The last ride of the summer can be a great experience. Usually, boat traffic will have reduced itself over the last month, and the water will be crisp without being unbearably cold. The sun will shine down warmly, without being incredibly hot.

Often times, the last rise of the summer is a time that walks the line perfectly between extremes, allowing for a pleasant and dynamic experience that everyone can enjoy. Boating is always fun, but the last time is something that can be made especially significant.

I hate that it’s slimy.

I hate that I can never get it to rub in completely.

I hate that I have to put it on every two hours to protect my white skin.

That being said, I have always ended up sunburned on my numerous outdoor adventures. But recently I have realized that applying sunscreen is the key to making your vacation a success.

My most recent outdoor vacation involved a boat, a lake in the desert, and the scorching sun. I bought one of those spray bottles of sunscreen and committed to use it since I was going to be out in the sun a lot.

By the end of the vacation, I had pretty much avoided major sunburn and realized that my experience was a lot more enjoyable. I wasn’t always worrying about staying in the shade to protect my already sunburned skin. I protected myself from any sort of heat stroke or exhaustion. I could sleep at night because I wasn’t worried about rolling over onto my sunburn.

Even after returning, I did not have to worry about peeling skin or putting on the equally slimy Aloe Vera to help heal a sunburn. Even the water from the shower didn’t hurt like it usually does after an outdoor vacation.

Sunscreen is still not my favorite thing but I realize that the difference this trip was the way that I applied it. Instead of rubbing it on for ten minutes I was able to just spray it on every couple of hours and I was done in a couple of minutes.

Even if you hate sunscreen like me, there are many ways to buy it now that can make it a less painful experience. Not only does it protect you from skin cancer but provides a more enjoyable experience in the outdoors!

Swimming reduces the strain on your back since there is no weight on your spine while gliding through the water. Swimming not only helps strengthen your spine though, it also works out your core, legs and arms; providing an overall good workout without straining your back and spine.

Just as walking is good for your back, jogging can also provide a benefit that will lead to stronger muscles that will alleviate pain. It is important to ease into jogging, not pushing yourself too hard too fast; this will only hurt your muscles, not make them healthier.

Jogging builds up your leg muscles, which takes some stress off of your spine. If done with good posture, it can also make your entire body function better when doing everyday tasks.

Jogging with a straight spine and neck balances your weight and distributes it evenly through your back and legs. Cycling is another great exercise that can be done on a stationary or road bike, allowing you to exercise where and when you want.

A common mistake with cycling is posture and seat positioning, however. Make sure that your seat is adjusted high enough so that your leg is only slightly bent when the foot pedal is at its lowest point.

Also adjust your handle bars so that you are not bending over too much to reach them. Bending forward actually causes more strain on your spine, since it is being hunched over for long periods of time.

While sitting on your bike, try to keep as straight of a back as possible to improve posture and distribute your weight evenly. Like with the other exercises, do not try to push your body faster and harder than it is used to; ease into the exercise to get the best results.

You should always stretch before and after exercising your muscles; especially after swimming, jogging or cycling. This will ensure the health of your muscles, making sure they do not tense up.

Failure to take care of your muscles through stretching can greatly impair your ability to perform any type of exercise, and can make you stiff. Take care of yourself, and remember that these activities can be fun as well as beneficial to your health.

As part of a new TV reality series, Shaq Vs., Shaq challenges some of the world’s best athletes in their own respective sports to specific challenges. However, Shaq gets to always decide a bet, and an advantage that he gets before the competitions takes place.

In this case, Shaq had agreed with Micahel Phelps to race three times. The first race was won by Shaq. Shaq had to race 25 yards compared to Phelps’ 50, and Shaq had a five-second head start. The second race was a medley for Shaq and a few american swimmers, and an individual event for Phelps. Phelps was down 10 seconds heading into the last leg vs Shaq, and Phelps came out vicorious.

For the third and final race, Shaq suggested that they lose the high-tech suits and race in some colorful speedos. The last event was a 75 yard freestyle for Phelps, and a 50 yard freestyle for Shaq. It was close and came down to the wire, but in the end, the “Big Aristotle” came in second and Phelps walked away victorious by .17 seconds.

Since he won the bet, Phelps didn’t have to admit that Shaq is one of the best swimmers he knows, but rather, Shaq had to put on a pink swim cap and wear it with pride.

You know…SHREDDIN THE NAR!!!

Dudes (and Dudettes), if you all haven’t done this before you must be living in a barn. For real.  Skim boarding is one of the latest and greatest new crazes that can be seen at almost any beach worldwide. People all over are risking their bodies for this sport. But hey, you only live once right?

Skim boarding is a fairly new sport, yet has already attracted millions of wild and adventurous crowd.  There is definitely risk involved, but it is the same as most water sports, ie surfing, wakeboarding, tubing, etc. If done properly with the correct techniques, you will be okay. If not, disaster could happen. For instance , if you get good speed starting out, hit the water smoothly, and catch a huge wave, you could enp up looking like this guy… And let’s face it, you don’t want to be him.

I am normally not a huge fan of riding on water weenies or tubes, because so many people get hurt flying into each other, but seeing that this was designed for a single rider, I jumped all over the opportunity. I was doing barrell rolls, flippin around behind his boat and loving every minute of it. Needless to say, if you enjoy water and are up for the time of your life, give the sumo tube a go. You wont be disappointed!

It really isn’t that scary once you are riding it. I will admit, just from looking at it, it looks like a broken neck waiting to happen. But once you are on it, it is a whole different story. One of the best new tubes out on the market, and if you get the chance, throw on the inflatable suit and be a sumo for the day. One of the best outdoor sports there is.