7 Best Health Benefits Of Kayaking

Health Benefits Of Kayaking

Kayaking should not only be considered as a recreational activity. You should also see it as a regimen that keeps your body healthy and strong.

Unknown to many, kayaking brings a lot of good things to your life. It is not just about watching great scenery or catching fish. It is more than just your typical family bonding. Even if you do this all alone, you can still experience one of its primal perks--and that's making you feel healthy, energetic, and strong.

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People who feel that their lives are going sedentary should invest their time on learning how to kayak. It is the perfect method to eliminate the rust in your muscles. It can make your bones grind again. Of course, the given adrenaline of being able to paddle on rushing waters is almost peerless.

With all the things that kayaking can give to you, it is quite impossible to resist it. But if you are still not sold about doing this sport, then these following health benefits of kayaking might be able to convince you.

Are you gaining weight? Do you experience difficulties in managing your shape? Are you having trouble because of your extra pounds?

If you are experiencing any of these predicaments, then maybe it is the right time that you invest in a kayak and a paddle. You see, kayaking is an excellent and efficient approach to burn all the fats in your body. The effort that is needed to row the boat is not something that you can belittle.

Take into account that paddling a kayak for a least 5 miles per hour will require you to exert approximately 0.1 horsepower. Of course, 0.1 horsepower is capable of burning around 400 to 500 calories in your body per hour. That fact alone is more than enough to prove that being in a boat is a game-changer to your weight management.

The more you spend time on kayaking, the easier for you to get your body into shape again! Couple it with other toning exercises, and your frame will become sturdy and well-toned. Isn't that great?

Here is a video that shows how a kayaker utilize kayaking to lose weight:

Many people go boating adventures because they want to unwind and break away from the stress that they feel. Trust me. That's not a wrong intention. In fact, it is something that you should try, especially if you feel that your mind and body are being strained already.

It is easy for anyone today to experience pressure, stress, and anxiety. Those things that we encounter in our work, school, or home can bring these negative aspects in our life. If we don't manage them, they will take over us. Unfortunately, it has been scientifically proven that stress can lead to different kinds of medical illnesses and conditions. Even your weariness can be due to stress.

On the flip side, one should be glad that kayaking is capable of conquering stress. It can serve as the perfect remedy because it doesn't require any prescription. As long as you are on the boat, you can feel more refreshed and revitalized.

Being able to see wonderful sights while paddling is one good example of why kayaking is a good stress reliever. It makes your mind less stiff. It can help you regain your composure and sort out all the things in your life. If you are with your friends or loved ones in a tandem kayak, the positive effects of kayaking on your mental and emotional health are amplified.

Are you looking for ways to buff and train your upper body? While doing bench press and other standard upper body workouts can do this, kayaking can still yield better results. Of course, this is something that should not mystify you anymore.

Whether you are using a sit-on-top kayak or a sit-in kayak, kayaking will still require your entire upper body to move. There's a lot of work that must be done so that you can row and glide your paddle. Every muscle group in your body has to work with proper coordination so that you can execute your paddling techniques appropriately. These things alone train the strength and fitness of your upper body.

An hour in kayaking should give you at least 1,000 stroke repetitions of low-intensity exercises. This results in your upper body gaining more flexibility, robustness, and shape. In the long run, the paddling repetition will develop your stamina as well. You will no longer run out of air in your tank.

Kayaking is one of the most efficient methods of keeping your mind sane and healthy. Right now, there are a lot of things that can compromise your mental health. Just like I mentioned earlier, stress can deliberately malign both your physical and psychological standing. Sadly, stress is not the only thing that can trample you. Anxiety and traumatic experiences can also rob your peace.

If you do not find any methods to relieve you of these negative factors, they will consume you for good. That's not a good thing as they can cause mental conditions such as depression.

Luckily, the sport of kayaking can prevent them from taking control of your life. While it is true that paddling is not designed as a mental exercise, it still does provide a positive influence. Paddling gives you a sense of relief and excitement. It helps in the optimal release of these "happy hormones" in your body.

You might not feel it first. But one day, you'll realize that while you are on your kayak, all your troubles seem to disappear. Nobody leaves their kayak with a frowning face, after all!

One might say that this is not a health benefit. However, that's not something that anyone can just decide on their own.

Keep in mind that humans are born to be social creatures. We cannot survive without others. That's the very reason why the adage "no man is an island" is quite powerful. It justifies that human beings cannot go alone. Those who tend to be alone for most of their lives are susceptible to morbid thoughts. They are also prone to anxiety because they have no one to talk to.

Of course, developing your social skills is indeed a challenge. It is challenging to create a circle of reliable and trustworthy acquaintances. Even if we have a lot of tools these days that makes communicating with others a lot easier, connecting is still a challenge.

Kayaking is a great way to break borders. Those individuals that don't have excellent social skills can try kayaking for a change. Once you are in your boat, you are a different person already. Your shyness or awkwardness will be vanquished because of the release of adrenaline and positive hormones in your body. Starting a conversation with other kayakers would just be a walk in the park!

Once you include kayaking in your regular activities, it puts your body into a schedule. You will look forward to it. It can compel you to sort your plans so that you can make time for it.

Many of us have erratic lives. One way or another, we are always subjected to the predicament where we have to juggle our time. There's a lot of things to do, and putting them in priority becomes an arduous task. The more we subject ourselves to this kind of scenario, the more prone we become in experiencing stress. Even our physical bodies can feel the debilitating effects of a mismanaged schedule.

But with activities like kayaking, your life will be arranged. Since you are enjoying this activity, it is entirely normal for you to look forward to it. You don't want anything to disturb you while you are paddling.

As a result, you will learn how to manage and organize your schedule. You will try to create a routine that will never compromise the time that you want to spend kayaking. It is like bribing yourself to experience enjoyment.

Another excellent health benefit of kayaking is improving your confidence.

Being able to achieve goals is one way to enhance your self-image and self-worth. It boosts your morale and uplifts your spirit to take on more challenges. The more obstacles you overcome, the more confidence you gain.

Kayaking is not just a sport of leisure and recreation. It is also an activity that can test your mettle. Peaceful lakes and rivers are not the only destinations that you have here. There are numerous water terrains that you can partake.

Whitewater rapids, for instance, can really put your skills in a test. It is hard, but the reward that it gives is truly worth pursuing. It gives you fulfillment and personal satisfaction that you were able to achieve something that other people couldn't. Of course, you are not going to do this because you want to brag. Instead, you will do it to prove that you are a very capable person.

Establishing a sense of confidence is good for your health. It prevents you from falling to stress, anxiety, and depression.

Bottom Line

Don't ever see kayaking as a waste of time and money. If that's the case, then many people nowadays would not engage in it. There's a special feeling when paddling a boat. But this time, you should not see it as a plain metaphor.

The excitement and happiness that you experience while kayaking are proofs that this activity does good in your body and mind. It sustains you with various health benefits that other activities couldn't.

If you haven't tried kayaking yet, I encourage you to try it. Gradually invest in the gears that are necessary for this sport. Start accumulating them in your kayaking checklist until such time you feel that you are fully equipped and ready. Don't worry about the cost because your body benefits from it in the long run.

That's it for now. If you have questions about kayaking, just drop them in the comment section below.

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