5 Health Benefits of Kayaking

Key Takeaways:

  1. Kayaking is an effective cardiovascular exercise that can burn lots of calories and relieve stress.
  2. It can increase overall strength and improve your sleep, self-image, and immunity.
  3. Kayaking is a low-impact sport that is easy to learn and can be done in a variety of water bodies.

Do you treasure an active lifestyle and would you like to engage regularly in a low-impact, high-value sport that is great for your health? If so, grab a kayak and take to the water. A kayak is a lightweight, versatile watercraft suitable for navigating a wide range of water bodies. You can use it to travel through lakes, streams, rivers, or rapids. And so, with your kayak, you can embark on a tranquil outing, immerse yourself in nature, and get a more intimate view of new, scenic surroundings. In the process, you enjoy a full-body workout that’s valuable for your health. So, what are the top 5 health benefits of kayaking?

  1. It optimizes cardiovascular health: Want an easier way to get your regular dose of 120-150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity? If so, try kayaking. Due to its rhythmic nature, characterized by a fairly steady pace that increases the heart rate and breathing rate, kayaking is an effective cardiovascular exercise. Of course, you’ll navigate your favorite water body at a pace and intensity that you prefer. But as long as you can achieve a steady pace or an alternation between slower and faster intervals, you’ll get your heart pumping and have an amazing aerobic exercise. Generally, the harder you paddle, the higher your heart rate and the better the cardiovascular workout. Remember, increased cardiovascular function will not only prevent heart disease, but also protect you against hypertension, stroke, and other circulatory problems.
  2. Burns lots of calories: Can you paddle your kayak a little faster? Well, if you can have your vessel going at about 5 miles per hour—requiring roughly 0.1 horsepower of effort—you can burn about 400 calories per hour. And so, in just 3 hours of paddling you’ll have dropped 1200 calories! Now, since the sport is fun and adventurous, you’ll go on and on with the exercise without even realizing it. And the joy of being close to nature will easily motivate you to go on as compared to the alternative of a physical weight loss program. Also, being predominantly a daytime activity done often in warm weather, kayaking encourages high water intake. And as you rehydrate your body regularly, you lose more weight—increased water intake is associated with loss of weight.
  3. Relieves stress: In the current world, with its high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle, the opportunity to breathe in fresh air as you watch your boat glide through water is a powerful stress reliever. Over the 2-3 hours or so of paddling, you’ll spend time under the sky, watching the ever-changing grey, blue, green, and brown colors, which is calming. Studies also show that by spending at least 20 minutes a day in nature, you can significantly reduce stress. And because kayaking is an aerobic exercise, it triggers the release of brain chemicals that enhance mental health. For instance, during kayaking your brain releases endorphins that help relieve stress and boost your sense of well-being. So, if you’re stressed, anxious, depressed, or just need to clear up your mind after a hectic routine, paddling is an ideal activity to rejuvenate your mind.
  4. Increased overall strength: During kayaking, your upper body sees much of the action. And so, as you raise and dip the paddle and have your muscles struggle against the resistance of water, you achieve an enhanced upper body, including stronger arm, chest, shoulder, and back muscles. But kayaking also works the lower body muscles such as leg, abdominal, and gluteal muscles. For example, the back and forth motion while seated and paddling engages your leg and gluteal muscles, and create stronger, leaner abdominal muscles. Equally, kayaking is a low-impact sport that is easy on the joints. It doesn’t pound the limbs against the ground and is suitable for people with arthritis, other conditions, or at risk of injury.
  5. Boosts sleep, self-image, and immunity: If you’re struggling to get a sound night’s sleep and are considering using sleeping pills, you need to try kayaking. The activity is tiring, calms the mind, and ensures you easily fall asleep at night. You also end up sleeping soundly and waking up more energized. The sport equally gives you the opportunity to meet people as you paddle in nature’s beautiful sites and to be joined in your trips by your child, friend, or partner. So, it is great for bonding and healthy relationships. It improves self-image, too. It builds a sense of achievement as you overcome the challenges of long-distance paddling or the struggles of whitewater rapids. In turn, you enjoy better social skills, sense of self, confidence, and overall self-satisfaction. And finally, the time you spend outdoors in the sun boost your vitamin D level, which enhances your overall immunity. Remember, vitamin D is one of the most difficult vitamins to obtain through diet.

