by Noah Brooks
Bodyboarding is a great summer sport for athletes of all levels. It’s simple, relatively cheap to get started compared to most sports, super fun, and a great way to cool off and connect with nature. In the last few years, the sport of bodyboarding has exploded on the global scene and reached heights never imagined in the early days. With the success of the International Bodyboarding Association's world tour, more and more people are being turned on to the potential of bodyboarding. With huge aerial maneuvers, heavy waves, and amazing venues around the world like Hawaii's pipeline, Chile's Arica, and the infamous Fronton of Canary Islands, it’s easy to see why bodyboarding has become one of the most progressive sports in the world. But you don't have to be a world tour competitor to enjoy this fast growing sport. All you need is a bodyboard, a pair of swim fins, and a desire to enjoy nature in one of the purest ways possible.
When most people think of bodyboarding, they think "boogie boarding." And that's absolutely right. But like all sports, bodyboarding has a highly progressive professional scene. It’s not only for kids who want to play around in the white water, it can also be for serious athletes looking for something a little different than the mainstream sports we have all come to know.
Bodyboards can be ridden in all conditions, from two foot waves at your local beach to 20 foot barrels breaking over a shallow reef on some exotic island. The possibilities are truly endless as to the types of waves that can be ridden and the radical maneuvers that can be performed on them. There is something about bodyboarding that connects us to the sea, and to ourselves. We are not elevated above the waves, we are a part of them, learning how to flow with them in harmony. There are no large sums of money involved like most sports, which means a lot of world class athletes are putting themselves in harm’s way on a regular basis for nothing more than the love of their sport.
There are so many reasons to love this sport, so pick up a new bodyboard and fins, get some for the rest of the family, and see where it takes you. Supporting bodyboarding means you are backing a smaller sport without the big names of other water sports. Support the little guy, get in great shape, and enjoy the ocean this summer with the whole family.
Here are a few tips when starting out:
- Start off in smaller waves then work your way up to the bigger stuff.
- Never paddle out alone, and stay within view of a lifeguard.
- When in doubt, don't go out. If the conditions seem too hectic and you do not feel comfortable, just stay on the beach and watch more advanced riders.
- Have fun! Leave greed and ego on beach and focus on the endless love that the ocean has to give!
Learn more about the equipment and the sport at ebodyboarding.com!
