Kayaking isn’t just an arm toning exercise as it might appear. While kayaking, you are using your upper body to paddle, your core to maintain stability, and your legs to keep you and the vessel balanced. You won’t realize how much this activity benefits your entire body until you climb into the kayak and start to move across the water. You may notice it even more once back on shore and your body acknowledges that it has been working hard.
If you are new to kayaking, you may want to schedule a tour so that an experienced leader can teach you the basics, including safety strategies. Let’s explore six of the many health benefits of kayaking.
1. Strengthens Muscles and Slims Down
Incorporating regular kayaking sessions into your exercise routine is a very good way to strengthen muscles and increase your stamina. Over time, you will notice you are shedding some weight as your muscles gain more definition and tone.
Kayaking is considered a low-impact exercise if you are not an enthusiastic competitor. Even so, it has a positive impact on your shoulders, arms, abs, and legs because of its strength-training qualities
2. Improves Cardiovascular Health
You might be wondering how paddling and gliding through serene waters can benefit your heart. It isn’t like you are in a spin class trying to reach maximum heart rate and to break a sweat. However, kayaking does gradually increase heart rate until you are in a rhythm and going at a good pace. For many, especially seniors, a gradual heart rate increase is safer and more beneficial to your cardiovascular health than pounding the platform of a full-speed treadmill.
You control your pace. You are able to start out slowly, work up to a speed with cardio intensity, and slow yourself down as you head back to shore. This process is both relaxing and invigorating, which your cardiovascular system will thank you for.
3. Reduces Stress
What could be less stressful than skimming across the open water in the fresh air? It is known that water can be a therapeutic means to calm anxiety and relax the body. The sound of the water, the breeze in the air, and the warmth of the sun are simply soothing. This is an opportunity to hit the reset button.
4. Boosts Vitamin D
It is widely known that exposure to the sun is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. This increases when the sun’s rays are reflected off the water’s surfaces. Vitamin D is crucial for bone and muscle formation by assisting the body in the absorption of calcium. It also supports cognitive health and boosts energy.
There aren’t many great food sources of vitamin D. Getting out in the sun on a kayak may be one of the best ways to get a good dose of this vital nutrient.
5. Increases Endurance
Regular exercise can increase your overall endurance by improving the way your body uses oxygen to fuel your muscles and organs to function optimally. The more oxygen you take in, the better your body is able to perform for longer periods of time.
Oxygen therapy is used to control inflammation by breaking the cycle of swelling and tissue deterioration. In controlled environments, this is a method to treat disease. So why not get outside and breathe in as much oxygen while kayaking as you can to sustain endurance and keep inflammation in check?
6. Enhances Mood
One of the best benefits of kayaking has to be its profound positive effect on your mental health. As your entire body is in sync to navigate the water, you are focused and captivated by the natural environment. This is stimulating to all the senses and results in the release of feel-good hormones, like serotonin.