The Health Benefits of Stand-Up Paddleboarding
(photo courtesy of @toddavison)
One of the best things about stand-up paddleboarding (and all paddle sports) is that it’s not just fun, but has so many health benefits.
Let’s take a look at some of them:
Physical Health Benefits of SUP
The health benefits for our physical body are what we usually think of when we hear “health benefits.” So let’s start there.
Stand-up paddleboarding is truly a whole-body workout:
- All your muscles, from your core down to your feet, are engaged when you stand on a paddleboard on water. Water is an unstable surface, so when you stand on a paddleboard, your body is constantly making adjustments to maintain your balance. This is true even on flat, calm water.
- When you hold and use your paddle correctly, your arms, shoulders and core muscles are all engaged in the movement of each stroke.
- Did you notice your core is engaged in both balancing and paddling? SUP is a great core workout!
SUP yoga has been extremely popular for several years now. If you love the conditioning yoga gives your body, adding the unstable surface of a SUP board on water adds more challenge.
Like other physical activities, SUP helps keep your body’s immune system strong. It helps prevent several types of diseases like diabetes, heart conditions, strokes and cancers. It helps keep you at a healthy weight. It’s great for bone health since it’s a weight-bearing activity.
Activities like SUP, in fact, aid all your bodies systems: your brain and nervous system, blood flow, skeletal and muscular systems, digestive system. We get better sleep, too, which is important for our overall health.
(photo courtesy of @squatch_and_siren)
Mental & Emotional Health Benefits of SUP
Like with any regular physical activity, it’s not just your body that benefits—your mind and emotions benefit, too.
Many studies have researched and confirmed that physical activities like standup paddleboarding help us by lessening depression, anxiety and mood swings. And they help us by increasing mental clarity, creativity and problem solving ability.
Health Benefits of Nature-Based Activity
Not only does SUP benefit our health because it’s a physical activity…the places we stand-up paddleboard are almost always outdoors (the exception is indoor pool SUP yoga). Many studies have also researched and confirmed that being in nature gives our mental and emotional health a major boost, too.
We’ve all experienced it. Being on the water is relaxing. It’s soothing. Surrounding ourselves with natural beauty is stimulating. It’s healing.
In fact, the list of mental and emotional health benefits we get from being in nature are very similar to those we get from physical activity: less depression, anxiety and stress; more creativity, clarity and joy.
As it is with kayaking, canoeing and packrafting—all the paddle sports—so it is with stand-up paddleboarding. When we invest time and resources into it, we’re investing into our health in so many ways.
(photo courtesy of @supwildernessadventures)
So…happy paddling!
What paddle questions can we help you with? Contact our friendly Customer Service team today: 715-755-3405 • [email protected]
More for you...