Summer weather is upon us and plenty of fitness lovers in Atlanta are adjusting their workouts accordingly. Integrating water-based fitness into the regular routine has real benefits beyond seasonal fun, often adding an element of resistance training to any rigorous activity. Keep cool and enjoy the weather this summer with these water-based activities.
Kayaking at Stone Mountain
1000 Robert E Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain. 770-498-5690. www.stonemountainpark.com/Campground.
Atlanta has many options for kayaking in Atlanta, and beginners don't have to go far to get started. National camping retailer REI (Alpharetta, Atlanta, Buford, Kennesaw locations) puts on a beginners class at the Stone Mountain Park Campground several times a month. The price tag is $70-90 for four hours of guided instruction and includes the use of a lifejacket, paddle and kayak. Those attending the session should bring sunscreen and at least two liters of drinking water, and plan to wear water shoes (not flip-flops) and synthetic or wool layers that will stay warm when wet. For the details as well as information on other watersports from REI, keep an eye on their events page.
Shoot the 'Hooch
203 Azalea Drive, Roswell. 770-650-1008. shootthehooch.com.
Raft down the Chattahoochee with hourly rentals at Roswell's riverside Azealia Park. Shoot The Hooch is headquartered right on the water, rending rafts, paddleboards, kayaks and canoes, and their facilities offer various transportation and shuttle options to ensure that groups are able to get back to their vehicles after a day of going with the flow. While the facility does accept walk-ins, call ahead for reservations when possible to ensure that equipment is available.
Stand-up paddleboard (SUP) at Morgan Falls Overlook Park
200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs. 770-730-5600. www.sandyspringsga.org/recreation/places-to-visit/city-parks.
It may look like a super-hard hybrid of surfing and kayaking, but stand-up paddleboarding (commonly referred to as "SUP") is a remarkably beginner-friendly way to work on balance and core muscles. Atlanta-based outdoors retail chain High Country Outfitters (Atlanta, Marietta, Sandy Springs locations) holds weekly demos at Morgan Falls Overlook Park for $25, a perfect chance for first-timers to get acquainted with the board and the paddle before investing in any tools of their own. They claim people rarely fall into the water, but bring a towel and wear a swimsuit under athletic attire just in case. As with any outdoor activity, water and sunscreen are strongly recommended, too.
SUP Yoga
9300 Vanns Tavern Rd, Gainesville. 770-940-7927. atlantasupyoga.com.
For those who have mastered SUP and want to go further or newbies looking to integrate the paddleboarding with something stretchier, plenty of Atlanta yoga studios are offering classes on paddleboards, integrating an added element of balance and sunshine into their standard flow. Some entities, such as Atlanta SUP Yoga, specialize in the buoyant water-based practice, but many events are held by studios with which Atlanta yogis are already acquainted. Infinity Yoga (Brookhaven and Dunwoody locations) has been known to partner with paddle pros High Country Outfitters for classes that bring their yoga community to the water together, and those interested in the classes should inquire at their studios or their local High Country Outfitters location to get the latest details on what classes might be available.
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