Amazing kayaking expeditions: Would you like to rekindle your sense of curiosity and adventure while improving your overall health? At Captain Mike’s Kayak Academy, we encourage you to try kayaking as part of your long-term active lifestyle. It is easier to learn, offers a wide range of options, and requires little investment. You just need to spend a little time to learn the basics and build your confidence, then go out there to engage in this delightful, memorable, and healthy sport. For more information on kayaking ideas, tips, and tricks, visit the site “Captain Mike’s Kayak Academy.”
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Canoeing and Kayaking – Health Benefits

Canoeing and kayaking are low-impact activities involving the paddling of small crafts through water. As a hobby, fun activity or competitive sport on lakes, streams, rapids, rivers or the sea, kayaking and canoeing can bring you into harmony with the water and wildlife as you improve strength, fitness and flexibility. If you are looking for an exciting way to get active, whether for a family outing, or workplace bonding, then canoeing and kayaking will deliver that delightful adventure with extended health benefits. 

What are the health benefits of canoeing and kayaking?

1. Improved cardiovascular health

The brisk movements involved in canoeing and kayaking raise the heart rate continuously and boost cardiovascular health. When you’re out on the water and paying attention to your heartbeat you’ll notice a gradual increase in your heart rate as you paddle. Canoeing and kayaking have similar effects on the heart rate as other kinds of exercises, except it’s more enjoyable than riding a bike or running on a treadmill.

2. Mental health benefits

Spending hours paddling a boat through water is not only an enjoyable and relaxing experience, but the exercise also reduces stress and releases endorphins that improve mood and relieve depression. Canoeing and kayaking boost the levels of dopamine, serotonin and nor-epinephrine in the brain, which in turn improve attention and focus. Paddling also ensures the release of chemicals that boost the production and health of brain cells, improve sleep quality and enhance self-confidence.

3. Helps with weight loss

Paddling at a speed of 3-5 miles per hour (using about 0.1hp effort) burns almost 400 calories per hour, with 4 hours of canoeing or kayaking capable of burning up to 1,600 calories. Combining paddling with proper calorie intake cuts more weight faster than biking and many other exercises. So with regular canoeing or kayaking, you’ll improve your stamina and muscle strength, which will help you have a healthier and more active lifestyle.

4. Wonderful upper-body workout

Paddling your boat with good strokes usually incorporates every major muscle group of the body, including the back, legs, torso, hips and abdomen. One hour of paddling at 3 mph involves about 1,500 repetitions of low-impact upper-body movements, which helps to tone upper-body muscles, improves overall health of the core, and strengthens and tones the torso. Using the body to control and maneuver your boat requires considerable amount of strength, which in turn helps to develop those muscles. Rowing and paddling offer smooth, impact-free rhythmic motion that keeps the joint fluid moving, ensures joints are properly lubricated and shields them from wear and tear.

5. Source of vitamin-D

The time spent outdoors paddling and rowing comes with the bonus of vitamin-D intake. Since the “sun vitamin” is difficult to get from foods, most people usually get up to 80 percent of their vitamin D through exposure to the rays of the sun, which are often plentiful when out canoeing or kayaking. Now, with an estimated 45-75 percent of people having vitamin-D deficiency, it’s highly likely that you may be one of those who really needs more sun exposure. And through a canoeing or kayaking venture, you can be sure of boosting your vitamin D levels.

6. Improved overall health

Canoeing and kayaking are great aerobic workouts, which can really be key to any fitness regimen. Regular paddling and rowing ensure improved regulation of cholesterol levels, enhanced blood sugar control, better lung strength, lower blood pressure and increased endurance. And when performed three times a week, these moderate-intensity exercises can minimize fatigue and boost your energy levels by up to 20 percent.

Are you planning to go out on a canoeing or kayaking trip? At Captain Mike’s we can help you get the most out of your paddling venture. With our stable, comfortable and safe crafts, you can confidently get on water with a boat that suits your quest. We also offer the training and support you need to have a thrilling and memorable time out on the water. For more information on our boats, boat prices and tips for achieving the best possible kayaking and canoeing trips, visit the “Captain Mike’s Kayak Academy” site.