The 10 Mental and Physical Benefits to Stand Up Paddle Boarding

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(Fen Labalme/Flickr)
(RamaRaju-Penumatsa/Flickr)

In my experience it is best to learn stand up paddle boarding when you are with a group of friends or colleagues as you bring out the best in each other. Not to mention you are all bound to have some laughs when Paul falls off his board because of a wave that is half a foot tall knocked him off balance and into the water!

Paddle Boarding is one of the best ways to spend time outside, especially if you live near a lake, ocean or even at night! Not only is it a great activity you can enjoy with friends and family but it is also a great full body workout that does not feel like a workout because as you know, those are hard enough to find!

Here are just a few of the benefits of stand up paddle boarding:

Stand Up Paddle Boarding is Meditative in Nature

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There’s a reason why there’s such a thing as Yoga Paddle Boarding. It’s simply because being out on the water is extremely calming and makes a big difference in calming your nerves and allowing yourself to be fully immersed in the moment all the while having the sun warm you. The gentle rocking of the waves almost acts as a crib which can put you in a calm and relaxed state.

Stand UP Paddle Boarding is a great Full Body Exercise

Muscles worked while paddling include the trapezius, lower back, gluteal, shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, abdominals, thigh and lower leg muscles. All of these muscles get activated throughout each paddle stroke. When done for an hour or more continuously you will work up quite a sweat!

Continuous Paddle Boarding Burns Calories

If you are a beginner and you paddle for about an hour at a time you can burn up to 430 calories! As you get more advanced and get into other categories of Paddle Boarding you can burn anywhere from 1125 to 540 Calories within that same hour!

Paddle Boarding Reduces Stress

Chillin’

I’m sure you have all been in a situation at work where you come home and you are all wound up about what your boss said to you in the office. So my advice? Forget about it and go out and paddle in the water! All of your problems will slip from your mind and you will have a cool head and a fresh start for the next day.

Paddle Boarding Improves your Balance

Some of this may come as a surprise to you guys but I have terrible balance. Going on a balance beam used to absolutely terrify me as a kid but I started paddle boarding. I first starting out from my knees and then gradually standing and getting used to countering what some waves might throw your way. If you are starting out I recommend that you try paddle boarding when the weather is calm and the waves are small and manageable.

Paddle Boarding is a Great Recovery Exercise

Chances are if you are athletic or an athlete you have injured yourself at one time or another. Paddle Boarding is the perfect low impact exercise that allows you to regain your strength without pushing your injury to it’s limit. Your pace is determined by how much you want to paddle.

There’s Such a thing as Yoga Paddle Boarding

Paddle Boarding Yoga has taken off in recent years because it adds a new level of difficulty to your normal yoga routine. If you are a Yogi and want a new challenge try Yoga Paddle Boarding. It adds a bigger degree of difficulty because it works new muscles that aid in balancing which makes each pose more difficult. The fact that you are outside in nature breathing fresh air also helps your body out as well.

Paddle Boarding Increases your Strength

(Fen Labalme/Flickr)

If done consistently paddle boarding will increase your strength over the summer and as a result you will be able to paddle longer, have better balance and have a stronger overall body paddling consistently! There are not very many sports or activities out there that can give you a full body workout like a stand up paddle board can.

Paddle Boarding is an Excellent Way to Lose weight

If you are looking to lose a few pounds look no further than paddle boarding. Sure there are lots of ways to lose weight such as going in the gym or going on the treadmill but, you do not get the benefits of being in that fresh air and under the sun absorbing that vitamin D. In my experience paddle boarding is one of those few exercises where you don’t even realise you are exercising. By that I mean that there are so many things to keep your mind on such as balancing, steering, looking at your surroundings and interacting with others . You definitely cannot say that about the gym.

You get to be Outside

Paddle Boarding is a fantastic way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air that your body needs to stay healthy. Not only does your body benefit from the fresh air and exercise but you also get a chance to get some vitamin D into your skin which is an essential nutrient that promotes calcium and bone growth.​

With all of these benefits how can you not afford to go outside and give Stand up Paddle Boarding a try?

Derek is an avid fisherman and floating enthusiast that hails from White Rock, British Columbia. He is originally from Ontario and spent many of his summers fishing growing up. Some of his fondest memories as a kid were looking for that elusive northern pike in lakes scattered across Ontario and Quebec. While he does not get as much of a chance to fish now a days he still brings his trusty rod and tackle box anytime he travels to Shuswap Lake. Derek can be found in his spare time tinkering with his kayaks and inflatable paddle board anytime he gets a chance. Lately he can be found working on his website https://floatingauthority.com/ that reviews fishing gear, kayaks, paddle boards and anything that floats!