Is Stand up Paddleboarding a good workout?
Yes, stand up paddle boarding is an excellent workout. Few activities provide such an extensive range, from upper body training to leg work and core strength building. It’s a calm and enjoyable activity. It’s also not hard to do. Here’s why you should skip the gym and make a beeline for your nearest lake instead (or better still, travel the world to do so):
SUP boarding is very simple
Much of the appeal of stand up paddle boarding (SUP) lies in its tempting simplicity. It doesn’t matter what your body size, shape, or level of fitness is. It’s so easy, pretty much anyone can get involved. It is the perfect alternative to surfing when you are not agile enough to ride the waves and is much safer to practice than traditional surfing. You can achieve similar fitness to the gym workout with minimal effort without spending much from your pocket. Unlike surfing, you can take your paddleboard and start to explore the beautiful water life near your residence at your own pace.
Burns a lot of calories
It is such an effective weight loss exercise that even a casual attempt can churn through 430 calories in the space of an hour, which is hard to achieve in any other sport. That’s about double the figure you’d burn on a moderately-paced walk over the same time period. Upgrade your stand up paddle boarding session to different alterntives such as yoga, and you’ll get through 540 calories in an hour, while an hour of SUP touring (paddling for a distance without stopping at moderate pace) will burn 708 calories.
Great for core strength development
SUP boarding is a brilliant way to put your core through its paces, since your abdominal muscles will be constantly working to help you keep your balance. It’s more gentle and relaxing to your body. A stronger base will provide you better balance and for that all the muscles of your back and legs will be working which ultimately builds your core strength.
All body strength development
Beyond the core alone, SUP is also a great all-round body workout. It’s an exercise in strength and endurance that requires almost every element of the body to cooperate and pull its weight. When you paddle through the water, your quadriceps, shoulders, arms, and knees work together to propel you forward. Your leg muscles also up their game to help the core in keeping your balance. And yet, you don’t really feel the ache in the same way as you might in the gym, as you’re distracted by the motion of gliding across water. It’s the perfect cross-trainer, providing both aerobic and strength-based training.
Benefits of stand up Paddle boarding
It is a low impact relaxing exercise which immerses you in nature. It is a complete body workout with minimal of effort. It allows you see the world at your own pace and at the same time lets you explore the places which are difficult to visit by a boat or any other flotation device.
