4 Health Benefits of Kayaking

[Jeson G Davidson]

Marco Antonio Correa Flores

Kayaking is a great sport that has been found to have a variety of health benefits, useful not just to have fun but also to exercise different muscle groups in the body. When kayaking for exercise, it is not a must that you physically apply yourself too much. Although whitewater kayaking is seen as the more physically exertive resulting in more calories burnt, you can also get plenty of benefits by choosing calm waters in a lake or the sea. Here, specifically, are four of the top health benefits of kayaking:

Core Strength

Kayaking is one of the best ways to exercise different muscle groups around the core of the body. Rowing ad paddling actions result in the most calories burnt since they require the use of different muscles in the arms, chest, back, and abdomen. And since these actions are repetitive, you get to execute a reasonable number of repetitions each time you go out kayaking. It is also important to note that you can use kayaking as a way of exercising the muscles in the lower part of the body, as well. It is recommended that you use your feet to change the direction of the kayak from side to side regularly to achieve this.

Cardiovascular Health

Whether you choose the more physically exerting whitewater kayaking or opt for the more relaxed calm-water version, you still get the opportunity to raise your heart rate. The exerting nature of kayaking usually makes it possible for you to achieve a solid cardio workout (it's worth noting that kayakers and canoeists usually have 50 percent more mass in the left ventricle of the heart than people who live sedentary lives).

Calorie Burning

If you've been looking to burn calories, lose weight, and generally keep fit, then kayaking is a great option. It's estimated that a person weighing about 125 pounds can burn around 300 calories per hour; multiply this by a multiple hours and you can see this is a superb fatburning exercise.

Mental Health

It is also important to note that kayaking has great mental health benefits. In addition to a zen kind of tranquility (in calm waters, at least) and oneness with nature, paddling makes induces our brains to produce chemicals vital in boosting mood and confidence, such as serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine.

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