Take your Gym to Boracay: Health Benefits Of Water Sports

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Boracay, one of the world’s famous beaches, is not only a haven for our soul’s retreat, but also an athletic ground to the fitness buffs. The Balibago shore of Bora is home to a wide range of water sports activities from the fun banana boat ride to extreme parasailing (see more water activities.) But do you know that these water sports give you a better cardio workout than a gym? And the best part is, it’s a lot more fun and exciting. Here are some water sports activities and their benefits.

Swimming
Swimming is a great cardio and muscular workout. You can burn up to 300-900 calories an hour depending on your weight and your effort. You use every muscle in your body, toning it in the process. Being under the water also exercises your lungs. It has always been recommended for those with respiratory and heart problems. It also provides an ideal place to work stiff muscles and sore joints, especially if you’re overweight or suffering from arthritis since the water helps carry your weight.
Scuba diving or snorkeling
One of the most noticeable benefits of scuba diving is the mental and emotional therapy the deep sea provides the diver. Being weightless and seeing the beautiful flora and fauna calms the nerves and washes away stress. It is a cardiovascular and muscular workout at the same time because the body moves against the natural pressure of the water without straining the joints.
Kayaking
Although it may seem like the arms are the only part of the body that kayaking can work out, it’s actually more than that. In kayaking, your strength should come from your core muscle, not your arms. After a while, you’ll feel like you’ve done a hundred sit-ups. Kayaking also exercises your mind as it tries to figure out where to steer the kayak.
Parasailing
This is one of the most thrilling yet risky water sport. Being up in the air releases tension and pressure from your body, while the wind caresses your skin. Like any extreme sport, it eliminates stress because of the sudden adrenaline rush, creating a great feeling of wellness. Plus, inhaling sea air is healthy. The negative ions in the salty air combat the free radicals in your body, relieving your body from toxins.
Kite Surfing
It is one of the best exercises for the body and mind. It tones your body, strengthening your abdominal area while increasing strength in your arms as you steer the kite. Riding the board will improve your balance. And while you’re at it, you are focused on several tasks at once which improves your coordination and concentration skills.
Jet ski
Jet skiing is a high speed water sport that is great for developing your balance and co-ordination skills because it requires concentration to stay on board. It strengthens the arm and leg muscles, giving you a good workout.

5 Fun Ways to Enjoy Your Rainy Beach Vacation

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Summer’s over and you haven’t even had your vacation. You’re having second thoughts about going to boracay island resort because the rainy season just started. But you know that with your busy work schedule, this is the only time of the year you can have that oh-so-well-deserved beach vacation and you desperately need one.

Don’t fret. Who said that you should have vacations only during summer anyway? Go to the beach. Have that vacation. Perhaps you shouldn’t visualize yourself basking in endless days of sunshine though. Be realistic. When it’s “raining on your parade,” make the most out of it. Besides there are a lot of fun, exciting, and relaxing activities you can do on a rainy vacation at the beach.

1. Eat your heart out and taste the local delicacies. It’s no fun when you’re on a trip and you’re still going to eat fast food. Eat healthy and taste new things. Remember that vacations are for deviating from the humdrum routinary life of yours.

When it’s raining, seek out restaurants where you can make an experience out of the meal. Pick a restaurant that has a fabulous view of the beach or try restaurants where you can interact with chefs while watching the meals being prepared. You might even be able to catch some indoor barbecue nights where your dinner is accompanied with dance and music.

2. Take a class. A lot of hotels and resorts nowadays are offering classes for tourists on a holiday including yoga sessions. Cooking classes are a great way to learn how to recreate some of the amazing meals you’ve enjoyed at the local restaurants. You can also take a swimming lesson since most beach resorts have pools and offer this service to their customers. And if you catch a little bit of sunlight along the way, you can request for a diving lesson and take a tour under the sea.

3. Read. Find a comfortable couch with a view of the ocean, order coffee or tea, and settle in with the book that you’ve been planning to read for a very long time. Who said you have to pack every minute of your vacation with physical activities, anyway?

4. Indulge on an all-day spa. Extend your regular hour long massages to two or more hours. Take the time to exfoliating your skin with facials or mineral scrubs. Detox your worries away in a “me-time” moment in the steam room.

5. Do something crazy and plunge into the sea. You’re going to get wet anyway. Appreciate the rain and let go of caring if you’re wet or not. Throw all your inhibitions to the wind and let the raindrops take away all your stress. Play in the wet sand because it’s much better playing in the sand when it’s not scorching hot. And after all that, go back to your hotel, take a shower, warm yourself in front of a fire place or watch TV in your room and drink hot chocolate. Now that’s euphoria!