Health Benefits of Kayaking

Kayaking is one of the best forms of exercise you can do because it combines a low-impact aerobic workout with stretching and strengthens your core, arms, legs and back. And besides that, there are tons of other exciting activities to take part in such as bird watching or spotting dolphins!

Improves Strength

Kayaking is an amazing form of exercise because it works out most of the muscles in your body. Not only will you get a full-body workout, but you can also work on specific muscle groups by using different paddling techniques and positions.

Arms

You can get a good arm workout by using the double-paddle technique. By using this technique, you will be hitting your arms, shoulders and core muscles at the same time.

Shoulders

Just like the arms, you can get a good arm workout with the use of the double-paddle technique. By using both of your arms while paddling, you will be working out your shoulders, triceps and core muscles.

Core

To get a great core workout while kayaking, you should always keep your core muscles activated. This is done by keeping your body in good alignment and by maintaining a strong yet flexible posture.

Grip strength

You will also be working on your grip strength while kayaking. By holding on to the paddle, you are also engaging your forearms, wrists and hands.

Legs

Your legs also get a solid workout from kayaking. The main muscles that are worked are your quadriceps and hamstrings, but your calves, thighs as well as your gluteus maximus will also be getting a good workout.

Lower Body

Your lower body also gets a good workout when kayaking. In this case, your quads and glutes get the most work.

Stretches and relaxes muscles

Not only does kayaking strengthen your muscles, but it also stretches and relaxes them. Kayaking is a low-impact exercise that involves repetitive motions – this means that you won’t put too much stress on any one area of your body, which in turn means that the muscles won’t get fatigued quickly or overworked.

Improves flexibility

Because it involves repetitive motions, kayaking is a great sport for working on flexibility as well. It might seem like a small thing, but having tight muscles can be uncomfortable and limiting. Kayaking will help you to stretch your muscles in small ways but also in big ways – if you have put extra strain on your leg muscles by moving to fast on one side of the kayak, your body will respond by adapting to that strain so that it can better handle the added work.

Improves balance

Kayaking is a low-impact form of exercise which allows you to take full control over your body weight and help you to improve your balance by putting more load on one foot than the other. This technique is especially good if you are trying to improve the stability of one side of your body, for instance if you want to work on building up strength in those leg muscles mentioned above.

Aids weight loss

One of the best things about kayaking is that you can burn a substantial amount of calories while still having fun. Depending on how fast you paddle, and for how long, you will be able to burn anywhere from 350 to 1,200 calories per hour. This is really beneficial because it allows you to lose weight while still enjoying your time on the water.

Increases Stamina

By increasing the duration of your kayaking session, you can also increase your stamina. Since there is no set limit on the time period that you can be kayaking for, you are able to keep paddling for as long as you want and every time, it will be a new challenge. This means that you will never get bored with the activity and it is also a great way to work toward reaching your fitness goals.

Cardiovascular Benefits

One of the main benefits of kayaking is that it can greatly increase your heart rate. In fact, you can get a better cardiovascular workout in general than you can from many other forms of exercise. Since you are constantly paddling with your hands, core and lower body, the blood will be pumping through those areas which will strengthen them while also burning off calories.

Exercise for Seniors

Kayaking is a great way to exercise if you are older. Some people believe that kayaking is better for seniors because it doesn’t use as much body weight as other forms of exercise such as running or cycling. Also, kayaks can be easier to learn and understand so even those who aren’t athletic will still have a good time out on the water.

Calorie Burn

Kayaking is considered to be an aerobic exercise because it requires you to breathe harder than usual which leads to an increase in heart rate and respiration rate.

Mental Health benefits

The sense of freedom and balance that you feel when kayaking is another great benefit to the sport. Paddling on the water provides a unique experience that you can’t get anywhere else. Being out on the water can relieve stress from your busy schedule and it will also help you to clear your mind so that you can focus more on what’s truly important. Plus, the calm, relaxed atmosphere allows you to take in all the beauty around you and enjoy nature. It’s a great way to reduce the stress that you may experience during the week and it is even considered to be good for your overall physical and mental health.

Great Source of Vitamin D

We all need vitamin D to help us live a healthy life. Vitamin D helps to regulate some of the most important aspects of our body, including blood pressure and bone mineralization. If you are not getting enough of this vitamin, you are setting yourself up for osteoporosis and other problems.

Fortunately, kayaking is a really great way to get vitamin D. Just one hour of kayaking will provide you with between 300 and 400 IU of vitamin D. Not only is this a great way to get the vitamin that your body needs, it’s also a fun activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

By kayaking more often, you can increase your exposure to sunlight, which will improve your health and prevent diseases such as cancer. Plus kayaking is an enjoyable form of exercise that can be done by those who don’t enjoy running or cycling; it’s low impact and easy for beginners.

Kayaking is a healthy, low-impact activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It strengthens your muscles, stretches and relaxes them and improves balance. Kayaking will also help you to improve flexibility in your body while boosting your cardiovascular health.
Use these benefits to motivate yourself into kayaking often!