Paddleboarding is quickly becoming a very popular sport. Not only is it easy to learn, it is also a low-impact sport that can be enjoyed by people of almost any age.
The Recreational Benefits:
Some people enjoy paddleboarding for the recreational aspect. You don’t necessarily have to endure a tough workout in order to enjoy the sport. In fact, you can go for a slow paddle without ever getting out of breath, and still get fitness benefits.
You can also take advantage of the sunshine, fresh air and relaxation benefits that are nothing to shake a stick at. There is no reason why you need to use a paddleboard exclusively for exercise.
The Fitness Advantages:
However, if you are looking for way to get a full-body workout, paddleboarding can provide that as well. The faster you paddle and the stronger the surf, the more your muscles will be challenged. The unpredictability of currents and waves can also make a paddling workout more challenging. And you can always step it up a notch by working out with a group of other paddlers or training for a race.
Arms and Back
Obviously, when you paddle you will engage your arm and shoulder muscles. What’s great about paddleboarding is that you are paddling both forwards and backwards, thus engaging different muscles. In addition, since you are standing up, you are using your back as well.
Legs and Gluts
Paddleboarders stand with their knees slightly bent. If the wind picks up, there are waves or a strong river current, the legs are constantly adjusting to balance on the board. This engages the quads, hamstrings, calves and gluts, sometimes without you even realizing it.
Core
Since you have to maintain your balance while paddling, your core needs to remain engaged virtually the entire time you are moving. This is such a big benefit to paddleboarding that yoga enthusiasts and other exercise gurus have taken their exercise routines to the paddleboard to boost their workouts.
No matter how you look at it, paddleboards can be used in a variety of different ways, and board owners can definitely get their money’s worth. Possibly the greatest disadvantage is transporting them - unless you have an inflatable SUP. Get more info on shopping for an inflatable SUP.
