Paddle boarding is a unique activity for your entire body. Not only is it fun to do with your friends and family, but it’s beneficial to your own personal health as well. Below, are the top benefits of stand up paddle boarding that you can take advantage of. From helping improve your balance to providing a space for meditation, there’s more to paddle boarding that meets the eye.
1. Gets You on Your Feet
One of the greatest advantages of paddle boarding is that it gets you on your feet and helps maintain both your body and mind. Most people only focus on the physical aspects of this activity, but it’s incredibly beneficial to a variety of other health aspects as well. Not to mention, it gets you out of your house and onto the water with just an inflatable paddle board pump, board, and paddle!
2. Helps With Balance
Paddle boarding requires a lot of balance to stand up on the board. This means that you’ll be practicing both your core and leg strength to keep yourself balanced on the board. Plus, better balance can help you balance your life and general and have better focus throughout the day.
3. Reduces Your Stress Levels
Paddle boarding can be a great stress reliever due to the sedative nature of the water around you and the ability to make the action all about you. Not to mention, falling off the board can give you a serious adrenaline rush to push off any stressful feelings. Plus, just breathing in the salt air and being on the water by yourself can be enough to get rid of any negative energy you’re possessing. With just your stand up paddleboard paddle in hand, it is difficult to think about any of your past worries.
4. Exercises Your Whole Body
Believe it or not, it takes your entire body to use your SUP inflatable paddle board well. This means that while you’re paddle boarding, you’ll be working your back muscles, core, arms, legs, shoulders, and torso, offering you a whole body workout.
As you try to stabilize yourself from gravity, your body will work hard to maintain balance. At the same time, you’ll use your arms and shoulders to move the stand up paddleboard paddle forward, as your heart beats faster and releases nitric oxide. Your blood vessels will open and increased oxygen will approach your brain, improving the function of nearly every organ in your body.
5. Low-Impact Workout
Generally speaking, paddle boarding is a low-impact workout, meaning it can’t do serious damage to your ligaments or tendons. However, this also means it’s beneficial to some athletes that experience knee or hip pain, as well as shin splints. Due to it’s low-impact on your body, it can help you increase your strength or recover from injuries, without doing any harm to your body.
6. Helps You Lose Weight
There’s no doubt that everyone wants to lose weight fast, but your answer isn’t a week-long dieting program or a weight loss pill. Instead, you should look to paddle boarding to help with your weight loss goals. Studies have shown that paddle boarding can help lower your body fat than skimpy diets or pills you can ingest. Plus, paddle boarding is generally a fun type of exercise to actively take part in.
7. Boosts Your Cardiovascular Health
Paddle boarding can help lower your risk of suffering from a stroke or heart attack, according to iSupWorld.com. This is because paddle boarding is similar to cross-training, running, and aerobics, all which greatly help cardiovascular health and prevent a greater risk of relatable diseases.
8. Offers You The Optimal Environment for Meditation
Paddle boarding is incredibly difficult to master, especially when you are just developing the ability to balance on the board itself. This also helps heighten your awareness of every move you make while on your paddle board. Psychologist researchers determine this state of mind as “flow,” which is ideal for Zen Meditation.
However, being in this “flow” state of mind can offer you a wide range of health benefits, including improved mood, focus, and cognitive function. You can also experience better memory, and improved creative and empathetic ability. From the time you take out your inflatable paddle board pump to the time you are on the water, you will be stress-free and meditative.
There’s so much more to paddle boarding than just doing the activity. Not only is it fun, but it’s a whole experience for your body to enjoy. Plus, it helps improve the current state of your mind and body in a calm and soothing environment on the water. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to climb on your board and start paddle boarding today!