Kayaking to Improve Your Overall Fitness

May 3, 2018

The summer months call for lots of swimming and taking our workouts out to the water. While paddleboarding and surfing are on our summer fitness list, the benefits of kayaking have also caught our eye as a fun yet effective workout to try.

The sun’s out and a breath of fresh air and vitamin D will do our mind and body lots of good. Trying out a new activity, such as kayaking, will not only allow us to enjoy our time under the sun, but it will also stimulate the mind and boost our overall fitness.

Whether you bring a friend or decide to venture out on your own, kayaking is a good excuse to bring out your adventurous side and explore a new lake or ocean that you wouldn’t normally visit.

Benefits of Kayaking

An easy sport to pick up, kayaking does more than just get you to try out something new. Kayaking can promote weight loss, boost mental health, and keep you looking good all summer long.

1. Strengthens Core Muscles

Our core muscles, a.k.a. the abs, work to keep our body upright, promote good posture, and protect us from injury. Kayaking keeps our core muscles engaged throughout the activity due to the core strength required to paddle from side-to-side to turn the kayak.

The continuous repetition of these movements keep the core tight and engaged, thus leaving us with a better posture and stronger abs that look good.

2. Boosts Mental Health

Working out outdoors is an immediate stress-buster as the change of scenery combined with exercise work together to boost mental health. Kayaking is a relaxing activity that not only calms your mind but keeps all your stress and tension away while you focus on the fun activity.

The feel-good hormones released from aerobic exercises, such as kayaking, improve one’s mood and provide a boost of self-confidence that further enhances a positive mindset.

3. Boosts Heart Health

Any exercise that increases your heart rate will immensely benefit your cardiovascular health. As you get your heart rate up with each paddling movement, you are only building a stronger heart that will protect you from heart attacks and strokes.

It is important to stay fit and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy heart and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

4. Tones the Legs

Kayaking isn’t just an upper body workout. While you may not think about your legs during this activity, you are definitely using them to help you balance, especially when maneuvering the kayak.

Your legs muscles are subtly put to work but will come out looking stronger and more toned in the long run.

5. Promotes Weight Loss

An hour of paddling at 5 mph (miles per hour) is said to burn about 400 calories in an hour, therefore, if you’re setting out to spend an afternoon on the lake with your friends, a few hours on the kayak could burn more than 1,000 calories!

If you’re trying to shed a few pounds, kayaking is not only an exciting option but a very effective one to increase caloric burn.

6. Low-Impact Activity

Kayaking is gentle on the joints and is a great way to keep your fitness regime intact if you are injured. Other aerobic exercises such as running can be very hard on the knees and hips, and cause pain if you suffer from weak or injured knees.

Kayaking focuses on improving upper body strength and maintaining your overall fitness, making it a great alternative to other forms of exercise, especially if you are injured.

Now’s your chance to try something new and stay active this season. Make sure to drink lots of water to stay hydrated and put on some natural sunscreen if you plan to reap the benefits of exercising outdoors.