Miami Shoot

YOLOing

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By Dawn Wilson
Photography by Sean Murphy
A fun new sport is taking over the beaches of Miami, YOLOing. If you are in Miami seeking out a new and exciting sport to participate in, you may just want to give YOLOing a try. YOLOing or SUP (Stand up Paddling) is a combination of surfing and kayaking. In YOLOing you use a paddle similar to a canoe paddle and stand on a YOLO Board, which looks like a long-board surfboard, only larger. When in the water, you balance yourself through the water currents and waves, with the paddles.

 

In addition to the sheer fun of the sport, participants also receive a great core and overall body workout while YOLOing. This is because you have to depend on your core muscles in order to stabilize yourself while on the board. When paddling you are also engaging your arms, back and legs; which provide you with an overall body workout. Once you have mastered the sport of YOLOing, it then becomes a great cardiovascular workout. The health benefits are endless. YOLOing or SUPing has long been a sport primarily done in Hawai but thanks to Jeff Archer and Tom Losee, founders of YOLO Board, the sport has picked up popularity in the U.S., namely in the Florida area.

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When these two men first became familiar with the sport, they knew because of Florida’s many well-known beaches and various waterways, it would be a great launching pad for the sport and the lifestyle it offers. With the idea of introducing Florida to this concept, in 2006, Jeff Archer and Tom Losee went to work on producing YOLO Boards. YOLO Boards are designed with highquality,stablematerials.YOLOBoard, LLC., is considered to be a leader in SUP (Stand up Paddling) board design, marketing and distribution. Since 2007 the company has focused on manufacturing quality boards that are suited for every paddler, regardless of age or level of experience. Thanks to the many YOLO Board retail and rental outlets throughout Miami, YOLOing has become more accessible in Florida.

 

If you don’t want to be left out of all of the fun of YOLOing, why not visit one of the many places in and around Miami that offer you the opportunity to hone in on this new sport phenomena?5I9A7219_Blue_Large

Hobie Beach is a popular place for YOLOing because here is where you can find a place to not only go YOLOing but rent equipment, take lessons and socialize with other YOLO enthusiast. If you want to make a full day of YOLOing head over to Oleta River State Park, great for the entire family. The calm waters of the launching area make Oleta River State Park an ideal place for beginners to get the hang of the sport. Once you have the hang of it, you may want to venture out further into the open waters, to test out your skills. You are able to rent your YOLOing equipment and even take a beautiful guided tour atop your board at Oleta River State Park. Surprisingly, even some of the popular hotels are offering YOLOing to their guests. If you are staying Miami’s trendy Standard Hotel you will be able to take advantage of their YOLOing lessons and go YOLOing bayside with other adventurous guests. So, the next time you’re out on the water, why not make it memorable by trying your hand at YOLOing.

Click here to view post in the March/April 2014 issue.

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