SUP stands for stand-up paddleboarding, and that’s the action of waving on the water using paddles and trying to stay stable all the time, so you won’t fall in the water. You’ve probably seen all those people at the beach who were doing that, asking yourself if you would ever be able to do the same. Probably you haven’t tried it yet, since you are here, searching for the benefits and reasons why it’s the ultimate workout for those who have an option to do that regularly.
But, it’s not enough just to want to do that. You must train regularly, and have the proper equipment for SUP boarding. You can visit supboard-99.nl to see what do you need and estimate the price ranges you can afford to invest in equipment. Keep in mind that the gear will add additional resistance to your body weight, making the paddleboarding even more effective when it comes to calorie burning.
Do you need to know why it’s considered a killer workout, even though it’s a low-impact exercise in general? Here we are:
1. It’s simple, but you still need to work on your balance
Standing on the board on the surface of the water is something we can’t even imagine is possible, and using paddles while boarding can easily put you out of balance. Practically, you need to take a proper body posture and balance on the board and keep the body like that all the time, targeting the muscles in the leg and core.
At the same time, it’s very interesting and exciting, and the additional excitement can burn a few more calories. The good thing is that everyone is eligible to start SUP boarding, no matter their current body weight, size, or level of fitness dedication.
2. It burns a lot of calories
Knowing that you have to keep your muscles stretched and contracted, in order to maintain the balance, they will need additional energy to do that, and start using the fats and calories to boost it. But, in the meantime, you will burn at least 400 calories if the water is calm.
But, in moderate activities, when you can manipulate with the paddles, but still keeping your body up, this number can go up to 550 calories in about an hour. Depending on the distance, this amount can rise, and if you don’t stop for the whole hour to get rest, it will burn around 700 calories, which is equal to one hour of HIIT cardio workouts.
3. It strengthens your core and all the muscles in the body
You don’t need to do pushups, squats, or planks to strengthen the core. Once you get into paddleboarding, you will realize that every muscle in your body is working in your favor, to make you more stable on the board. The muscles in the abdominal area will work all the time, to keep you balanced, and after you finish with the paddleboarding for that day, you will literally feel the burn, together with the arm muscles, and of course, the calves and legs.
The paddle doesn’t weigh too much, but when your body is in a state of contraction, even the lightweight things can make a difference. If you wear a vest and emergency backpack, it will add more weight and increase the resistance, which leads to increased calorie burning and strengthening all the targeted muscles and joints.
4. It’s relaxing at the same time
As you glide over the water, you will feel exceptional freedom and comfort. People who are afraid of water should anyway avoid this activity. Adapt the speed so you can burn calories, and enjoy the nature around you. There isn’t anything more beautiful than the breathtaking landscapes around you, as you feel powerful enough to conquer the world.
Also, nature and landscapes have mindfulness benefits for you, which combined with low-impact exercises, muscle strengthening, and burning the calories, can bring a huge power and self-confidence, and improve the mental health condition too. It’s a great getaway from the urban jungle and if you are brave enough, and want an exceptional experience that is good for both your physical and mental health, then SUP boarding is one of the best choices for you.
5. How can I burn even more calories?
The casual boarding can burn up to 400-450 calories per hour, knowing that it’s the basic workout that can be done over a board in the water. Some skilled boarders know how to practice yoga, and boost their performance for additional 50-100 calories burned every hour. But, extreme activities like surfing and racing can burn above 700 calories every hour. Everything leads to a lack of calories, which is the most important part of losing weight and strengthening your body.
At some point, your metabolism will take energy from the fats in your body, without touching the muscles, even when you don’t pay a lot of attention to what you eat and drink. If you combine paddleboarding with healthy habits, the results will be visible even after a few weeks or a month. Keep going, because as you can see, it’s the best thing you can do to your body.
Sadly, not every person in the world is able to practice this type of workout regularly. Many of us don’t even live close to lakes or sea, and we travel once or twice a year there. With the COVID-19 restrictions, most of us aren’t able to leave their town, so we have to adapt to the situation, and hope that the vaccination will work nicely and we can travel soon.
But those who are lucky enough to live near water can surely try this one. In the first moments, you will probably need an instructor, or you can try to learn balancing by yourself. No matter what you do, keep in mind that this is the best possible activity for you, that will improve the mental and physical health at the same time.
