Kayaking is one of the best ways to be outdoors and enjoy nature while getting a great workout in. It’s also a low-impact exercise, which means you can do it for as long as you want without worrying about hurting your joints. The water also helps cool you down on hot days. And even if that doesn’t get you excited, kayaking has been shown to improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety levels. So what are you waiting for? Get out there!
Contents
Kayaking Is popular
When you think about the types of water activities people do, kayaking doesn’t immediately jump to mind. That’s because swimming is more popular than kayaking with an estimated 27.58 million Americans participating in it versus around 16.62 kayakers. So what does that mean for you? It means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get out there! Not only will kayak shops be easy to find, but instructors and guided tours will as well.
Kayaking improves flexibility
If kayaking does become a part of your fitness plan, you’ll be happy to know that kayaking is great for flexibility. The fact that kayakers are constantly adjusting their bodies and moving around in all directions makes kayaking a whole body workout. Due to this constant movement kayakers achieve greater range of motion in the hips, shoulders, neck, and spine than swimmers or exercisers who do repetitive motions like running or cycling. As an added bonus kayak stretching exercises can help improve posture by lengthening tight muscles and increasing flexibility in tight joints.
Kayaking improves cardiovascular fitness
If kayaking does interest you, one of the things you’ll notice when kayaking is just how much work your upper body gets in addition to working out your legs. The reason kayakers have such toned arms and chiseled abs is because they’re constantly paddling through the water with their arms while using their core (stomach muscles) to stabilize themselves in the kayak. So if kayaking looks appealing to you, start kayaking more often!
Kayaking improves mental health
If kayaking sounds like a great way for you to have fun outdoors while getting some exercise in, make sure to also consider the benefits it can have on your mental health. Increased exposure to nature has been shown to improve all aspects of people’s health including their physical and mental well-being. In addition, kayaking is an excellent form of exercise that promotes mindfulness and helps reduce stress levels. When kayakers focus solely on kayaking they’re able to clear their minds from everyday stresses and notice things around them that they otherwise wouldn’t (like birds or waves). It’s these types of activities that are vital if we want happy lives without the daily stress.
Kayaking reduces anxiety levels
Reducing stress and learning to be mindful are both ways kayakers can reduce their overall anxiety. In fact, you might even notice a decrease in daily anxiety once you start kayaking since exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety by decreasing the release of cortisol. And kayaking is not only great for reducing stress and anxiety but it also improves self-confidence. We know kayaking requires physical fitness and strength, so kayakers may feel more confident about themselves knowing they can paddle through the water while holding themselves up on top of this unstable kayak! So as long as you don’t have a fear of falling into the water (or getting hit by boat wakes), kayaking should help lower your overall anxiety.
Kayaking improves overall health
As kayakers move through the water, they’re utilizing large muscle groups in their arms and core. In addition, kayaks are very unstable so kayakers must engage their core to maintain balance while paddling. This is all a great way for kayakers to get stronger and improve their health! All that being said, kayaking is just one of many outdoor activities known to help people stay healthier by increasing physical activity levels. We know exercise has been shown to boost mental health as well as reduce stress levels; and even helps treat depression. While kayaking might be a good form of exercise for you, remember there are many other non-traditional ways you can increase your daily activity such as walking or biking. In fact, in some areas there’s kayaking as well as kayak rentals so you can still enjoy kayaking even if you don’t own one!
Kayaking is a fun way to stay fit and healthy
While kayaking might not be for everyone, it’s certainly something that will improve your health more than sitting on the couch all day watching television (which isn’t healthy!). So next time someone asks you what you want to do today, consider telling them about kayaking. Who knows? Maybe they’ll join you out on the water! If kayaking doesn’t interest them but another outdoor activity does, go try whatever it is with them and experience first-hand just how great spending time outdoors can be. And if kayaking does grab their interest, go kayak with them as often as possible to ensure they get the same health benefits of kayaking you have!
Kayaking is a great form of exercise that promotes overall health. So get out there and kayak today! If kayaking isn’t for you but another activity sounds appealing, choose any outdoor activity you enjoy and do it more often; whether that be running in the morning or biking every weekend. The key is to regularly engage in physical activities you’ll enjoy so your health will benefit from it.
Kayaking makes days feel longer
A day spent kayaking on the water is a day well-spent since kayakers are enjoying time outdoors while exercising at the same time. If kayaking isn’t your thing but enjoying the great outdoors is, try doing that instead. For example, if kayaking makes you fall asleep out on the water then go for a hike in the woods to enjoy nature instead. And remember: even walking around town is better than nothing at all! There’s no right way to stay fit and healthy as long as it helps improve your health; kayaking or not kayaking. So don’t feel like kayaking lessens the amount of exercise you get each week because it doesn’t matter how you approach improving your health; just make sure you’re making an effort!
Kayak-paddling can relieve joint pain
Kayakers spend more time in their kayak than most people spend sitting in a chair at work. So kayakers may pay more attention to their kayaking posture and realize anything that hurts while kayaking might also be bothering them while sitting at their desk. If you’re experiencing shoulder or back pain, kayaking might help relieve some of those issues and improve your overall movement (and decrease joint/muscle pain). There are many kayak techniques you can apply to the kayaks handles so take the time to explore all your options before choosing one. As long as you choose an option that works for you, kayaking will be a great form of exercise since it requires you to engage large muscle groups like your arms and core. By performing exercises that utilize these key muscle groups, kayaking can help improve your posture and reduce muscle/joint pain you experience while kayaking or sitting at your desk.
