Stand Up Paddleboarding - The Benefits

Have you ever wondered if Stand Up Paddleboarding is merely a hobby or if it really has some value in your fitness plan?

This article will introduce some of the research into Stand Up Paddleboarding, and explain how to incorporate it into your own plans.

Stand Up Paddleboarding is a relatively recent form of water sports, compared to canoeing and kayaking, who's origins date back thousands of years. 

That being said, the benefits of SUP are not widely known. The article will summarise some of the key benefits of SUP, some dangers and how to incorporate it into your own program, without using confusing scientific jargon. 

 

Firstly, the benefits of Stand Up Paddleboarding!

 

1) Cardiovascular fitness 

This is the body's ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and organs. No matter what your training goals, good cardiovascular fitness can help you reach your goals. Good cardiovascular fitness also results in a reduced risk of heart and respiratory problems, lowers blood pressure, regulates blood sugar, helps you sleep, lose weight and strengthens your immune system. More noticeably, good cardiovascular fitness can improve your day to day life, making simple tasks easier and improving your mood. One study has found that SUP is an effective exercise for improving cardiovascular fitness, and is comparable to rowing, kayaking, canoeing and intense swimming. 

 

2) Body Composition 

This is the make up of your body, how much lean (muscle) mass and fat mass you have. This can easily be measured through calculating your BMI (Body Mass Index), or, more accurately, through analysis scales, available at some gyms and sports labs. Improvements to body composition can be made through fat loss which has been shown to be a benefit of Stand Up Paddleboarding. Fat loss is simply achieved through the burning of calories, and one study showed that, dependant on intensity, you could burn 9-14kcal per minute! That's 540-840 per hour! This study stated that SUP meets the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines as an effective form of cardiovascular exercise, which positively impacts body composition. 

 

3) Core Strengthening

Your core is the group of muscles around your stomach, often referred to as the 'six-pack'. The core muscles are important as they provide balance and structure to your lower spine, and strengthening them improves your balance and stability. Also, the core muscles are one of the largest groups of muscles in the body, so engaging them can burn a huge amount of calories. One study found that Stand Up Paddleboarding strengthened some of the major core muscles, namely the rectus adominis (six pack), external obliques (side muscles), erector spinae (Lower back muscle) and Latissimus Dorsi (Lats). Not only that, but this study found that these muscles were strengthened more through SUP than through running on a treadmill!

 

4) Outdoor environment benefits

Being outdoors has many benefits over being inside. You've likely heard of needing some 'fresh air' and to 'get some sun'. These aren't old wives tales. Fresh air has been shown to have numerous benefits to your health, and sunlight (in moderation) provides most of your body's required Vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial to strengthening your immune system. Other benefits, including stress reduction and increases our energy levels. Additionally, the outdoors can change pretty quickly. This can be dangerous, however can also be hugely advantageous. From a SUP perspective, a slight wind can have a huge impact on your effort levels, and can create waves, even on lakes and rivers. Increasing your effort levels will result in an increase of calories burned. Of primary importance is your safety. Always ensure you are staying within your ability levels and using your leash and buoyancy aids properly, and are suitably dressed for the weather conditions. For beginners, I would always recommend using a trusted water sports centre with a safety team available to ensure you are as safe as possible. 

 

 

As with all water sports, Paddleboarding can be dangerous. Weather and water conditions can be unpredictable and varied based on numerous factors. You must take precautions to ensure your own safety. As stated before, I recommend using a trusted water sports centre for safety. They will also be able to answer questions and have a good knowledge of common hazards in their area. Some even provide paddleboard hire, which can be much more affordable than buying a new paddleboard, especially if you have never tried paddle boarding before. 

 

 

One study, examining common injuries associated with SUP, found that the majority of injuries were due to overuse. The study focused on athletes, who will have been training for races and events, rather than improving general fitness. This study further found that resistance training alongside the SUP training reduced the risk of injury. 

 

Using all the above information, including SUP into your programme can have beneficial impacts on your training. 

 

Initially, I would recommend including one SUP session per week, which can help improve cardiovascular fitness, weight loss and muscle strength. 

Once you have become competent on a paddle board, you may wish to add another session each week, or adjust your one session. The paddleboard is a hugely versatile piece of equipment, which can allow you to complete some body weight exercises, HIIT training or Fartlek training. One session that can benefit most training goals, and can be adjusted to your own preferences is as follows:

 

arm up - Start off with some should mobility movements, such as shadow swimming, windmills
etc. to warm up the shoulder joints and prepare them for the exercise. Follow up with a slow paddle, gradually increasing in speed. This should be a maintainable speed, of mid intensity, just to increase your heart rate. 

Cardiovascular improvements - Longer paddle (500m) at a continuous pace. 

HIIT training - Complete shuttles from one point to another (approx. 50m) at a fast pace, with 30-60 seconds rest between shuttles. 

Muscular training - Completion of Press ups and Squats on the paddleboard. The unstable surface will engage a lot more of your core, and will increase your muscle engagement, compared to the same exercises on a solid surface. Start off with 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 

Cool down - Approx. 200m paddle, reducing intensity to lower the heart rate followed by stretching. The upper body and core are heavily used, and I would always recommend a good stretching procedure after paddling. This can be down on land or on the board just before getting off. 

 

Let us know in the comments your favourite exercise to do on a paddle board!