Standing up on a board and paddling wasn’t initially thought of as any type of sport. Surfing seemed to be the more logical approach, to begin with.
However, it is thought that Hawaiian surfing instructors started to paddleboard when they were teaching others to surf. Eventually, it caught on, and we’re glad it did, as there are loads of benefits to paddleboarding.
We’ll discuss six health benefits in this article to paddleboarding. Hopefully, these benefits will spur you on to take up the sport, and you’re sure to gain memorable experiences along the way.
1. Paddleboarding Cardio
Yes, paddleboarding offers you an excellent and enjoyable cardio workout. It’s not as easy as it looks from afar, and it can become as intense as you want to make it.
You should be looking to increase your heart rate enough to reach the cardio realm. You can do this by racing friends or designing your own HIIT workouts for yourself.
You could even set markers on the shoreline over a certain distance and then increase your work rate over that distance.
However your choose to do paddleboard cardio, just remember that you’ll be gaining all those great health benefits of physical activity.
2. Lose Weight by Burning Calories
Many of us are keen to lose weight, and other types of fat-burning workouts can be a bore!
When you’re out on the water, you’ll be able to burn calories and fat in a unique setting. Paddleboarding gives most people a buzz and connects us with nature, which are both great motivating factors to get us moving.
And you’ll be please to know that when paddleboarding, you can burn more calories than a leisurely walk. So paddleboarding is a significant game-changer if you’re tired of walking all the time or if you enjoy water-based activities.
3. Stress Reduction
If you’re working long hours or just have a stressful job in general, there’s nothing quite like getting out on open water. Being closer to nature, especially water, has a calming effect for many.
Plus, exercise is another factor that has been proven to reduce stress levels. And, you’ll be taking yourself physically away from the place where you’re encountering all your stress and worry by paddleboarding amongst beautiful scenery.
It’s an excellent pastime for destressing and resetting yourself for your next productive period.
4. Full-Body Workout
At first glance, paddleboarding might not seem like it offers you a full-body workout, but it does!
When you paddle, forces are distributed throughout your body, as it takes more than just your arms and shoulders to paddle when standing. Plus, by having to keep your balance on the board, you’ll be giving your core muscles a thorough workout.
5. It’s a Source of Vitamin D?
OK, so paddleboarding itself doesn’t provide you with vitamin D. But, when you’re paddling, you’re out in the sun, and that does give you vitamin D.
A lack of vitamin D can lead to all sorts of issues, especially with our bones. And the benefits of getting a healthy dose of the stuff are stronger teeth, bones, and muscles, to name a few.
And when you’ve had enough of the sun, it’s a cool idea to have a gazebo waiting for you on shore. Check out some awesome portable gazebos right here: www.4wdsupacentre.com.au
Choose Paddleboarding and Never Look Back
Paddleboarding is one of those sports that may seem strange and complicated to get into at first. But once you get into it, you’ll likely never look back!
And, of course, you’ll be getting all the health benefits we’ve described every time you set out on a paddleboard adventure.
If you enjoyed this content, please check out some of our other blog posts. Thanks for stopping by.
Veronica Baxter is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant operating out of the greater Philadelphia area.
