Kayaking: Paddling Your Way to Fitness

Kayaking is a pastime suitable for the whole family. It involves using a slim and light floating device called a kayak, which is like a canoe, and utilizing a double-ended paddle to propel it over water. The craft was designed by the Inuit and Aleut indigenous peoples of the North American Arctic thousands of years ago. Kayaking is now worldwide and is even one of the events in the Olympics.

Let’s take a look at some of the many wellness benefits this watersport provides. For example, kayaking is an awesome low-impact aerobic activity for older people or those who want to gradually get fit. Unlike running, basketball, or tennis, kayaking doesn’t require you to constantly pound your feet against hard pavement. For people with arthritis or those with a higher risk of injuries, it can be a perfect workout without putting more strain on the joints.

It’s one of the few outdoor activities that targets the upper body, including the chest, back and core, which consists of the abs and other deeper muscles. These muscles around the middle can be harder to train outside of a gym. In terms of athletic activities, we can develop our back and shoulders to help avoid possible injuries that come about from not having correct posture. The motion of seated paddling also requires your core, including the pelvis, lower back, hips and stomach, to work together. The motion of paddling on the right and left side of the kayak will work your oblique muscles, which are the muscles responsible for the rotation of the core. Our glutes, which are the main extensor muscles of the hip, also play an important part in paddling.

Apart from stronger muscles, kayaking can also bring many other enhancements to our health. Let’s take a look at these benefits. Improved cardiovascular health. Reduced stress. Just like hiking in the forests can be beneficial for stress relief, kayaking is calming and promotes relaxation. As an outdoor pastime, kayaking will help you reconnect with nature, and it has been demonstrated to bring significant improvement to a person’s mental health. Excellent source of vitamin D.