Benefits of Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Due to the ever moving nature of water, paddle boarding forces you constantly maintain balance. Not only does your sense of stability improve but you are using major muscle groups to do so.
SUP is the ultimate low-impact, full body workout. Your arms, shoulders, back, core and legs are engaged when paddling which in turn raises your heart rate and burns those calories and builds muscle.
Paddling is also a fantastic way to supplement the healing process whilst recovering from joint or tendon issues as well as increasing hip and knee mobility. Not to mention the benefits to cardiovascular health which in turn decrease the chance of related diseases.
All-Round:Typically standup paddle boarding recreationally on canals or rivers at a slow walking type pace, you can burn about twice the calories you’d burn on a moderate paced walk (2.5 mph), you can burn 300-400 calories leisurely paddling in an hour.
SUP Touring when paddling at a moderate pace without stopping in-between can burn an average 600-700 calories.
Surfing:
When SUP surfing, the bigger and rougher the waves, the harder you work which translates to more calories burned, you can burn 600-700 calories paddle surfing in an hour.
Racing:
When racing, there is normally not slowing down and your heart rate and cardiovascular are at full capacity.
In a 5-mile sup race, you can burn on average 700-1000 calories in just under an hour of high intensity racing.
Yoga whilst Stand Up Paddle Boarding can be calming and meditative but also exhilarating and an intense workout for the mind, body and spirit. You can burn 400-500 calories in an hour.
The main muscle groups that are being activated during a paddle are your mid back muscles (latissimus Dorsi), Shoulders (deltoids), Arms (triceps & biceps) and abs.