How Using a Stand-Up Paddleboard Can Help you Stay in Shape

Cocoa Beach stand up paddleboard rental company discusses how this growing sport is an exciting way to stay in shape

Over the last decade, the sport of stand-up paddleboarding has exploded in popularity with year-over-year sales doubling and even tripling in some cases. Many observers think stand-up paddleboarding doesn’t require much effort. However, while you can leisurely stroll in your SUP, it can be a pretty rigorous workout.

The opportunity for a low-impact yet high intensity workout has been a contributing factor in the commercial success of stand-up paddleboards. Combine this with the leisure pursuit of sightseeing and fishing and you suddenly have an enjoyable hobby that serves as a workout as well. Think about how you can kill two birds with one stone – see the sights around Cocoa Beach and the Indian River Lagoon while building muscle and increasing endurance.

Using a stand-up paddleboard in fact requires you to engage several different muscle groups in the body, including all of the major areas like:

• Core – This grouping of muscles connect the upper and lower parts of your body. Working your abdominal muscles, obliques and lower back are all important for helping you maintain good balance. The act of balancing yourself on the board engages your core muscles, along with the rotation of your mid-section while paddling.

• Shoulder/Rotator Cuff – When you paddle a kayak, canoe or paddleboard, muscles surrounding your shoulder are engaged. Keeping these muscles in shape will help maintain stability of your shoulder joint and provide better rotation. The shoulder joint connects your arm to the rest of your body and can get weak if it isn’t used regularly.

• Arms – Your biceps and triceps are one of the first things people notice if you’ve been working out. In a gym, you typically have to perform separate exercises to work these muscles. Besides your shoulder muscles, the paddle stroke will work your arm muscles too, especially if you stand on your board like a surfer would (i.e. one leg behind the other).

• Back – Connected to the movement of your arms, the Latissimus Dorsi in the middle part of your back is another muscle that is used when standing and twisting to paddle the board. Lifting the boat is another way the Latissimus Dorsi and other muscles in the back are used.

• Legs – Since you’re standing, your leg muscles like your thigh and calf are engaged and strengthened. If you’ll be using a stand up paddleboard for swimming, shallow water fishing (wading) or diving, getting on and off your board will require you to engage your leg and other muscles mentioned above.

Since using a stand-up paddleboard is in fact a combination of strength, balance and endurance training, many experts consider it a “full-body” workout.

Stand up paddleboard rentals in Cocoa Beach allow you to take in the Indian River Lagoon while burning extra calories from your vacation

Any physical activity is going to burn calories. The key is finding an activity that helps you burn calories that’s safe – stand-up paddleboards is one activity that fits both these criteria.

If you’ve been in Florida for your vacation, you may have not been eating as well as you usually do. All of those extra calories can lead to weight gain if you don’t do something to burn them off quickly.

A stand-up paddleboard rental is an ideal way to do this – not only can you burn those extra calories, you can take in some wonderful scenery around Cocoa Beach and the Indian River Lagoon.

According to an informal study by a California surf and SUP store, simple leisure paddling can burn between 305 and 430 calories per hour. If you pick up the pace to 3 mph for one hour, you should burn between 615 and 710 calories.

While canoeing and kayaking also burns calories and works many of the muscles listed above, you’re still sitting down for long periods of time. An increasing number of research studies show how sitting for a long time can damage your back, your circulation and balance among other things.

The fact that you’re standing and not seated in an awkward position is one reason why so many have flocked to stand up paddleboards.

If you’re visiting Orlando or Cocoa Beach and would like to try riding on a stand-up paddleboard without the upfront cost, a rental will help you get the hang of the sport and see how it can provide a vigorous, full body but low-impact workout.

We invite you to visit CalypsoKayaking.com to learn more about stand-up paddleboard rentals and areas around Cocoa Beach where you can explore and get some exercise all at the same time. Contact us with any questions or about scheduling a stand-up paddleboarding trip today.