Are you feeling stifled by the sizzling heat in the hustle and bustle city, or bored of always being cooped up at the gym and pounding away on the treadmill? Then it’s high time you dug out your sexy bathing suits and hit the beach with your buddies. If you’re more of an adrenaline junkie or daredevil than the type who like to spend whole day frolicking on the beach, then check out the heart-pumping and pulse-raising water sports below that are sure to help you torch calories as you relish the summer fun.

Stand-Up Paddleboarding

Endorsed by many celebrities like Gal Gadot aka Wonder Woman, paddleboarding has been known as a full body workout that fires up all your muscle groups when you engage your core, back and hamstrings to balance on the board and your arms to skim the water with an oar. You can also try doing yoga on the paddleboard to hone your balance and bring clarity to your mind. Unlike surfing, waves and choppy water are not the best conditions for stand-up paddleboarding.

Surfing

It goes without saying that California is the surfing mecca of America. Don’t be deterred when you see experienced surfers gracefully performing surfing tricks and maneuvers. For starter, you can try practising simple movements like burpees and planks that mimic the pop-up move of surfing and hone your stability. Or you can try practising skateboarding to hone board-body technique. The muscle memory you build on skateboard can be carried across to your surfing session.

Rafting

When someone mentions rafting, the first thing that springs to your mind might be those wooden slabs or branches bundled together with thick strings. Well, that’s called Huckleberry Finn which is a traditional form of rafting. The popular form of rafting these days is inflatable boat made of thick rubber that can be done on a tranquil lake or river with gears like helmets and vests. There’s nothing quite like rushing down the turbulent river with your buddies when taking in the view of serene nature along the shore. One of the most popular rafting destination is Colorado River, the stretch passing through the famous Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Cliff Diving

Are you a self-claimed daredevil? Then I dare you to scale the height of a magnificent cliff and jump off from the craggy summit to prove how audacious you are! Sometimes life is about taking a leap of faith. But remember to find amateur-friendly destinations and seek out the professionals before you take the leap. Cliff diving is an adrenaline packed activity that can help you torch 600-800 calories each time you scale the cliff. We highly recommend you to do more research before you go. It may seem like there’s no technique required but if you miscalculated the distance to propel your body, you could easily break a rib or two by hitting the rocks!