environmentalist initiatives (perhaps because society pays more attention to male athletes than female athletes in general). That makes Quitiquit’s and Tully’s involvement invaluable, as well as leaders like Olympic sailor Hannah Mills and rower Melissa Wilson, whom the Olympics have spotlighted for their activism. But Rogers wishes still more would lend their voices to the cause, and actually take the moments when they’re in the spotlight—such as when they’re sharing how they feel after a victory—to connect their sporting accomplishments with the need for environmental action.

“I do think they're great spokespeople for this,” Rogers says. “We just don't have enough of them.”

Luckily, professionals aren’t the only athletes getting involved. Kamilah Journét was a high school and college runner, and later became a high school track coach in Ventura County, California. While growing up, she recalls that there were days she was not allowed to run because of nearby fires and the potential danger of smoke inhalation. 

A few years ago, she met the founder of Runners for Public Lands, an organization that seeks to imbue running culture with environmental responsibility through initiatives like reducing waste at races and mobilizing runners as climate activists. Around the same time, Ventura County experienced devastating wildfires, harkening back to the smokey days Journét experienced while running as a teen. 

“It’s really hard for me to just completely disconnect from something that I so visibly see,” Journét says.

So when Runners for Public Lands asked Journét to be a member of the board, she was intrigued. As a younger woman of color, Journét realized it was a perfect way to take action on concerns she’d developed for the planet as a teen runner, and for the disproportionate way climate change affects people of color.

“It just seemed like such a natural way to lend my voice in a space that was really dedicated to building inclusive running communities and dedicated to protecting the environment,” Journét says. 

Journét notes that professional athletes often garner the most attention for their environmental activism. But Journét and Runners for Public Lands feel that there could be strength in numbers if runners—the largest recreational group in the country—mobilized to advocate for climate action. Runners, she feels, are uniquely suited to the demands of taking on an issue as large as climate change.

“There's a natural link between endurance sports and enduring the challenges that are coming with the climate movement because it's going to be something we have to commit to for longer than just a short stint of time,” Journét says.

That’s not to mention the love that runners, or any athletes who spend much of their time outside, end up having for the outdoors. For instance, photographer, documentarian, and recreational fly fisher Katie Falkenberg describes the feeling of fly fishing as one of “awe”—so it’s only natural it’d become something she’d want to protect. “Catching a wild fish and then releasing it is just the most magical feeling to me,” Falkenberg says. “It is this brush with this wild thing that you hold in your hands, and then let go.” 

After working for a decade at the Los Angeles Times, Falkenberg recently decided to go freelance, in part to tell stories about what she was witnessing in nature as a result of climate change: Namely, the warming of rivers and drying up of tributaries, as well as the wildfires that have wrought havoc on forests in Oregon. “Where we are in terms of climate change has been so tangible to me, but especially the last three or four years,” she says. “When I'm on the river or on the mountain, I'm constantly thinking of stories that I could tell.”

Today, Falkenberg makes films and documents those drying up riverbeds and the people working on their survival, hoping to inspire action by telling their stories. But she thinks that the best way to galvanize the fight is for more people to spend more time outdoors, fostering a relationship with—and responsibility for—our planet. (One small 2021 study even proved that spending just a week in the outdoors increased people’s sense of environmental responsibility.)

“I feel incredibly obligated to tell stories that might motivate people to get outside and to realize what is at risk, what we have to lose,” Falkenberg says. “If people aren't outside recreating and doing these activities, there's less people who are going to feel the desire to protect them.”

That desire to protect wild places is what connects these women who want to continue to surf, ski, run, fish, and otherwise live outdoors. Quitiquit refers to it as an “intimacy” with the snowpack. The way she bears witness to climate change happening in real time fuels her activism—and what she believes can empower athletes and anyone else who likes to spend time in nature, too. 

“There's so often a sentiment of like, ‘Who am I to lead?’ or ‘Who am I to lean into this, and what do I know?’” Quitiquit says. “There's this sentiment that someone else should be solving this problem. But in reality, this challenge belongs to all of us.”

Wilson’s experience of being alone and othered is far from unique. According to the National Health Foundation, nearly 70 percent of people who visit national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges are white. And in a 2018 report, data collected by the National Park Service Visitor Services Project showed that less than 2 percent of national park visitors were Black.

Yet Wilson was determined to find a community that welcomed her. And in 2021, she discovered just what she was looking for: Black Women Who Kayak+ (BWWK+). Founded by Tanya Walker, a certified paddle sports safety and community facilitator based in Texas, BWWK+ is a nonprofit that seeks to empower Black women and other people of color to venture outside more often.

Making the outdoors more welcoming

There are a number of factors that keep people of color out of the outdoors. In a 2019 study titled “Equity in Access to Outdoor Recreation—Informing a Sustainable Future,” participants reported a lack of time, money, distance, and transportation as barriers to visiting a national forest. Another study, published in Elsevier, found that Latinos experience racial and nativist barriers in wildland parks, including a lack of Spanish-language information. Entrance fees to national parks also pose a financial burden, per a Frontiers analysis.

To help fight the lack of diversity in the outdoor spaces near her hometown of Austin, Texas, Walker initially began hosting one-off events like paddle boarding and hiking in June 2018. Soon, with the help of social media, she began drawing crowds so big that she decided to form BWWK+ as an official organization. (The plus sign symbolizes that the organization holds space in both land and water.)

What started as a single group in Austin has now grown into 11 chapters throughout the U.S., including in Colorado, Kentucky, California, Arkansas, and other states. Today, BWWK+ puts on hikes, yoga in the park, wildlife expeditions, and camping and golfing sessions. “BWWK+ hosts events that bring the community together,” says Wilson. “With this, we teach about the importance of protecting our land and water conservation.”

The organization is offering its members more than just a fun pastime. Research has shown that getting outdoors has a flurry of benefits, including advancing vision health, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and decreasing stress levels. Hiking in nature and getting more steps into our day can even combat brain fog and sync our circadian rhythm for better sleep.

Bringing down the cost of entry

It’s no secret that financial barriers like entrance fees to national parks, a lack of paid leave, and the cost of gear can deter many would-be adventurers from participating in activities like backpacking, rock climbing, or skiing.

“For the average person, you have to collect and buy all this gear,” Wilson says. This particularly struck her last summer when she was preparing for her first backpacking trip, which would take her through Alaska. “I didn’t have anything,” she says. “I went into REI, and I tried on some packs—the cheapest was like $200.”

To help offset these expenses, BWWK+ partners with other outdoor organizations such as REI, NOLS, British Swim School, and the Texas Rowing Center, to minimize the fees that BWWK+ members have to pay. For folks undergoing financial hardships, BWWK+ also assists with scholarships—funded by BWWK+ sponsors—to pursue their adventures.

For Wilson’s trek through Alaska, BWWK+ set up a GoFundMe page, which Grape-Nuts ended up finding and donating $12,500 to as part of the brand’s effort to fund women adventurers in celebration of Women’s History Month and the company’s 125th anniversary.

“Outdoors is for everybody, and it’s important that the next generation doesn’t have this issue,” says Wilson.

Building a community

Beyond the opportunities and events, BWWK+ has also been a source of community for women of color. Wilson, for instance, says having a fellow BWWK+ member with her on the eight-day, remote Alaskan trek last summer inspired her to push through the mental and physical challenges of harsh temperatures, miles of low visibility, and steep inclines.

“To be able to look at her and exchange a look like, ‘Hey, are you good?’ was just so empowering,” says Wilson.

Although Kim Fields, the other BWWK+ member on the Alaskan trek, had similar endurance levels to Wilson, Fields carried more experience backpacking and pushed Wilson when parts of the route got tough. It was these subtle exchanges that propelled Wilson along the trail. “Whenever I was struggling or was amazed at the inclines, I would look back at her and she would encourage me to finish the route,” says Wilson.

Being a part of BWWK+ means that Wilson can relax and embrace her truest self. This looks like letting her hair down, laughing, and being in the presence of other adventurists of color with varying levels of experience. “There’s no code switching, explaining colloquialisms, or even mansplaining,” Wilson says. “You have people who understand where you are.”

But what if you could? Imagine if you could spend the evening exploring the New York harbor or Boston’s Charles River on something you could literally throw into your coat closet, amongst rain boots and jackets, when you’d finish with it. Because that’s exactly what you can do with the Oru Lake ($599), a folding kayak reminiscent of a piece of origami that’s perfect for water-lusting city dwellers. At just 18 pounds, it’s the brand’s lightest, most portable product yet, designed to get you from couch to canal (or inlet, or lake) in mere minutes.

Oru, Lake — $599.00

Originally $699, now $599

Made from a single sheet of plastic, this pliable kayak unfolds like a piece of paper and locks into a lightweight, freshwater-friendly kayak. When you’re finished, pop in the sides and fold it up into its “briefcase,” then be on your merry way.

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If you’re unfamiliar with Oru, the brand is known for its folding kayaks inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding. Traditional wooden or fiberglass boats are heavy, clunky, and rarely suitable for apartment living, while inflatable kayaks can often be just as cumbersome. Orus aren’t either—its pliable kayaks are designed specifically for urbanites who are short on space but are passionate about the outdoors. And the Lake is its lightest, easiest to use yet.

Why we love the Oru Lake

Its hero feature is the fact that it packs down into what is, essentially, a briefcase. I unboxed my Oru Lake to find a finely folded plastic package with handles that looked like something a 1950s cartoon businessman would carry to work. With a few unsnaps and unbuckles, I quickly realized it was the actual kayak. Besides a fold-up seat, there were no spare parts or miscellaneous tools to put it together. All I had to do was pop out some seams, buckle some more snaps, and lock in the seat/floorboard combo—all of which took three minutes flat—and away I paddled.

Considering how minimalist this kayak was, I was skeptical as to how well it would function. In fact, I literally texted my friend that I was taking the kayak out for a spin (with a flotation vest, of course) and I joked that there was a “likely chance it would sink.” Except it didn’t! The little Lake paddled like a breeze! Its lightweight frame is perfect for calm freshwater like the lake I had it in, gliding easily across the surface and without wobbling or rocking. Success!

