Wakeboarding: Everything To Know

For a country like the Philippines where everywhere you gaze is literally a body of water, engaging in water sports activities is a necessity. As a matter of fact, it is unusual to see a Filipino who doesn’t love to dive into the water and explore what there is to explore in the water. For the most part, getting into the water means swimming, diving, and sailing. However, there is more to these water activities that you can also explore and enjoy. One of them is wakeboarding.

Now that the holiday season is around the corner, why not go for a seaside holiday and try wakeboarding? While going to the beach is quite unpopular during the latter part of the year, for thrill-seekers of adventures out there, plunging oneself into the water at any time of the year is a perfect time. And so, if you are trying out something new with your friends and loved ones, consider wakeboarding.

First things first: what is it, and why do many love it?

Did you know that wakeboarding got its roots from water skiing and snowboarding? Yes, you read it right. As a matter of fact, wakeboarding is deemed as an activity you do like snowboarding. The only difference is that wakeboarding is an activity you do on the water during the summer, whereas snowboarding is during the winter.

In wakeboarding, the rider is pulled by a motorboat at a speed of 30 miles per hour, stands on the board while keeping balance, and uses the swells to jump over the body of water. Wakeboarding is a flexible activity for it can be enjoyed by beginners and experienced riders. And even though you are experienced in this, it is advisable that you wear a life jacket and a helmet.

But before diving further into it, here’s a trip memory down the lane. Wakeboarding originated in Australia around the 1980s and it has been noted that it was previously known as skurfing. There was this man by the name of Jeff Darby who shaped skurfing boards to be towed behind a boat.

Eventually, this activity of them making skurfing boards became a business. In other parts of the world, specifically in Florida, there’s also this man by the name of Howard Jacobs who is riding a surfboard behind a motorboat while doing surfing tricks.

All of these initial efforts became fruitful when notable brands of wakeboards were launched in the mid-eighties, not to mention the addition of wakeboarding as a competitive sport in the X Games II.

Why do many love it: benefits of wakeboarding

Just like how everybody else is into water sports activities, the sole reason why wakeboarding is loved by many is the leisure and health benefits that come alongside it. For water sports as exhilarating and as stimulating as wakeboarding, it is guaranteed that you will be coming back for the enjoyment it brings and the perks it can bring to your body. If you need a little more convincing as to why wakeboarding should be your next endeavor to venture in, here’s a curated list of its health benefits:

1. Decreases risk for chronic diseases

Wakeboarding is a stimulating activity. This means that it is a great form of exercise for it encourages almost every part of your body to move, which is a great help to burn calories the natural way. For the most part, wakeboarding is done outdoors you get to be one with nature and breathe fresh air. Moreover, with the tricks you can do using the wakeboards, it can surely lift up your spirit, keep you energized, and set you in a good mood. With these perks, wakeboarding improves your immunity against any chronic diseases.

2. Improves bone density and hand-eye coordination

Since wakeboarding requires standing on a wakeboard while keeping your balance altogether, it helps in improving your bone density. Water sports like wakeboarding is an advisable form of exercise for keeping your balance and improving your bone density rather than simply working our your muscles in a treadmill. Furthermore, wakeboarding involves a lot of tricky hand turns, leaps, and rotations which if you do consistently can develop your hand-eye coordination excellently.

3. Improves mental health

One of the reasons why wakeboarding is loved by many is the adrenaline rush and the thrill it gives your body. Having said that, wakeboarding is a good companion to help you cope with the stressors of life. When you are exercising and your tool is an activity like wakeboarding, it surely can make you happier which puts you to a healthier mental condition. And so, if you’re thinking of a fun way to do in the beach or you are residing near the seashore, consider wakeboarding and enjoy it to your heart’s content!

So, where shall I go to experience it?

With many people being drawn to wakeboarding, there is also a growing interest in going to water parks in order to get a hold of this fun water sports. Here in the Philippines, there are water parks you can go to practice your wakeboarding skills. Whether you are from the North or South, there is a water park for you. If you are residing in the South or you are in the metro, Lago de Oro Cable Ski Park in Batangas City is the nearest water park you can go to. Did yo know that Lago de Oro is the first cable wake park in the Philippines? Hence, a guarantee that your wakeboard experience will be unforgettable and delightful! Aside from the wakeboarding activities, Lago de Oro has a hotel. restaurants, and other amenities to make your stay here lovelier.

Now, if you are in for a grander adventure, why not go to the wakeboarding capital of the Philippines which is in CamSur Watersports Complex? What’s more amazing is that CamSur Watersports Complex offers an affordable unlimited cable wakeboarding membership. This ensures that you get to enjoy to your heart’s content your wakeboarding experience in Camarines Sur. CamSur Watersports Complex is also known for hosting the WWA Ultimate Wakeboard Championships in 2009.

Another water park you can explore to is the largest wakeboarding park in Southeast Asia which is the DECA Wakeboard Park in Davao City. Moreover, it is also dubbed as the largest water sport destination in the southern Philippines so make sure you do not miss this out! It also has a sister park in Pampanga which is the Clark Wakeboard Park. And so, if you are residing in here, go and check it out. It features different ramps and obstacles you can try whether you are a beginner or an experienced wakeboard rider.

Final Thoughts

You will never run of reasons to enjoy wakeboarding. As dynamic and as stimulating the experience can be, you will love it more when you get to bring with you your friends and loved ones to try something new. After all, just like wakeboarding, the best way to enjoy anything new is to get out of your comfort zone and risk doing an activity you have never done before. We highly recommend this, especially for beginners who want to get away from something unusual.

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