Water sports, have fun and keep fit in summer!

In summer we feel ready to try new things and the desire to be outdoors is greater. Green light, therefore, for fun sports and outdoor activities linked to the summer setting par excellence... the sea!

Or even the lake, as long as you can practice water sports. Water is an incredible natural support, a perfect support even for those who are advanced in age or have joint or back problems. This is why, for example, swimming is recommended by many physiotherapists even during recovery from injuries.

But if swimming, in itself, you don't like, or if you think that running on the beach is unimaginative, there are many other water sports that you can try this summer, to keep fit and spend time training with your partner or holiday companions.

Water sports: 7 easy and fun activities

1. Stand-up Paddle, one of the most popular sports of the moment. You need a board similar to a surfboard and an oar... as well as a lot of balance! The activity consists of remaining standing on the board while pushing yourself with the oar and proceeding in a straight line, generally parallel to the coast. Obviously you need relatively shallow and very calm water. For those just starting out, you can start by kneeling on the board to get familiar with the roll!

2. Snorkeling, a simple and fascinating way to discover underwater wonders. All you need is a good mask with snorkel and, optionally, fins to give yourself greater push. You swim by floating slowly on the surface of the water, observing the seabed. And you don't necessarily need to go to the other side of the world, there are places in Italy or Greece that have truly beautiful marine life to "peek at", including silvery fish, starfish, urchins and much more!

3. Kitesurfing, a little more complex and for the more "reckless", kitesurfing consists of a sail (in English "kite" literally means "kite") which you maneuver to be carried by the wind, aboard a surfboard. Very popular on windswept beaches and coasts.

4. Water jogging, also called pool running, is known as a rehabilitation method and practiced indoors, in the swimming pool. However, it can also be adapted to the sea, just find a regular seabed and still, calm, medium-high water. Running in the water, even on the spot, is really tiring but effective!

5. Kayak, much loved both on the sea coasts and in mountain lakes, the kayak is a small vessel similar to a canoe, easy to handle and light, which allows you to see splendid places... strengthening and training your arms and back a lot.

6. Walking in shallow water, perfect as a gentle workout, truly for everyone. Walking on the shoreline is typical of our coasts, but just having the water up to your ankles or calves is enough to increasingly increase the level of "fatigue". A wonderful activity to do at the same time is cleaning the beach: just arm yourself with a glove and a bag to do some good for the environment!

7. Playing ball in water, admit it, adults also like it, not just children. And in addition to being fun, it burns calories and increases proprioception, that is, the ability to move effectively on uneven terrain such as the seabed and to perceive one's body in space.

Pros and cons of water sports

The pro is, in fact, the fact of being able to benefit from the action of water, for a gentle but effective workout at the same time. You burn more heat, therefore, than with the same exercises done outside the water!

Not only that, the water with its natural massage not only supports muscle tone but also the beauty of the skin, more drained and with better circulation, to help even small blemishes such as cellulite. A true natural lymphatic drainage, enriched by mineral salts present especially in the sea.

The cons are linked exclusively to the fact that you need to be very careful: if you are not an expert swimmer, but even if you are, never put yourself in dangerous situations.

Stay in shallow water, do not venture into non-swimming lakes or rivers, do not enter the sea if there is wind and high waves, always ask the beach safety officer for advice if you have any doubts.

Furthermore, you also need to take the best care of your diet: training outdoors, perhaps on hot days, means having to replenish liquids, minerals and vitamins through the most correct foods and the rightnatural integration.