But the pièce de résistance is that folding feature that makes touting it to and from the marina so easy. Folding it up is just as simple as unfolding it—just as long as you do so when it’s completely dry. From there, you can store it anywhere. I have a house with a spacious garage, but even a studio apartment or city loft is more than enough room to keep the Oru Lake. Toss it in the trunk, the coat closet, under your bed, next to your desk, on overhead storage—you don’t need much space to stow it, which is what makes it so great.

Final thoughts

Getting on the water when you live in the city is no easy feat. Unless you want to pay for rental equipment and lug it around, or are fortunate enough to have a boat anchored nearby, it’s not simple. Which is why we’re so impressed with this badass lil’ boat. It’s the ideal beginner kayak that’s light enough for you to pick up and bring wherever you want—and won’t suck up space when it’s not in use.

Now, it’s not perfect. I will say the seat is a little uncomfortable. It’s just an unpadded piece of plastic, so if you’re looking to paddle for hours without aches or soreness, invest in the Lake+ ($749), which features a footrest, plus a cushion-compatible seat. It’s also definitely not suitable for any water other than a glass-calm lake. If you’re planning on paddling saltwater or anything with tide and wind, consider leveling up with either the slightly hardier Inlet ($899) or the sportier Bay ST ($1499).

But if you’re a beginner adventurer who’s longing to trade in concrete jungle for some time on the water, the Lake is a landlubber’s dream. Get your sea legs here.

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That’s why we’re all over Good American’s newest collection of neon activewear and swimwear. If there’s anything that can lure us to hit the gym or the beach this #ShotGirlSummer, it’s a gorgeous human glow-stick moment.

 

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Good American’s Neon Collection dropped July 15, bidding you to “highlight your assets” with lemon lime, hot coral, and hot pink. Designed with mixing-and-matching in mind, each piece in the Neon Collection can be seamlessly paired with its color match or with one of the other two colors in the line. Whether you go with hot coral and hot coral, and or lemon lime with hot pink, it’s a choose-your-own-adventure situation.

The collection is influenced by Khloé Kardashian’s personal style (followers know the reality star and Good American co-founder is no stranger to colors that pop—remember her “Purple Eater” bikini?), and this feels like the brand’s most playful release to date. The swimwear consists of a ’90s-inspired one piece suit, a triangle string bikini top and bottom, a bandeau bikini top with a cheeky bottom, and a butt and hip-covering sarong. If your swimwear drawer is at capacity, there’s also activewear: a seamless chunky rib bra, as well as seamless chunky rib leggings to match.

 

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It’s available today in a wide range of sizes (XS to 5XL). Size inclusivity has been a huge priority for Good American since its inception as a body positive denim brand in 2016—and it’s particularly important when it comes to swimwear and activewear, as both these apparels have been historically exclusionary of diverse body types.

Good American’s neon collection, with its vibrant and unapologetic colors, allows everyone to be the boldest version of themselves this summer. We stan.

Shop our favorite neon pieces from the collection

Seamless Chunky Rib Bra — $45.00

The Seamless Chunky Rib Bra is absolute fire. Made from innovative workout fabric consisting of nylon and elastane, this bra has adjustable straps and removable bra pads for optimal customization.

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Seamless Chunky Rib Leggings — $69.00

We want these Seamless Chunky Rib Leggings and we want them in every color. Made from breathable cotton for flexibility in the gym, these leggings have a super high waist for support and seamless sides, making them comfy AF.

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Tiny Ties Triangle — $49.00

You literally can’t go wrong with a classic triangle bikini and this one is gorgeous in hot coral. Designed with minimal coverage, the Tiny Ties Triangle has (you guessed it) super small ties.

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Better Cheeky Bottom — $39.00

We love the hot coral so much we had to include it twice. These bottoms are cut perfectly at the waist, giving them a sexy but functional appeal. The Better Cheeky Bottom is definitely the move if you’re planning a more active day at the beach or pool.

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'90s Suit — $89.00

It’s the ’90s-inspired suit of our dreams. We love the itty bitty straps and the straight neckline. This, too, is cut perfectly at the waist. The lemon lime is giving joy, warmth and happiness—everything we needed it to give this summer.

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Leg Daze Sarong — $49.00

Give us this sarong or give us death. The hot pink sarong, in particular, looks gorgeous paired with every suit and color in the line, especially our good friend, the hot coral triangle bikini.

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One athlete we have our eyes on is Caroline Marks, who qualified for Team U.S.A. as part of its surfing contingent. You could say, this is a moment she’s been training for her entire life.  “Growing up, I wanted to impress my brothers and have them think I was cool, so that’s why I got into surfing,” says Marks. She finds the sport therapeutic—something she’s come to appreciate even more over the past year. And despite the delay, she’s feeling good about the Games. “The postponement allowed me to get stronger and more ready, and also led me to reflect on my life and how many cool places surfing has led me to,” she says.

Right now, Marks’ pre-Olympics training schedule typically includes four hours of surfing and a hour of strength training every day. Unsurprisingly, given how intense her fitness routine is, recovery is a non-negotiable for her. “As a surfer, opening up your hips is very important since they get tight from sitting on the board and using a lot of your lower body,” she explains. To relieve hip tightness, Marks incorporates exercises that also double as hip-opening stretches (think: Romanian lunges on a bench with dumbbells and Bulgarian split squats) into her strength routine.

After you’ve tried Caroline Marks’ strength exercises, give your hips some extra love with this 24-minute hip-opening yoga flow:

Another area of her body Marks always makes sure is in tip-top shape? Her eyes. It’s hard to catch waves without them, you see. And since eye health is so important to her, it makes sense that she’s a partner of the American Optometric Association. To make sure her peepers are up to par and as healthy as can be, Marks practices the 20-20-20 rule: For every 20 minutes you spend looking at a screen, you should look 20 feet away from where you’re at for 20 seconds. She also makes sure to wear blue light glasses in addition to staying up to date with her annual eye exams.

Can’t wait to watch her in action this summer.

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But 64 percent of African American children have low or no swimming ability, according to a 2017 report from the USA Swimming Foundation. (The same holds true for 45 percent of Latino children and 40 percent of Caucasian children, according to the report.) It’s a statistic that Paulana Lamonier, CEO and founder of Black People Will Swim, is striving to change.

A multimedia journalist and certified lifeguard and swim instructor, Lamonier is working toward increasing representation at pools and beaches across the country. “It started with a simple tweet on July 6, 2019. I was taking on some clients and said I want to teach 30 [Black] people how to swim. And that tweet went viral,” she says. “From there, people from LA, Atlanta, and Florida were saying: ‘I need lessons.’ It made me realize the need of so many people who want to be taught by someone who looks like them and understands what it’s like to be in that situation of being Black, not knowing how to swim, and that fear.”

We spoke to the entrepreneur about combating the stereotype that Black people don’t swim, the importance of representation, and more.

Well+Good: In a previous interview, you said swimming is an act of resistance. Why do you believe that’s true?

Paulana Lamonier: Across the board in sports, for Black people, we’ve been told what we can and cannot do. For ballet, we’ve been told about our bone structure, our hips, and that Black people aren’t graceful. And for swimming, it’s been said that our bones are dense, or we can’t seem to swim and float.

I think understanding the fact that not only can we swim, but that we can swim really well, is more than a survival tactic: I’m swimming because you told me I couldn’t, and not only can I, but I can do it faster than you. That’s why I said swimming is an act of resistance.

How did this myth that Black people can’t swim become so pervasive?

I wish I knew the answer to that, but from my years of experience and research, it’s really just about keeping a certain group from doing a certain activity. When you say something long enough, it becomes somebody’s truth. And that’s why we want to smash that stereotype and shut that false narrative down altogether. This is a life skill that you’ve been telling people they can’t do.

Black People Will Swim is encouraging people to share stories about how they learned to swim. What is your swim story?

I learned how to swim through a Saturday swim program in my neighborhood in Uniondale, in Long Island. It’s a nice melting pot. But I had to relearn how to swim in college [joining the swim team] thanks to my coach Jennifer Trotman and her father, Robert Trotman.

They took me under their wings and really opened my eyes to the possibility of not just Black people swimming, but Black leadership and Black ownership.

When did you fall in love with swimming?

When I first relearned how to swim, I was doing it to lose weight. Then when I joined the swim team, my coach had me do short sprint events and it would take me forever. One day we had to do a [longer distance] relay event, and I was cruising. And when I got out of the pool, I felt like this is my event. It felt so good as a plus-size athlete to find an event that I can excel in. Because in swimming, you’re competing in two races: You’re competing against the other team and you’re competing against yourself to figure out how you can set personal records. That’s when I learned long-distance swimming was my niche. That’s when I knew this was my life. I wasn’t competing against other people, I was really doing what felt right for me.

This year you planned to teach 2,020 Black people how to swim, and then the pandemic happened. What does that plan look like now?

We’re still in the process of pivoting. We are recipients of an Adidas I Fund Women grant for Defining the Future of Sport, and we were semi-finalists for Essence’s Build Your Legacy contest.

We’re also pivoting into storytelling with a campaign called #MySwimStory. We’re doing a deep dive into the stories of Black people and their relationships with water. We have stories from competitive swimmers to people conquering their fears. Lastly, we’re working on some scholarships paying it forward to student-athletes who want to compete on a collegiate level, but don’t necessarily have the funds.

Tell us more about F.A.C.E. and how it helps swimmers face their fears

With F.A.C.E., we’re encouraging people to face their fears. F is for fun. We have a good time in my swim classes. A is for awareness. Statistics show that 64 to 70 percent of Black kids don’t know how to swim compared to 40 percent of white children. It’s a big disparity. We want to emphasize this is not a luxury. It’s a real problem. C is for community. We have classes people can take with their best friends and parent and child classes because we want to normalize what swimming is in the community. And lastly is education, which is my favorite part, because we want to teach people how to take care of their hair. We have a class called a Breath of Fresh Hair and that’s our hair care 101 class where we’re partnering with hair care companies to not only learn how to do their hair, but receive complimentary hair care products as well.

