Stand up paddle boarding is becoming more popular each year. Hawaiians have been using it for years as a means to keep fit when the waves are not adequate for surfing. By using a paddle board, surfers were able to enjoy the water and obtain some exercise simultaneously. In the last few years, millions of people have begun to enjoy paddle boarding, while standing (SUP). People now engage in stand up paddling to enjoy the water, spend time with friends, and to improve their fitness level.

 

How Intense is the workout?

SUP can provide you with a very good overall workout. You use balance and strength in order to remain upright and propel yourself in the water. The level of intensity you'll experience will be dependent on your location and the speed you wish to travel. If you are paddling in the ocean and there are a lot of waves and an ocean current, your workout will be intense. If you are simply drifting in relatively placid waters, it will be very low intensity and relaxing.

 

Core Benefits

Paddle boarding will provide you with a great core workout as well. Almost every muscle in the body is used at some point. A large part of SUP is balance, your leg muscles will be hard at work attempting to maintain your balance. In addition, paddling utilises the arms, back and shoulders to propel the paddle board in the water. The core, back and abdominal muscles are constantly at work to maintain your balance.

 

Low Impact

An additional benefit that SUP provides is that it is a very low impact exercise. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will do damage to the tendons and ligaments of your joints. If you lift weights in the gym or you engage in high impact sports, then your likelihood of injury is far higher than with stand up paddling. SUP is particularly useful for runners that are experiencing shin splints or knee and hip pain. With this type of sport it is possible to use up a lot of calories without damaging your joints.

 

SUP Fitness Benefits

One of the clear benefits of SUP is the very fast and obvious improvement of the fitness level of its practitioners. It is a very good sport to engage in if you are cross-training since it uses almost all the muscles in the body. SUP is a form of simultaneous aerobic and strength training.

 

Health Benefits

There are numerous health benefits to paddle boarding and the best part is it will not cause any damage to your body while you enjoy them. The cardiovascular benefits are truly amazing. You will be able to substantially improve your level of cardio fitness. Of course this translates into many benefits for your body, including a decreased incidence of heart attack and stroke. In addition, you are going to burn a lot of calories. This will likely translate into a loss of weight. Most of us are aware of all of the adverse conditions that are associated with being overweight. You will reduce your chances of getting diabetes, heart attack, stroke and joint problems by reducing your weight, and SUP can help you accomplish this. There is one more great benefit to be aware of… it is very relaxing and a great way to relieve stress. Stress, has countless adverse health consequences and negative effects on the body. I have personally found that stand up paddling has always been an excellent coping method for dealing with stress. Once I get out on the water and start paddling, I can feel my body and mind relaxing as I get into the paddling rhythm.

 

Improve Your Balance

Many activities and sports require good balance. SUP will definitely improve your sense of balance as you try to stay upright while paddling. For instance, what football player could not improve his game with better balance? The more you SUP  the more your overall core balance will improve.

 

A Surfing Alternative

This sport is a very good alternative for people who have difficulty or fear of surfing, or health issues making it difficult to surf. You may have friends that surf, and want to join the fun and with SUP, you can get out there and catch the waves and enjoy the surf with your friends.