Benefits of Kayaking – Physical & Mental Health Advantages

Physical Benefits Of Kayaking

Besides being an adventure and fun activity, kayaking has many physical benefits. Let’s understand those benefits.

1. Increase upper body strength

Kayaking is one of the best upper-body exercises you can do without going to the gym or doing endless crunches in your living room. It works on the muscles and also in your shoulders, back, chest, and abdomen and is one of the best ways to build and strengthen muscles. As a substitute for weight training or any other form os strength training, kayaking can get your muscles working hard.

2. Core strength

Every stroke requires you to contract your abs as you reach forward, and your lower back muscles as you pull.

This engages your core muscles throughout the activity. During a kayaking trip, you engage your core muscles even while sitting upright in the boat.

3. Tone your legs

Although kayaking strengthens the upper body and arms, it is not only limited to those muscles. Leg muscles are used while kayaking, and the movements involved in kayaking are just as powerful as upper body muscles. A kayak’s balance is maintained by putting pressure on the inside of the kayak with the legs. You may also unintentionally strengthen and relax leg muscles numerous times as you try to turn or maneuver the kayak.

4. Improve your muscular endurance

Your obliques will be engaged as you rotate your body from left to right, giving your core muscles a great workout. It’s a good idea to try kayaking, even though there are many better core exercises because it can keep the core muscles active the entire time.

5. Improve cardiovascular health

You will also exercise your heart muscles as you engage in the activity on a regular and consistent basis, strengthening and improving them.

6. Source of vitamin D

Physical Benefits of Kayaking

Mental Benefits of Kayaking

One of the best ways to rejuvenate the mind is to spend time outside and take in the scenery. Here are the mental health benefits of kayaking,

1. Increase your self-esteem

Therefore it promotes mental health and reduces stress to a great extent.

2. Improve sleeping quality

An extensive body of research found that exercise during the day could improve sleep quality and aid difficulty falling asleep.

3. Stimulates memory

Kayaking can tone specific parts of your body as well as specific areas of your brain. Getting out to paddle on a regular basis, even several times per week, will help to tone and improve the hippocampus region of your brain. Kayaking, in addition to toning the area, increases blood flow within the brain and stimulates the growth of new brain cells.

4. Set aside time for some outdoor experience

If you’re like most people, you spend most of your day from 8 to 5 at work, in an office, in class, and watching TV.

5. Personal improvement

Many people find that kayaking is a calming and meditative pastime that allows them to travel through rivers and streams where there aren’t many other people. Since kayaks provide a close look at many animals’ and birds’ native habitats, many people are known to enjoy this time spent in nature. Kayaking with your family has the potential to improve the relationship between parents and kids.

Mental Benefits of Kayaking

Conclusion

Consider taking up kayaking for a low-impact activity that may tone your muscles and get your heart racing.