Similar to general exercising, our hair is often used as an excuse not to swim. How do you personally care for your hair while swimming?

For me, I plan my hair days out. Either I have braids if I know I’m going to swim this week. And before I go swimming, I wet my hair because our hair is a sponge. It’s important to wet your hair before you go into the chlorine so the chlorine won’t stick. Look up protective hairstyles, such as box braids, Senegalese twists, and cornrows. It’s important to find styles that will protect your hair.

“Swimming is the toughest cardio workout on the planet. Every muscle in your body is keeping your body moving with the resistance of the water,” says Holly Roser, a personal trainer and owner of Holly Roser Fitness. “You’ll build your cardiovascular system (aka you’ll be able to hold more air in lungs), burn calories, and increase strength, all in one workout.”

Obviously the benefits of swimming are impressive. But not everyone has a pool available to them—especially during the global pandemic, where public swims have become a thing of the past. That’s where dry land swimming exercises come in: moves that mimic swimming out of the pool and get you stronger for swimming workouts when you’re able to enjoy being in the water once again. Here are the exercises Roser recommends.

Dry land swimming exercises you can do anywhere

1. Dive bomber push-ups

Why Roser loves it: “This dry land swimming exercise will help strengthen your core, shoulders, chest, and lats for the butterfly stroke.”

How to do it:

1. Start with your feet and hands shoulder-width apart and go into downward dog.
2. Bend your arms into a push-up position and bring your chest toward the ground.
3. Keeping your elbows out, pause for one second and reverse your body back to downward dog, keeping your legs straight the entire time.
4. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.

2. Hollow rock

Why Roser loves it: “This ultimate core move will help propel your body faster into the water.”

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your lower back rounded, arms overhead, and feet together.
2. Lift your feet a few inches off the ground, making sure to avoid letting your back arch.
3. Rock back and fourth for 2 sets of 15 seconds.

3. Flutter kicks on a bench

Why Roser loves it: “Flutter kicks on the bench replicate freestyle stroke kicks. This is the best move to keep your hamstrings and glutes strong to propel your body through the water quickly.”

How to do it:

1. With your hips hinging off a bench and hands holding the sides, lift your right leg as high as you can.
2. Switch to the other leg, lightly tapping the ground as you switch feet.
3. Repeat for 2 sets of 20 reps.

4. Superman

Why Roser loves it: “This move is great for strengthening your abs and lower back, as well as strengthening your shoulders.”

How to do it:

1. Lie on your stomach on the floor.
2. For three seconds, slowly lift both arms in front of you while also bringing your feet off of the floor.
3. Slowly lower your arms and feet back down.
4. Repeat 10 times.

This is what it’s like to take a spin class underwater:

According to Rishi Desai, MD, a former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Officer, playing it safe may mean keeping that bathing suit in your dresser for now. “I think it’s best for folks to stay away from public pools this summer, because we’re one month into summer and cases are on the rise across most U.S. states,” he says. “Even though many public pools are outdoors, and [being outdoors] lowers the risk, it’s hard to socially distance at a pool. There are lots of folks that come and go, people are unlikely to be wearing masks—especially if they’re eating and drinking—and people will be spending a lot of time at the pool. These are all risk factors that increase the chance of spreading the virus poolside.”

But Dr. Desai says what makes going to public swimming pools so risky for COVID-19 transmission isn’t the water itself, but being around more people. “The virus is relatively unstable in the environment, relative to other viruses, and wouldn’t survive well in chlorinated water,” he says. “The virus spreads through respiratory droplets rather than water droplets, so the major risk is when you encounter a person with the virus, rather than pool water itself.”

“The virus spreads through respiratory droplets rather than water droplets, so the major risk is when you encounter a person with the virus, rather than pool water itself.” —Rishi Desai, MD

Even if a pool has social distancing rules in place for both lounging and swimming purposes, though, Dr. Desai doubts how effective they are in practice. “Socially distancing at a public pool with lots of folks around is, by definition, going to be hard to do. It’s a bit like trying to stay dry while walking through a thunderstorm; you should just expect that you will get a bit wet,” he says.

But if you opt to jump in, Dr. Desai has a few tips for making sure your swim time is as safe as possible: “Wearing a mask when you’re poolside, minimizing time at the pool and trying to socially distance [while there], showering before and after being in the environment, and not touching your face are all ways to try to reduce the risk of being at a public pool,” he says, adding that avoiding peak pool hours is smart, too.

That said, you can still give yourself at low-to-no-risk relief from the heat by setting up your own poolside paradise, if you’re fortunate enough to have the private personal space. Here are some products to help you cool off at home, without opening yourself up to the risk of virus transmission.

Beat the heat without increasing COVID-19 risk with these at-home swimming accessories:

1. Inflatable backyard swimming pool, $66

Okay, so you can’t swim laps in it, but you can still get the majority of your body cooled off using this inflatable backyard pool. Plus, the watermelon theme is super cute.

2. Inflatable splash pad, $25

Remember the simple joy of running through a sprinkler in the backyard as a kid? Why did we ever stop? This splash pad shoots up water high enough that it will do more than just tickle your knees, and the water pressure is adjustable.

3. Inflatable pool with canopy, $116

This is the ultimate backyard inflatable pool. With a canopy at one, you can lounge while being protected from the sun. Is that living, or what?

What is an ice bath?

“First, here’s the deal: cold is cold, and an ice bath is a form of cold exposure that where you put a lot of ice into water,” Moss says. You sit in it somewhere from a few seconds to five minutes (Moss notes that most people she coaches aren’t really going in longer than five minutes).

Why are people taking ice baths?

“Basically, the purpose of taking an ice bath is to activate cold shock proteins, and to essentially like it’s a stress on the body to go in the ice,” Moss says. At the gym, she often creates baths with mid-30 degree Fahrenheit water. “We put about 140 pounds of ice into a 100-gallon tub and sit in there for three minutes. Everything is submerged, with a dunk where your head goes all the way under at the beginning and the end,” she says. “It’s kind of like medicine: what is the max benefit you can get with minimal dosage?” That’s why she recommends three minutes.

What are the benefits of an ice bath?

Moss says that ice baths are an intentional stressor, similar to training in the gym. “So, for example, adding weight to a barbell when you do squats, or adding intensity to running, or length to how far you row,” she says. “What you’re afforded by going in that stressful environment is that it’s an opportunity to override your autonomic nervous system. So your fight-or-flight instinct goes off in the cold, and if you’re a normal human you’re like, ‘Get me out of here!'” But then you train your breath, which helps you control that fight-or-flight response. “When you get out, you get hit with a massive dose of dopamine and norepinephrine,” she says. “It also increases autophagy.”

What are the general guidelines?

Two things here are important: Go to a facility with trained professionals, and go for three minutes submerged at 35 degrees Fahrenheit. “If they can’t go that cold or don’t want to go that cold, that’s okay,” Moss says, “but you’re gonna have to go longer in warmer water.” Warmer being a relative term, of course.

During normal times, Moss recommends going to a facility for guidance through the process of sitting in a tub of ice water for three minutes. “Not only can they communicate what might happen to prep you, but also communicate with you while you’re in the ice,” she says. While a lot of people know the basic information, it’s a “very challenging” situation that can be aided with the help of a coach, she says. “I can’t overstate the benefit to that,” she says.

Can you do ice baths at home?

In the meantime, there’s always the DIY route. “If somebody can just go in their shower, put the water as cold as they can tolerate, and stay under it for at least 30 seconds, that’s enough to encourage a beneficial hormonal response,” Moss says. “Where you can go for cold water or cold exposure, do it,” she says. That could also look like walking outside for a bit without a jacket, or jumping in the ocean.

“It’s kind of funny because some people are like, ‘I just don’t do the cold, I’m always cold,’ and I was one of those people. But here’s the interesting thing—physical benefits aside, it really does hit the reset button in your body like no other. It is incredible for mental health and clarity,” Moss says. She notes that she’s taken about 320 people through her breath and exposure program at Deuce, and the therapy can be tailored to the individual. For example, only soaking the hands and feet.

She recommends that anyone with serious health concerns, like strokes or heart disease, shouldn’t do ice baths. And you shouldn’t be doing ice baths every day. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to adapt and to adapt, you’re not going to do the same thing every day,” she says. “You want your body to be able to perform physically and mentally with and without ice, and you want to use it as a tool.”

“I would like to say that I finally decided to row the Atlantic Ocean after carefully considering at least some of the facts, including some of the obvious dangers and difficulties associated with such an endeavor, but that would not be strictly true,” Brewer writes on her team’s website.

 

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A post shared by Talisker (@talisker) on Mar 9, 2020 at 9:59am PDT

Brewer and Prestige completed the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000-mile journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua, on March 7, 2020. The team of two was one of 35 teams (ranging between one and five rowers) to compete this year. The challenge requires each teammate to row for two hours, then sleep for two hours non-stop for 24 hours.

Brewer and Prestige met in 2013, one year after Prestige began rowing, at the Poplar, Blackwall and District Rowing Club in London. Their team name, Row Off The Wall, was inspired by the rowing club. Prior to this race, the duo rowed a marathon, a race that ran the length of the River Thames and around Hayling Island. Their longest race prior to the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge was still 2,850 miles shorter than the challenge.

Each crew rows more than 1.5 million oar strokes to complete the race, so you’ve got to be pretty strong. British rower Hector Strickland completed the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge in 2018. He and three friends signed up for the challenge having never rowed before. But they were all athletes and knew the key to completing the race was to build muscle.

Strickland and his team worked with Andy McDonald, a strength and conditioning coach, who tailored circuit workouts focusing on the different areas they need strength. An example of a trunk circuit includes deadbugs, planks, reverse crunches, single leg bridges, and L-sits. “I adapted my training plan by stepping up the strength training and decreasing the cardio. Ocean rowing is a completely different beast to traditional rowing, so our time spent on rowing machines was actually quite limited,” says Strickland.

