Kayaking and canoeing are fantastic water sports that allow you to enjoy nature close up and exercise your upper and lower body. Kayaking involves sitting with legs extended forward and uses a double-bladed oar to paddle. Canoeing involves sitting or kneeling and uses a single blade paddle. You can kayak in lakes, rivers, bays, estuaries, harbours, seas and oceans. It is advisable to start in flat-water conditions, such as a calm lake or bay when there are few big waves. Most kayaks and canoes hold a single person, although you can accommodate two people or adventurous pets in a tandem.
Health benefits include:
- Improves cardiovascular health Kayaking or canoeing increases your heart rate and is therefore great aerobic exercise that benefits your heart. The regular activity can reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of stroke or heart disease.
- Burns kilojoules / calories Kayaking at 8 kilometres per hour burns up an average of 2000 kilojoules (or nearly 500 calories at 5 miles per hour). This is great for weight loss or toning.
- Increases upper body and abdominal fitness Kayaking is great for toning your arms, shoulders, back and chest and building up strength. The torso twist action will also tone your waist and abdominals. An average kayaker will travel approximately 4 to 5 kilometres per hour, and it is quite common to kayak for several hours to half a day.
- Tones your legs Perhaps surprisingly, kayaking is also great for your legs, as the muscles tighten to keep you balanced in the kayak.
- Reduces stress Paddling in calm water does wonders for your stress levels and can significantly reduce anxiety. Being on the water and close to nature is very good for your mental health. You will no doubt see beautiful flora and fauna on your trips.
- Get you outdoors and in the sunshine Being outdoors and breathing in the fresh air is great for your health. Vitamin D from the sunshine is good for strengthening your bones.
- Increases happiness and addresses depression In addition to the peace and tranquility of being on the water, the aerobic activity of kayaking releases various neurotransmitters such as dopamine, endorphins, norepinephrine and serotonin, which work well to enhance your confidence and mood, increase happiness and reduce depression.
- Enhances memory and brain health The aerobic exercise of kayaking will encourage the development of new blood vessels and increase the number of blood cells in your brain. This is great for brain health and reducing the risk of dementia. Regular exercise like this can increase the size of the hippocampus which is the seat of verbal memory and learning.
- Improves your sleep Being in fresh air and exercising for hours will definitely help you sleep better, in terms of going to sleep more quickly and having fewer interruptions.
- Gives you time and space for reflection Kayaking enables you to switch off mentally from your everyday problems and gives you spaciousness which allows you to settle and reflect.
- Opportunity to kayak in the sea and white water Once you've mastered the calm waters, you can kayak in stronger conditions such as the sea and white water rivers. This increases your focus and attention and heightens your physical fitness.
“So lovely was the loneliness of a wild lake.”