Although there are many water sports you can choose from, kayaking is a great one for a variety of reasons. Not only is this activity enjoyable, it also has many health benefits. Since you can kayak in lakes, rivers, and even on the ocean, you can enjoy these health benefits if you’re close to any significant body of water. These are the specific benefits you can experience with kayaking.
Weight Loss
Just like any type of exercise, kayaking burns calories. It actually burns about 400 calories each hour so just a few hours of kayaking can really add up. So, if you’re looking for an effective and fun way to shed a few extra pounds, kayaking would be a great choice.
Stress Reduction
Kayaking is one of the many activities that has been shown to improve stress levels. Spending some time outside on the water is enjoyable and relaxing. Even a few hours a week of this activity can make a huge difference in your stress levels. If you’re not sure what type of kayak to choose, you could visit a site like waveschamp.com to review your options and get some tips on kayaking as well.
Natural Upper Body Workout
Kayaking uses a variety of muscles but engages primarily your core and upper body muscle groups. With the normal paddling motion you’ll use, you’re going to be doing thousands of low impact upper body exercises which will tone and shape these muscles. Much easier than spending hours at the gym, you’ll want to consider kayaking as an effective strengthening exercise.
Building Community
Although you may enjoy the solitary nature of kayaking, you can also choose to join a group of kayakers and make new friends while enjoying this activity. Kayaking is enjoyed by people of different fitness levels, so you may choose a group that fits you and steer your kayak with them. You could choose to join a more laid-back or competitive club but look for one in your region first. It’s a fun pastime to do with friends, so you might want to start your own.
Improve Vitamin D Levels
Unfortunately, many people today are deficient in vitamin D, which is also known as the sunshine vitamin. This nutrient is difficult to get from food, so sun exposure is recommended. Since your body can make vitamin D from exposure to the sun, kayaking can help to build up your levels. Just 15 minutes of sun three times a week is all that you need to get the recommended amount.
Improve Heart Health
When you kayak, you’re going to be exercising your heart and contributing to your cardiovascular health. Even paddling the kayak at a moderate pace will raise your heart rate, adding to your total amount of cardiovascular exercise. It’s recommended to get 150 minutes a week of cardio exercise, so kayaking is a good way to meet those recommendations.
Although kayaking may not be for everyone, this activity offers unique health benefits for everyone. If you’re near a lake, stream, or other body of water, you may want to consider taking up kayaking. You can usually enjoy this activity for many months of the year and experience these health benefits on your own.