For Brewer and Prestige, the race began on December 12, 2019; they were the final team to come ashore. “We never anticipated it would take us this long—we were hoping to finish in mid-February—so the extended row has been tough both mentally and physically,” says Brewer. “For the past three weeks, we’ve been surviving on two meals a day and next to no sleep. We’re delighted to finally set foot on dry land.”

Totally not the same as rowing the Atlantic, but here’s how to *properly* use a rowing machine. And here’s how to use a rowing machine for your entire workout when it’s the only open machine at the gym.

Ready to learn all about aqua cycling? Watch the video. 

What if you could combine the low-impact benefits of swimming with the cardio you get from hopping on a spin bike? Well, with aqua cycling, you totally can.

The most recent episode of Well+Good’s YouTube show What the Wellness features director of creative development Ella Dove trying a submerged spin session for better lymphatic health. According to Esther Gauthier, founder of AQUA Studios in NYC, water is about 1,000 times denser than air. The density of liquid means aqua cycling acts as a full-body massage for your lymphatic system (which is in charge of collecting your body’s excess liquid and filtering out cellular waste, bacteria, and pathogens).

Throughout the workout, Dove petals in place, stretches, and even does a round of high knees in the pool. She leaves feeling “like Gumby.” Hey, I guess if you spend enough time pedaling through the extra weight of the water, moving on land is a cinch.

Watch the whole video to learn even more about the underwater workout.

So… will swimming in the ocean while you’re on your period actually attract sharks? Here’s your answer. Plus, the gross reason why your eyes get itchy in swimming pools. 

Ament’s effort paid off—Team Sea to See ended up becoming the first team with all blind stokers to complete the grueling race, finishing in an impressive 7 days, 15 hours, and 3 minutes. And while for many athletes, this would be a singularly impressive lifetime achievement, it was just one in a long line of victories for Gaynor and Ament. The pair has been competing in endurance races together since 2010, with Gaynor acting as Ament’s guide for about 20 events total, including four Ironman triathlons. (You know, the race that involves a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and full 26.2-mile marathon. No biggie.)

The pair has been competing in endurance races together since 2010, with Gaynor acting as Ament’s guide for about 20 events total, including four Ironman triathlons.

The women met by chance at the starting line of the New York City triathlon in 2010—it was Ament’s first tri ever, and both she and Gaynor were competing with other partners at the time. Gaynor, 35, had been racing in triathlons since high school, whereas Ament, 57, found the sport after years as a competitive rower and marathon runner. “My sister’s blind as well, and my parents were always like, ‘You need to find a way to stay active, because it’s not good to be sedentary,'” says Ament, a U.S. Department of Justice lawyer who grew up skiing, horseback riding, and swimming. “I sort of took that to a whole other level.” After that first race, she decided she wanted to sign up for the 2010 Chicago triathlon, and she gave Gaynor, a Chicago native, a call.

Back then, there weren’t many blind-and-sighted duos on the endurance racing scene, but the number has been steadily growing in recent years. Dare to Tri, a Chicago-based nonprofit that trains disabled and visually impaired people to compete in triathlons, now works with hundreds of athletes annually—when it launched in 2011, there were around 25 people on its roster.

What’s it like to guide a blind athlete?

As Gaynor puts it, her job is to act as Ament’s eyes during a race, helping her dodge obstacles and keeping her safe while running, cycling, and swimming. “With a blind runner, it’s pretty straightforward—you’re tethered to the athlete the entire time, either at the waist or the wrist,” she explains. “The main job of the guide is to keep the athlete from running into or tripping over things, but we all make mistakes. I’ve definitely caused Tina to face-plant a few times, which is unfortunate but she’s very forgiving.”

The guide should ideally be faster and stronger than the person they’re leading. But that’s hard to find when an accomplished athlete like Ament is involved.

When cycling, the pair share a tandem bike, with Gaynor steering, shifting, and braking up front and Ament providing pedal power in the back. And while swimming, the athletes are tethered together at the waist or the thigh. “During a [triathlon] swim, Caroline needs to run interference on other athletes, since people try to swim between you,” says Ament. Gaynor adds that this is usually unintentional—it’s hard to see a tether underwater—but she does have to be aggressive sometimes to keep other swimmers from clotheslining themselves on the tether or pulling it loose entirely. “My priority is making sure Tina’s safe and that we’re continuing to move forward,” she says.

As you can imagine, there are some challenges involved with this kind of relationship. For one thing, the guide should ideally be faster and stronger than the person they’re leading—otherwise, the guide could hold the athlete back from getting their best time. But that’s hard to find when an accomplished athlete like Ament is involved. “It’s not necessarily easy for me to find someone who’s faster than me at both the run and the swim,” she says. Although both she and Gaynor have other racing and training partners, their ultra-compatibility is part of the reason why they’ve continued competing together for so long, even though they live in different states.

“There’s a reason why I’ve been consistently guiding for 11 years now. It’s just better with a buddy.”

Gaynor and Ament have also seen their communication styles evolve over the course of their relationship. “I’m always trying to be conscious of the fact that it’s Tina’s race, and it’s been about learning what’s going to motivate her, not motivate her—or if she even needs to be motivated,” says Gaynor. Although they’ve grown so close that this isn’t really an issue anymore, Ament points out that Gaynor still helps pull her out of negative thought loops during races. That kind of support is rare in individual sports like running and cycling, and Gaynor says it’s why she loves her side gig so much. “There’s a reason why I’ve been consistently guiding for 11 years now. It’s just better with a buddy.”

How to serve as a guide for a blind runner—or find a sighted guide to help you explore a new sport.

The main thing Gaynor and Ament want people to know about guiding is that it doesn’t matter how accomplished or athletic you are. “There’s a role for every single person who wants to guide, whether it’s holding a guide dog at the start [of a race], going out and doing a run or walk with someone who’s never been on the trail before, or racing with someone who wants to make the Paralympics,” Ament says. She points out that guides are needed for all kinds of sports, from downhill and cross country skiing to climbing, hiking, and horseback riding. “If someone wants to get involved with helping blind people to do sports, there are more than enough places for them to do it and they don’t have to be a super Olympian.”

There are several organizations that connect blind runners and other athletes with guides, including Achilles International, United in Stride, and Catapult. “Currently there’s no certification. You just have to listen to the athlete,” says Gaynor. “Never make assumptions about what people are or aren’t capable of. Ask lots of questions and find out what they need. That’s really the way to become a guide.”

“Never make assumptions about what people are or aren’t capable of.”

Ultimately, says Gaynor, that decision was one of the best ones she’s ever made—she now considers Ament to be like a member of her family, one who’s helped guide her through some of the best and hardest times in her life. And Ament is equally grateful that Gaynor took a chance on her passion. “Without my guides, my life would be much, much more narrow,” she says. “I would probably still do four- and six-hour bike rides, but they’d probably be on a trainer watching Netflix. And honestly, there are better ways to spend your Saturday.” Like traversing the United States on two wheels and swimming around the world’s largest wooden jetty in Australia to a cheering crowd during a recent Ironman—all with one of her best friends by her side.

Inspired to up your distance-running game? Here’s a 20-week training plan for first-time marathoners—and if you’ve been there and done that, consider making an ultra-marathon your next fitness goal.

Because while a gorgeous cutout silver maillot or super frilly string bikini might work for those who like lounging with a cocktail and giant sunglasses, for those who like to keep things moving, a supportive swimsuit is more in order.

Luckily for us, swimsuits have evolved. You can now find sporty options that are as cute, sophisticated, and sexy (not a racerback in sight). There are certain elements that lend themselves to being able to do laps or throw a frisbee in. Tops that are adjustable or are longer; bottoms that have a higher rise or snug fit; and one-pieces that have risen to number one in our hearts.

In other words, when it comes to beachwear, you really can have it all. So keep on scrolling to find swimsuits that will stay put no matter what you’re up to this summer.

Long Line Top: Carve Design Sanitas Colorblock Top ($56)

Prevent the dreaded top coming off in the water with a longer-lined and higher-neck style. This one also happens to be super supportive, making it perfect for any kind of tropical trip.

Crisscross Back: Boys + Arrows Dylan Bikini Top ($106)

Adjustable, crisscross strap tops keep your top half secure whether you’re jumping into the ocean to ride a wave or swimming laps in the pool. Plus, check out that print.

Drawstring Bottom: Athleta Freestyle Camo Bottom ($59)

When you are ready to get your move on, just tighten the hidden drawstring which will keep your bottoms from escaping off of you during a backstroke.

Wrap One Piece: Summersalt The Perfect Wrap One Piece ($95)

Fabric compression and adjustable wrap make this suit one of the most wearable on the list for changing between lounging and laps. With 11 different patterned and solid colorways to choose from there’s one to match every cover-up in your closet.

High-Rise Bottom: Aerie Crossover High Cut Cheeky Bikini Bottom ($35)

It doesn’t just give off that chic retro vibe, the hi-rise will prevent your bottom from slipping down when you do a flip turn. As an added bonus, the suit is made out of 80 percent recycled nylon.

Sports Bra Style Top: L*Space Izzie Bikini Top ($119)

This scoop neck top with removable padding is modeled after the classic sports bra, so you can stay supported no matter where you summer day might take you—whether that be swimming or beach spike ball.

Halter Top: Athleta Bra Cup Halter Bikini Top ($69)

On super hot days when your activity is more a doggy paddle than a full-on backstroke, a bikini like this one can combine lounge and play. The halter style top and thicker waist band will keep stay put in and out of the water.

Keyhole Top: Knix Clearwater Peekaboo One Piece ($95)

In a surprising twist, the keyhole swimsuit doesn’t just add a cute design detail to your swimwear, it also helps allow water to flow in and out of the suit so that you don’t have to worry about your top staying up.

Long Sleeve Rashguard: Lululemon Wade the Waters Long Sleeve One Piece ($128)

For those very active moments think Surfing or SUPing, this rash guard has got your back. Bonus points for being quick drying and having UPF protection to guard you from the sun’s harmful rays.

Asymmetrical Top: Summersalt The Sidestroke Bikini Top ($50)

Even with one strap, the hidden cups of this colored-blocked top will make it through rough waves during the day and chill drinks at night, when paired with a maxi skirt.

