Stand-up Paddle Boarding....cool fun way to get fitness in.
Summer is now in full swing and there are a lot of summer activities that are super fun and provide us with great fitness, even though we may not realize it. Over the next few blogs, I am going to be talking about these fun, fantastic things to do to stay in shape.
2 years ago, a group of friends and I decided, that since we lived in Barrie and were on a beautiful lake, we should learn how to Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP). Other than being a fun activity on the water, I didn’t think there was much to it. After taking the lesson, I am here to tell you that there are lots of fitness and health benefits to the sport:
1) Balance – this is a no brainer – as you can see the board is somewhat unstable depending on the calmness of the water. The less calm it is the more you have to keep your balance and that will work your core, hips, knees and ankles.
2) Core strength – Keeping your balance will challenge your core but your core will also get a work out from paddling
3) A full Body Workout – Along with your core, your arms and back will get a good workout from stroking and your legs will get a good workout from keeping your balance
4) Low Impact – Once you are standing on the board you don’t tend to move your feet again. There is no bouncing or striding which means that SUP is a good low impact activity
5) Cardio Workout – Paddle for long enough at a steady rate and you will get a cardio workout from it. If you want to race, you will also get a good cardio workout from it. If you want to do intervals, that is possible too.
6) Reduces Stress – For many people water is relaxing and paddleboarding does just that and because you have to focus on what you are doing, you cannot think about other concerns.
7) Vitamin D – Being out in the sun will stimulate your body’s own production of Vitamin D which is essential for bone building and calcium absorption, among other things
8) Allows you to connect with nature – need I say more
My advice to you, especially if you love the water, go out and take a SUP lesson if you haven’t already. I highly recommend it.