High-Neck One-Piece: Solid and Striped The Carson ($188)

The close-to-the-neck fit keeps you supported but the arm cutouts, grommets, and high cut leg ensure balance out the suit to make it pairable with everything from a wrap skirt to jean shorts. Multi-tasking magic is alive and well at the beach this year.

What six dermatologists always bring to the beach and how to *actually* clean your sunnies.

In recent years, more people have caught on to the many pros of spending time in the water. There are now workout classes where you get to live out your mermaid dreams (tail and all!) or have a full-on dance party to hip-hop music underwater, and even ballerinas are taking advantage of the pool for low-impact sweat-sessions. So, why does everyone seem to be flocking to the water? Well, when it comes to the benefits of swimming, there are plenty. Now, let’s dive in.

The benefits of swimming

1. Swimming can help with joint pain

If all that jumping around in bootcamp classes or logging miles on your runs has resulted in some joint pain, swimming could be the solution. Not only does water give you some relief by reducing the amount of pressure on your body (buoyancy is a beautiful thing), but the warm water also plays a role, helping banish any stiffness or discomfort you’re experiencing. Basically, you’re getting a low-impact, super-soothing workout that’s incredibly gentle on your body.

2. You can improve your mental health by going for a swim

The benefits of swimming aren’t just great for the body—the modality’s effects also extend to the mind. A study published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills found college students who attended swim classes regularly experienced better moods than those who didn’t. Whether you’re having a down day and are in need of a pick-me-up or are going through a rough time in life, heading over to the pool and doing some laps could improve your mental health.

3. Swimming can make you a better runner

If you’re trying to up your running skills, it might be time to hit the pool. In a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, researchers found those who practiced controlled breathing while swimming majorly improved their game. The technique made them able to use their oxygen more effectively, which helped them run faster and not get tired as quickly. And the craziest part? It only took 12 training sessions at the pool to see results.

4. Swimmers tend to live longer

If you want to live as long as possible, swimming seems to be the way to go. In a study of 80,300 participants published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers looked at which types of exercise had the ability to reduce the risk of all-cause mortality the most. While cycling reduced the risk by 15 percent and running didn’t show any significant changes, swimming reduced the risk by 28 percent.

5. Swimming can strengthen your lungs

During other types of exercise—like running or cycling—your breathing tends to be shallow. That’s not the case when you’re swimming, though, and the switch can do a lot of good in strengthening your lungs—especially with all that time you spend underwater. “You breathe in quickly and deeply, and then let the air trickle out. Because your head is underwater when you swim, these breathing adjustments are vital, and they may improve the strength of your respiratory muscles,” David Tanner, PhD, tells Time. “This kind of breathing keeps the lung alveoli—the millions of little balloon-like structures that inflate and deflate as your breathe—from collapsing and sticking together.”

6. It can make your body younger

All exercise is going to help keep your mind and body healthy for years to come. When it comes to swimming, though, the benefits get really impressive. In a study from Indiana University, researchers found swimming 2 to 3 miles anywhere from 3 to 5 times per week can postpone the aging process, delaying natural decline—which typically begins at age 35—to age 70. Yep, it basically helps your body feel decades younger than you actually are.

7. You’ll actually have fun while you’re doing it

If you choose an exercise you enjoy, you’re more likely to stick to it—and what’s more enjoyable than splashing around in the water? Sure, doing breaststrokes up and down a pool is incredibly challenging, but spending time in the pool, in general, is still going to help out your health. Any time spent moving around with all that resistance from the water—even if you’re just playing some enjoyable swimming pool games like Marco Polo or cannonballs—can make a difference.

How to start a swim routine

First things first: get in the water. From there, it’s all about building up your fitness so that you can increase the number of laps you can do in the pool. “The best way to get started on a swim routine is ‘nice and easy,'” says Life Time Aquatics Master Swim Coach and a four-time medal winner Cullen Jones. “It’s best to start off with less yardage and practice doing the techniques correctly then to try to swim 500 laps.”

Her go-to routine for beginners? Practice doing five laps well, with a great breathing routine and a strong kick. When you’ve mastered that, increase to seven, and continue to increase as you improve. If you’re an experienced swimmer looking to up your game, find your comfortable baseline and add more laps in the same way.

How to stay safe in the water

The buddy system! “The most important lesson when it comes to safety around the water is to never swim alone,” says Jones. Even if you don’t have a swim partner around you, make sure there’s a lifeguard or similarly qualified person nearby. And if you’re a beginner, the American Council of Sports Medicine recommends practicing in a pool instead of open water.

How long do you need to swim to get a good workout?

There’s no “one size fits all” answer to this question, because as Jones puts it, “the time it takes to reap the benefits of swimming is a case-by-case, because no two people are the same.” Your best bet is to follow along with the ACSM‘s activity guidelines, which recommend 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (or some combination of the two).

The most important thing, though, is sticking with it. “Although lap count is important, the most vital process is setting a routine and being consistent,” says Jones. “Set a goal to be in the water two to three times a week, and you will truly see drastic differences in your overall fitness.”

When you’re ready to get your swim on, grab one of these 12 perfectly-fitted, one-piece swimsuits. Then find out the best place to go swimming in every state.

Fortunately, there are other ways to get your fitness fix in the water—without even realizing you’re doing it. I’m talking about pool games, people.

Below are 10 aquatic activities that can keep you entertained and moving. Some games can be done solo, while you’ll need to grab your fitfam (or regular fam) for others.

1. Long-jump

For a full-body strength workout, try a long-jump contest. You can play this game solo—aiming for personal records—or compete against a friend. Stand on the edge of the pool. Trying different techniques, such as a squat jump or a doing a lunge in the air by pushing off with one foot, see how far you can launch yourself into the water.

2. Cannonballs

This one is another jumping contest, but this time, you’re going to see who can make the biggest splash by jumping in cannonball style. To perform a cannon ball, jump into the pool with knees bent and tucked up towards the chest; wrap your arms around your shins to stay in a ball. Variation: the can opener. To perform a can opener, hold one leg up to the chest and let the other leg hang straight down as you jump. For the biggest splash, lean slightly backwards in the air. (Careful not to hit your head on the pool deck by leaning back too far.)

3. Lap races

Kind of a no-brainer, but if you’re all alone and tired of swimming laps, then try timing yourself to beat your personal record. You can race yourself or others trying out different strokes. Try the classics like freestyle, breast stroke, backstroke, and butterfly. You can try high-efficiency strokes such as sidestroke, and elementary backstroke.

4. Floating object push races

Grab any floating objects such as a beach ball, kick board, or flamingo float. Swim and push the object ahead of you. First person to reach the wall at the opposite end of the pool wins.

5. Raft, inner tube, or pool noodle races

Everyone grab a floatation device and hop on! Then race each other from one end of the pool to the other by paddling, kicking, or perhaps, perfecting your high-knee technique if the what’s shallow enough.

6. Marco Polo

This is basically tag in the pool, with some fun variations. This person who is “it” must keep their eyes closed. They have to locate someone to tag by yelling, “Marco” and everyone else in the game responds with, “Polo.” First person to get tagged is “it” for the next round.

7. Octopus

Here’s another variation on tag. The person who is “it” starts in the center of the pool, while everyone else tries to swim from one end of the pool to the other without getting tagged. If you get tagged, you are also “it.” Those who are “it” all hold hands and create an ever-growing blockade across the pool until all players are tagged. The last person to be tagged wins.

8. Treasure hunt

This one can be done solo or with friends. Toss some coins into the pool and dive to the bottom to retrieve them. See how many coins you can pick up without surfacing for a breath. Variation with friends: Scavenger Hunt. Litter the pool with as many objects as desired. This can be a combination of floating objects like kickboards, or sinking objects like diving rings. Whoever gathers the most objects wins.

9. Chicken fights

Definitely one for the older kids or adults, chicken fighting is basically water wrestling with the added twist that the wrestlers are perched on top of other peoples’ shoulders. To play, you need four people divided into two teams of two people. One person from each team climbs onto his or her teammate’s shoulders. The people who are sitting on shoulders then wrestle each other. The object is to knock the opponent off their teammate’s shoulders and into the pool. This game can obviously get a bit rough and dangerous without some decent ground rules for safety, so make sure you set them in advance.

10. Keep away

A sponge ball is a great pool accessory, but any ball or soft toy will do for this game. This keep away game, AKA Monkey in the Middle, is the same game you’d play on land. However, trying to run toward and away from each other to get or keep the ball away is an added challenge with the resistance of the water. Great exercise!

When you’re packing your pool bag, make sure to include lots of natural sunscreen and a swimsuit you can actually be active while wearing. 

Once you’re ready to hit the road, here are 10 high-vibe destinations within a three-hour drive of a major US city that offer unique, healthy, stress-busting activities. Think surfing in Montauk, glamping in Texas hill country, or jumping into a cold spring on Monterey Peninsula. Just make sure to switch your OOO to BRB before putting the car into drive. 

Scroll down to see 10 healthy road trip destinations to travel to this summer.

1. Go surfing at Ditch Plains Beach

Catch a wave at Montauk’s surf haven, about a three-hour drive from New York City—or take lessons if you’re a newbie. Either way, it’s guaranteed to be a good time, whether you hang ten or not. 

2. Decompress at Kohler Waters Spa

Yes, the faucet company owns a glamorous resort and spa! Best of all? It’s just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Chicago, which means you can have breakfast in the Windy City, enjoy an entire day of self care, and still be back in Chi-Town by dinnertime. Or, stay a little longer and keep the good vibes going with a class at Yoga on the Lake.

3. Recharge in a Himalayan salt cave

Schedule a salt therapy session or yoga class at the largest underground Himalayan salt cave in North America (60 tons of pink rock, for the record). It just happens to be in the heart of healthy hotspot Santa Barbara, making it easily accessible by car from anywhere in SoCal—especially Los Angeles.  

4. Take a dip at Turner Falls

You’ll work up a sweat hiking to this swimming hole, but the views from Turner Falls in Oklahoma are totally worth it. Plus, it’s just an hour and a half from Dallas.

5. Thermal pool hop on the Monterey Peninsula

Head to Carmel-by-the-Sea (about three hours from San Francisco) and take the plunge in the hot and cold  pools at Refuge Spa—or create a self-care circuit à la Nina Dobrev by adding trips to its eucalyptus steam room and cedar sauna into the mix. 

6. Spend the day on an organic farm

If you’re in the Atlanta area, hop in the car and head over to explore Serenbe, the new wellness-focused community sprouting up right outside the city—it’s being dubbed “the Hamptons of the South.” Tour the town’s 25-acre organic farm, plus its 40-acre arts complex, and then brunch at one of 3 farm-to-table restaurants.

7. Go earthing in the Allegany Mountains

Whether you’ve got jet lag or just want to reconnect with Mother Nature, if you’re in the Washington, DC area, go for a guided walking meditation at StoneSong Awareness and Nature Center, a mountain retreat center tucked away in a peaceful valley in Western Maryland.

8. Glamp in Texas

Should you find yourself in the Lone Star State this summer, book an adorable tiny house at glamping destination Mystic Quarry. It’s a three-hour drive from Houston, and can be your home base for a weekend of hiking and biking in Texas Hill Country—not to mention tubing along the Guadalupe River.

9. Sweat it out in the Berkshires

Fitness wonderland Canyon Ranch’s Lenox Health and Wellness Resort and Spa in the Berkshire Mountains is just two hours away from Boston. Load up your schedule with classes on everything from indoor cycling to barre, HIIT, hiking, and more.

10. Take an aqua yoga class in a mangrove cove

Miami is a magical place, but if you’re looking for a truly mind-blowing experience, head just under two hours south of the city to Islamorada near the Everglades. It’s gorgeous, of course, but what you really want to do, besides snap pictures of the sunset, is sign up for an Aquaholic Adventure—AKA paddling out to a secluded mangrove cove for a yoga class on anchored boards. Trust, there are few things as FOMO inducing. 

Originally published August 9, 2017. Updated May 27, 2018.

Now that you’ve officially contracted a case of wanderlust, check out the 7 yogic wonders of the world, as well as these 10 hotel gyms with truly epic views. 

Maybe it’s their sun-kissed skin, or their always-perfect, saltwater-enhanced hair, but I’ve always thought of surfers as the chic French girls of the sports world. There is a vague, hard-to-identify mystique surrounding the surfer world—I mean, those wave riders are basically standing on water!

Good news: There are ways to live out those Blue Crush fantasies. (We’ve all dreamed about it, right?) So start saving your vacation days, and book a surf-school getaway. Below are Airbnb rentals located in or near popular surfing hot spots. Because what’s better than having a dreamy crash pad to return to after a long day of catching waves? (Other than a soak a dreamy tub with your favorite luxe bath accessories, of course.)

See 5 beachy-chic surfer getaways below

Once you’ve picked your locale, here’s what to pack, and the flight hacks to try for smooth flying.

Originally published November 30, 2017; updated May 23, 2018.

Now that you’re one step closer to (mentally) living out your Blue Crush fantasy, you’ll need some actual equipment to become an IRL surfer babe. Well, look no further: I’ve found the most aesthetically pleasing and functional items for your handy surfing-vacation starter kit.

Keep scrolling to the 11 surfing essentials.

Shop the essentials

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Cynthia Rowley Prism Colorblock Wetsuit

$265

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Salt Gypsy Libby High Waist Legging

$129

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Billabong Baja Beach Hoodie

$65

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Cynthia Rowley Zodiac Print Kookboard

$495

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Badger Balm Sport Sunscreen Cream SPF 35

$16

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Summersalt The Riptide

$60

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Crap Eyewear The Tuff Patrol

$78

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Showpo X Billini Mojave

$47

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Asos Tie Front Beach Romper

$29

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Poolside La Plage Embroidered Straw Tote

$175

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Superior Cabana Stripes Beach Towel

$15

Heading to the beach? Don’t forget to pack seaweed, and consider taking Halle Berry’s workout for a spin. 

“This is the land of surf and yoga,” says Nancy Goodfellow, co-owner of Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat. She was first drawn to the town’s mix of vast white-sand beaches and lush green jungle. “There is definitely a special energy here that feels almost magical and draws interesting, creative people from all over the world.”

Living in tune with nature was also what attracted restaurateur/artist Margriet Zwart. “It’s a great place to connect with all the elements of wild, primal living,” the native Canadian says. And while it’s still natural and untamed—don’t go unless you’re comfortable seeing lizards, frogs, crabs, and bugs on a regular basis—it’s become a globally known destination for yoga and other wellness modalities, too.

The energy here is like an amplifier and allows a healthy spirit to thrive.

“I think the energy here is like an amplifier and allows a healthy spirit to thrive,” says Zwart, a surfer who also adventures up rivers, hikes, and hunts for waterfalls in the green season. “The ocean, the hills, and the locally grown fruits are a perfect medley of things that create balanced bodies and minds.” Her community is filled with healers whose modalities include aura and energy work, massage, and crystals. “It’s a great place to heal and feel,” she says.

Nearby Montezuma, just an ATV ride away, is home to spectacular falls. If you cozy up with locals, they may just share their favorite insider sunset spots, breaks, or full-moon meditation tips. “There’s a big spiritual community here,” says Goodfellow, “and people are friendly and open.” Healthy, organic food is standard, and vegan or vegetarian eats are prolific. But the joy of Santa Teresa is in the discovery. “I find all sorts of secret spots,” says Zwart, “but that’s the magic of hunting, and I’m sure there are many spots I’ve yet to discover.”

Stoke your wanderlust with this guide to the healthiest spots in Santa Teresa—and start planning your trip!

Sweat and surf

When the surf is world-class, you have no excuse not to try—pro or newbie. The town is teeming with instructors happy to teach a beginner lesson, or you can rent a foam board for just $10 a day at Playa Hermosa shops and try your luck in the white wash. More experienced surfers have been known to have their best sessions ever at La Lora—a rippable beach break with occasional barrels—or at the point break of Cabuya. Even if you don’t ride a warm, crystalline wave, it’s good for the soul to start the day as a viewer on the sand.

On dry land, get your flow on at Pranamar. Daily yoga classes happen all over Santa Teresa, but everyone knows that Pranamar’s massive shala—framed by emerald jungle on one side and the property’s two-tier pool on the other—can’t be topped as the destination for incredibly sweaty classes (we’re talking 90 percent humidity!) that border on transcendent. Post-class, grab a cold coconut at Luc’s just steps away, head to the beach for a refreshing dip in the sea, or saunter to the sandy Gaia Wellness spa for craniosacral therapy, a type of bodywork that uses massage to release tension in the soft tissue of the skull, spine, and sacrum, that will leave you totally blissed out.

Feast on superfoods

Zwart Art Cafe, Margriet Zwart’s Technicolor art studio-slash-cafe is guaranteed to cheer you up. Thick green superfood smoothies come in goblets worthy of royalty (and can get you through a surf sesh without a hangry mishap), and vegan surfer bowls include such good-for-you goodies as turmeric and toasted cumin brown rice, sprouted sunflower, avocado, and coconut sour cream.

For a tasty and satisfying meal, try Chop It. Falafel burgers with sweet potato fries, organic wraps, and fresh-pressed juices are the stuff dreams are made of when in this active spot, but the locally made probiotic drinks (the Santa Teresa–brewed, natural Fermented Renegade Sailor Ginger Beer and house-brewed ginger turmeric water kefir) are true must-orders. Substitutions to make anything vegan, gluten-free, or dairy free are welcomed with a smile.

Indulge your spa dreams

Who doesn’t love a good massage? But that’s not all Florblanca Resort’s Spa Bambu offers. If you don’t mind getting a little messy, book Completely Coconut or the Costa Rican Body Scrub, which involve deep, head-to-toe scrubs using the natural, local ingredients in raw form. Plan to arrive early in order to laze about in the sheltered giant Jacuzzi surrounded by chirping, squawking jungle. Or even better, book a bespoke Pilates session with Lucia.  

Ride (not-so-wild) horses at sunset

Slip on some leggings and saddle up for a thrilling horseback ride along bucolic beaches and up into the hills above. Ask around for Ollie’s Adventures and talk with proprietor Adrian, who owns the most horses of anyone locally. He’ll ensure a safe journey through gorgeous scenery and, if the need arises, will chase off any excited wild stallions that may try to hit on your crew of mares (it may actually happen!) as you gallop along the deep sand.

Get your dance on

There is one discotheque in Santa Teresa (La Lora, if you really need to party), but ecstatic dances are the preferred evening activity around town. Locals and travelers alike gather biweekly on Friday nights at Nautilus Boutique Hotel’s treetop shala, which becomes host to a DJ and a lot of open minds. There are no rules except no substances and no talking, which elicits one of the sweatiest, freewheeling dance parties you’ve ever experienced. Downstairs, Olam is the place to treat yourself to a restorative superfood smoothie, a glass of organic malbec, or raw vegan fudge cake afterward.

Get more travel inspiration! These yoga travel destinations are perfect for a winter getaway—plus, don’t miss what really happens at this $15,000 fitness retreat. 

To get your hands on the Wavestorm Classic Longboard, look no further than Costco’s aisles of giant snack tubs, economy packs of toilet paper, and organic produce. They’re sold at nearly 200 coastal locations of the retailer this summer, or you can order one online to avoid needing to strap the eight-foot-long board to the top of your car.

The Wavestorm has always had a cult following, largely due to its rep as a surfer’s “first stand-up experience.”

Although the popularity of the board has been on the rise since Costco started selling them for as little as $100—a third of what most boards cost, according to The New Yorker—the Wavestorm has always had a cult following, largely due to its rep as a surfer’s “first stand-up experience.” The board is designed in such a way that it’s almost impossible not to catch a wave when you’re using one—i.e., it’s a must-buy for anyone hoping to make hanging ten their new favorite hobby.

And since you no longer need a Costco membership to shop your favorite Kirkland-brand stalwarts, the only obstacle between you and the perfect wave is nabbing the perfect rash guard.

Stay healthy during your next vacation by following these pro surfers’ tips. Also—take your yoga flow to the next level by living by this instructor’s surf-inspired philosophy.

This isn’t a Disney fairytale, though, it’s an actual class at Los Angeles’ SwimTeam, an aqua-based extension of the boutique fitness trend. According to founders Charlie Melvoin and Sheera Goren, each workout’s designed to combine helpful instruction with high-energy music—both of which students can hear underwater thanks to specially formulated headphones.

“Simply being in water creates a cardiac benefit equivalent to a moderately low level of land-based aerobic exercise.”

“Before, swimming felt like a chore,” says Goren. “But now, with being able to hear the live instruction that corrects your stroke and motivates you, you’re forgetting that you’re actually [doing laps].”

SwimTeam further breaks up the back-and-forth feeling by switching between intense strokes and low-impact circuit work. “It’s like the appeal of SoulCycle—a dance party-slash-workout,” says member Maggie Nolting. “They mix it up: You’re never doing one thing for a long time.”

From coast to coast, a growing number workouts are being offered for people willing to take the plunge. For example, in New York City, there’s TMPL Gym’s S’wet, a pool-based cardio and strength class meant to “revolutionize the way we think about underwater bootcamps,” according to Bryan Jarrett, TMPL’s head of group fitness. The studio also offers Holy Water and Aquabarre classes, which take place on top of floating mats and will give you a serious core workout.

This could be you. Probably should be! @goswimteam #newstuff #classes #waterworkout #santamonica #venice #weho #culverCity #belaire @abc7la

A post shared by Lori Corbin (@abc7lori) on May 25, 2017 at 7:52am PDT

While there’s definitely a new wave of pool-based workouts afloat, traditional adult swim teams are also trending. Among them is the squad at Asphalt Green in NYC, where swimmers meet for practices a few times a week—they also compete in age-based meets. (And yes, there are optional uniforms.) In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Cool Fit Club offers free, weekly, outdoor swims all summer as a means of building a mindful, intentional community. (Think of it as the aquatic version of meeting people at a meditation studio.)

“The social supportive aspect keeps people coming back,” Cool Fit Club founder and head coach Ryan McCann. “You have a circle of friends or family who are there for you, for real, who want to support you.”

Snapping on a swim cap isn’t just suddenly cool—aquatic exercise is also seriously good for you. “Simply being in water creates a cardiac benefit equivalent to a moderately low level of land-based aerobic exercise,” says Bruce Becker, MD, author of Comprehensive Aquatic Therapy. He’s seen water workouts improve the land performances of athletes from every sport, and has also witnessed some borderline-miraculous recoveries from injuries with the help of swimming. (Hydrotherapy offers countless benefits from improved circulation to increased respiratory function.) All the more reason to dive into one of these new water workouts.

If you’re looking for summer exercise options on dry land, check out these buzzy vibrational plate workouts or this 10-minute beach routine from Halle Berry’s trainer. 

But there’s one corner of the style scene where athleisure is only just starting to dominate: swimwear.

Until recently, it was still a challenge to find chic, yet sporty options for the beach and the pool—there were either technical suits for laps or barely-there bikinis that would hardly hold up during even the tamest splash sesh. But this season, the game’s changing in a big way.

“Being active is now a full-on lifestyle and is being reflected not only in the way people dress day-to-day, but also now in swimwear.” explains Clare Robertson, Director for Tops, Swim, Intimates & Bras at Lululemon. “We know most women are athletic adventurers, and as the weather transitions, they are taking their sweat sessions to the beach.” (Or the lake, or the hotel pool, or the saltwater lap lanes at the gym….)

That’s translated into more options that mark high both on the technical (be it rash-protecting neoprene or skin-protecting UPF fabrics) and style fronts.

Scroll down to see 9 of the best sporty-chic swimsuits for all your summer pursuits, whether you’re hitting the paddle board, gearing up for a heated game of beach volleyball…or spending your rest day on a lounge chair.

Best for body surfing:

Lululemon Go With The Flow One Piece, $118

Best for beach volleyball:

Sofia by Vix Breeze T-Shirt Top, $70

Sofia By Vix Breeze Buzios Bottoms, $68

Best for a day of sailing:

Perfect Moment Nordic Swimsuit, $215

Best for lounging (with sunscreen, of course):

Victoria’s Secret Smocked Bralette, $44.50

Victoria’s Secret Smocked Cheeky, $28

Best for water sports:

Athleta Streamline Bikini Top, $49

Athleta Streamline Bottom, $49

Best for SUP:

Cynthia Rowley Lightweight Mesh and Neoprene Suit, $195

Best for lap swimming:

Calia Solid Zip-Front Bikini Top, $45

Calia Rollover Solid Bottoms, $35

Best for surfing:

Mara Hoffman Printed Rash Guard, $278

Best for a beach jog:

Duskii Saint Tropez Striped Neoprene Bikini Top, $100

Duskii Saint Tropez Striped Neoprene Bikini Briefs, $75

While you’re dressed for the part, try out this seven-move beach workout from the Tone It Up duo. And be sure to stay hydrated with this brilliant recipe from SoulCycle super instructor Akin Akman.

If you’re considering signing up for your first triathlon, you may have uttered this phrase: “I would totally do it. If it weren’t for the swimming…” Because while running and cycling feel pretty straightforward, swimming can feel like jumping into seriously uncharted—and intimidating—waters.

“You can get better at running or cycling by just getting out there and doing it, picking up tips here and there,” says New York Sports Club master trainer and triathlon coach Ken Szekretar. “But because swimming is so technique-oriented and the resistance of water is about almost 1,000 times that of air, any imperfections in your form are going to be the number one thing slowing you down.” (We suspected something as much.)

More Reading: Triathlon training for every level

To help you conquer your fears and make it to that first tri starting line, we hopped in the water with Szekretar for a one-on-one swimming session filled with tips and drills you can use. (And yes, you can still use them if triathlons sound crazy and you just feel like getting your workout on in the pool on 90-degree August days.)

More Reading: At this New York City spin studio, the bikes are in a pool

What my swim lesson was like:

To teach proper form, Szekretar starts by having his clients swim a few lengths of the pool so he can take a critical look at where you stand. “Then I can assign specific drills to work on the parts of the stroke that need improvement,” he says. The distance of the race (a sprint vs. a full Ironman) can change the exact workouts he assigns, but all usually include a warm-up, drill work, and a main set of either speed or endurance work.

In my 45-minute lesson, I learned that my childhood swimming lessons give me a slight leg up (thanks mom and dad!), but knowing how to effectively get to the other end of the pool is hardly enough to prepare you for a race. It’s the little things, like breathing to both sides without choking on water, using all your muscles so you don’t crap out after five minutes, and swimming in a straight line that make all the difference on race day.

While Szekretar recommends new swimmers take at least one lesson to avoid solidifying bad habits, you can also start a little technique work on your own.

Try these three simple drills to lay down essential swimming basics:

1. Skate Drill–for proper breathing technique

Swim the length of the pool with one arm straight out in front of you, about 6 inches beneath the surface of the water, and your head facing the bottom of the pool. Kick to move your body forward—your front arm should stay straight out, and your other, down by your side. When it’s time to breathe, turn your head to the side, inhale, then put your face back down in the water and exhale. Switch sides on your way back.

“Because you’re only using your kick to propel you, it should take a little bit longer and it might be a little more tiring,” Szekretar says. Engage your core, which will help you float and move forward a bit, and avoid over-rotating your body as you turn your head, as that will cause you to veer off course.

2. Zipper Switch–for good form

Start in the same position as the Skate Drill. Now, when you turn to breathe, bring the arm by your side up and out, and as you drive it back in, pull the other one back to your side, switching arms, and exhaling back down into the water. Repeat the breath and arm movement on the opposite side. It’ll feel like you’re swimming freestyle in slow-mo, but being deliberate and mechanical is important to finesse each component before putting it all together. “Slow will lead to good form, and good form will lead to being faster, so you’ll be faster while expending less energy, which for a triathlon, is the goal.” (It’s long, guys.)

“This is the foundation for bilateral breathing, which can really help facilitate swimming in a straight line,” Szekretar adds. It’s also key for being totally adaptable on race day, whether there are competitors swimming and splashing on the side you typically breathe on, the surf is coming in on that side, or there’s a glare off the water.

3. Fingertip Drag—for arm technique

We learned from the Zipper Switch that I bring my arm up too high, expending too much energy, and I don’t use my abs and back muscles like I should. So, next up was this arm technique drill.

“Once the elbow’s out of the water, think of dragging your fingertips across the surface and then bringing them down,” explains Szekretar. “You don’t want to bring it straight on like a windmill. That’s very laborious and expends a lot of energy.” Pretend a string is pulling your arm out of the water at your elbow, he explains, and keep the arm bent enough that you can maintain that drag along the water’s surface. Then push out into the front (your shoulder will naturally move toward the side of your head and your body will roll) and pull with your back and through the hip, keeping your hands in line with your shoulders.—Amy Marturana

For more information, visit www.mysportsclubs.com

Stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP) has become so popular that fitness fashion brands dedicated to the workout have started popping up, and bigger brands have added SUP-wear to their lines in order to protect you from the elements and brushes with the board.

While all of these paddleboarding pants are made to make your day on the waves even better (and more stylish), we can’t guarantee they’ll help you with your SUP yoga headstand. Though you’ll look really rad kicking up in these three pairs… —Molly Gallagher

(Photo: Instagram/Mahiku Activewear)

Mahiku Activewear Bora Bora Hybrid Kini, $84

This Hawaiian brand probably knows SUP and surf better than any of us—the founder, Ehiku Rademacher, has been surfing she was a toddler. The tricked out patterns and bright colors on capris, leggings, and headbands are pretty rad. This low-slung pair, with UPF+50, is made of a nylon-spandex blend that’s “designed to get wet without getting heavy.” A seafarer’s dream.

(Photo: Mahiku Activewear)

Athleta Ariel Swim Tight, $69

If you’re a diehard fan of black yoga pants and their flattering fit, you’ll love slipping into these ocean-ready capris. The ankle-length tights hold you in and have UPF+50 protection (save on sunscreen and time slathering it on again and again). And they’re super breathable—and chic—on the water.

(Photo: Athleta)

SUPMerge Padded Knee Pant, $74

Kimberly Schamber, the founder of SUPMerge, has paddled everywhere from Hawaii and Israel to the Hamptons—so she knows her SUP-wear. This water-resistant padded knee pant, which comes in coral and black, is cool and practical. The pads make it easy to drop down on your board—and there’s a hook in the back for your keys.

(Photo: Pinterest/Supmerge)

More Reading

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3 New York paddleboarding spots you haven’t tried
7 sexy swimsuits that aren’t skimpy

When New York fashion designer Kimberly Schamber sees an expansive lake, a pretty pond, or a secluded beach, she’s almost always thinking the same thing. “I could paddle that!”

“Since I started paddleboarding, my husband and I are constantly pointing out the window while we’re driving and saying that!'” She’s paddled in Hawaii, Israel, and even on the canals that wind through Venice. Back at home in the Hamptons, you’ll often find her on Georgica Pond, usually with friends. “Everyone knows that if they come to our house they have to paddleboard,” she says.

So she’d have something to wear on her various excursions, last year Schamber created SUPMerge—a line of paddleboard apparel that’s now sold across the United States and in New Zealand, Australia, and the Bahamas. And she’s currently working on new pieces for next season, in new colors.

In the meantime, we tapped her traveling paddling expertise (and eagle eye) to bring you these three New York City area spots you may not have thought to try. —Lisa Elaine Held

1. Kostal Paddle, Port Washington
Sure, we love us some Hamptons, but Kostal Paddle lets you enjoy the Island with less than half the travel/jitney/traffic time. “John Michael Kostallas opened Kostal in 2011 and they offer stand-up paddleboarding lessons, SUP Yoga, and eco-tours. Lessons are given every day, and all equipment is supplied,” Schamber says. www.kostalpaddle.com

2. Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse, Hoboken
You barely have to leave the city to get to this spot, also known as Maxwell Place Boathouse. And, bonus, both paddleboarding and kayaking are free! You just have to be okay with a first-come, first-serve policy and a 20-minute limit when it’s super busy. “It’s a great place to try out the sport in the small bay area or take a guided tour down the river on certain days,” Schamber notes. www.hobokencoveboathouse.org

3. Hudson Rivers Expeditions, Cold Spring
Head just an hour north of the city to this spot (Zipcar!) and you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away. Take the four-hour Destination Waterfall tour and you’ll “paddle the lush and beautiful Audubon Society’s Constitution Marsh to a stunning waterfall that spills into a small fresh water wading pool,” Schamber gushes. www.hudsonriverexpeditions.com

For more information, visit www.supmerge.com. Or, want more paddleboarding? Check out these spots we called out last year.

So, to squelch any newbie surfing fears, we tapped the expertise of aptly-named Andreea Waters—wave rider extraordinaire and co-founder of Lava Girl Surf, which is all about empowering women to hang ten with its off-the-water workshops and personalized surf sessions in Far Rockaway. Her five first-timer tips will help dispel your doubts, so you can get on the water and catch some waves this summer. —Irene Bruce

Keep reading for 5 things all first-time surfers need to know.

1. You’ll need a yogi’s basic sense of balance and the core strength of someone familiar with planks

Good news! If you’ve been going to yoga or working the Megaformer machine, you’re in shape for the surfboard. Surfing requires a good core for balance and strong arms for paddling, which explains why yogis tend to pick it up quickly.

As Waters says: “Everything comes from the core.” And while you don’t have to be an Olympic swimmer (the board can act as a flotation device), basic proficiency and being able to tread water are musts.

2. Board size matters

For a beginner, a longboard is key. The length provides balance, helping you feel more stable, whether you’re paddling, sitting, or standing, Waters says. Shorter boards are meant more for carving and turning on the waves and aren’t as stable, so they’re harder to use.

3. What you wear is actually important

You have permission to shop for something a bit more functional that what you’d wear to the pool: Surfers typically wear rash guards with bikinis or board shorts. Look for pieces that are surf-specific (i.e., won’t budge).

Water’s favorites are from Calavera, because “they stay on and have rocking fashion.” But she also recommends Roxy, Rip Curl, O’Neil, Body Glove, and local designers like Grindergirl Surfwear and Mi-Ola Surf.

4. You’ll learn to give the NY1 weatherman a run for his money

Before you head out, it’s crucial to know the weather situation and where and how the waves break. Understanding the surfing forecast is tricky, Waters admits, “but once you start surfing on your own you have to know how to read the data.”

She recommends using apps like SwellInfo, Surfline, and MagicSeaWeed, as well as cozying up to the locals, who can give tips on the surf break, currents, and any potential hazards. Better yet, take a lesson, and let the instructor advise you on where (and where not) to surf.

5. You have to fuel up

First of all, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! It’s imperative that you drink water before you zip up your rash guard: You’re about to spend a large part of the day working out in the sun. (Pack sunscreen, too!)

For food, think healthy, but not too heavy—carbs like fruits, healthy cereal, or granola are ideal for energy. And eat at least an hour before you go out. After surfing, it’s equally important to rehydrate and refuel. Waters likes a protein smoothie or a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts.

If you aren’t lucky enough to live near the beach, these wellness retreats will give you an opportunity to put those surfing skills to good use—after you lather on a layer of non-toxic sunscreen of course.

Surfing used to be only for bleached blonde, perpetually-shirtless, and decidedly serious surfers.

But over the past few summers in New York, it’s seriously caught a wave. And it seems like everyone is hopping on a board—whether in the water or in a fitness studio.

“More people want to take up the sport right now,” says Global Surf Industries Northeast rep Ed Gerbino, whose domain includes the Hamptons and the Jersey Shore. “Beginner lessons and surf-board rentals are definitely up right now, because it’s more for fitness and fun.”

And surfboard manufacturers have taken note, creating thicker, wider boards that are easier to stabilize, and are therefore super beginner-friendly.

Ready to paddle out? We asked Gerbino to share the 5 hottest boards for summer, and he offered picks for every surfer under the sun—from the newbie surfer to the serious sport-focused. —Lisa Elaine Held

FOR THE ECO-CHIC SURFER CHICK

The NSP Coco Mat Fish is made with natural coconut husk fibers, which give it an eco-chic look that will go beautifully with your floppy hat. The husks are a byproduct of the coconut industry, says Gerbino, so this board isn’t doing any green-washing while riding the waves. Its light, strong design makes it suitable for beginners, although more advanced surfers won’t mind this board’s perks a bit.

FOR THE FIRST-TIME WAVE RIDER

Gnaraloo’s Softshell and Fatty boards have a whimsical, kid-friendly appeal, and for good reason. “They’re both geared towards pure beginners—the first-time adult or the kid who just wants to go down to the beach and have fun and be safe,” says Gerbino. They’re extra thick and wide for stability and have higher buoyancy to make paddling out easier. And the soft surface protects you from serious bruising if you face plant the first time out.

Don’t get on a surf board—or even a beach towel—without a great natural sunscreen to protect your skin.

Check out the safe selection at Saffron Rouge, which stocks only natural and organic beauty products.

Plus you always get free product samples with your purchase. Click here to shop now!

FOR THE TECH-OBSESSED

Brand-new Australia-based brand Haydenshapes makes a line of boards that incorporate totally new technologies. The high-performance “future-flex” system allows the board to flex and twist from tip to tip. It’s the gold standard for the advanced surfer who’s forward-thinking and just has to try the next big thing.

FOR THE STYLISH WEEKEND SURFER

The 7S Superfish II is a recently updated, refined version of a tried-and-true surfer fave. It’s easy to ride, but built for speed, so it’s perfect for surfers who feel comfortable on a board but aren’t going to make it their day job. Plus, its West Coast-cool design is impossible to resist.

FOR THE STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDER

Sure, everybody’s gone surfing, but for those who prefer the slightly more leisurely pace of stand-up paddleboarding, the NSP Surf Betty SUP is the perfect choice. Its large surface area makes it easier to stand on than a bumpy subway train, and the colorful flower motif screams summer.

More Reading

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The Ultimate Hamptons Summer Guide

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I got the hang of paddle boarding pretty quickly last month at GoldenEye in Jamaica, so I figured I’d be just fine at New York Kayak Co in Manhattan.

I’d stayed upright in the waves of the Caribbean, so how hard could a river be? Actually, very hard.

Mark, our patient and encouraging instructor, told us he’s surfed all over the world and thinks the Hudson is a uniquely challenging environment: strong and quickly shifting tides and currents, heavy boat traffic, piers you can be blown into and under, and, the day I paddled, heavy winds. Even the cove where we began our lesson in was filled with novice kayakers, who we were told might not be able to steer well.

My favorite instructor warning: “The Hudson is clean, but if you fall in, try to keep your mouth shut.”

Because I’d rocked the board in Jamaica, NY Kayak steered me toward the intermediate class, which proved to be a humbling experience. Mark said they should really call the class advanced—and not suggest Hudson newbies sign up for it. The two-hour class often paddles to New Jersey and back! Between strong wind and weak triceps, that wasn’t going to happen. We went around Pier 40 and into the next cove, where I learned to turn in wind, steered through pilings, and attempted to move forward into a headwind—the SUP equivalent of running on a treadmill.

Eventually I mustered the strength to make it back, adrenaline pumping much harder than it had in the Caribbean. Aside from (because of?) some moments of terror, it was uniquely exhilarating here, and I feel like a badass for having finished the class with only one wipeout—when I got cocky about my good balance at the end and let a big boat wake knock me off (though my closed mouth remained above water). A day later I can barely move—it’s a formidable workout—but I’d go back again. As a beginner. —Ann Abel

To book a tour, lesson, or stand-up paddling trip on the Hudson, visit www.nykayak.com