Fitness & Paddleboarding
Now the SUP season is just around the corner, I find it important to keep up with my fitness.
No one has to go at it hammer and tongs, but I feel if I improve my fitness levels, then my technique and stamina will improve when I get back on my paddleboard whether I am teaching SUP lessons or just enjoying the sea myself!
Paddleboarding & Fitness
Being fit, confident and strong can benefit my paddleboarding immensely. As well as help me flourish in many other ways, here I take a look at easy approaches to improve my paddleboarding ability, which also brings other benefits to my well being including managing breath work, having a positive mind set and flowing through a yoga routine, these benefits enable me to take on everyday challenges in and out of the water – just one of the many things I love about it!
How does fitness help you be a better paddleboarder?
Like all sports, paddleboarding requires a level of fitness that you might not expect. When I am out on the ocean on my board especially on the North Coast, I have to be prepared for the unexpected. When the tide changes or a wind brews up or there is a gust of wind or the sea becomes lumpy. Then my fitness comes in to play, whereby if I have the physical strength to deal with these conditions then I will be more confident mentally. Naturally upper body strength and strength and conditioning workouts are great for SUP.
However, don’t worry if you are just beginning your paddleboarding journey, as if you are attending one of my SUP lessons you can start at any fitness level.
The Benefits of Open Water Swimming for Paddleboarders
Since COVID, open water swimming has become so popular in Northern Ireland! Swimming in the ocean takes time and practice, this teaches me to remain calm in cold water to understand tidal shifts and to move with the flow and strength of the ocean, it helps build my confidence in the water meaning when I do paddleboard I am more in tune with the environment that surrounds us.
Whether it is swimming in the sea or in my local pool I find swimming improves my cardiovascular strength and my upper body strength enabling me to have better paddle technique and paddleboard in the water for longer. Swimming enables me to train the muscle groups that I harness when paddleboarding. It builds up my neck, and back strength allowing me to build up my paddleboard stamina.
I do an open water swim at Helens Bay one morning a week and pool swim twice a week. The open water swimming help improves my endurance for harsh winter conditions and the pool swim helps me with my breathing technique. Hanno at Freedive Northern Ireland has taught me so much on breathwork. It is so important to be able to do breath holds as if any time I get caught under a wave at least I can hold my breath for 45 seconds and not be panicked. There are breathing techniques for all kind of objectives, whether it’s to calm your nerves, get better sleep, or lift your mood or practice meditation, there’s a breathing exercise for all of it.
Finding Your Balance with Yoga
Yoga, I admittedly struggle with! My yoga instructor Carla McGreevy would like to pin me down to do some good old hip stretches now I’m at that age - I will commit one of these days! Most of my friends do yoga or pilates and they do tell me it does enhance their paddleboarding, particularly the balance element.
Through practicing yoga you become more aware of your surroundings and your flow and your connection with the ocean will sharpen. Yoga helps improve your posture and flexibility and your range of motion and strength which will increase your lung capacity when you are out on the water. Plus on a mental level, yoga clears the mind of clutter and improves balance, hand eye co-ordination and energy levels.
Is Paddleboarding Good for Fitness and Weight Loss?
Of course, I couldn’t finish without mentioning the incredible benefits of SUP for weight loss, fitness and your mental health. When you are out for a paddleboarding session you can burn up to around 460 calories! SUP is brilliant for your core muscles in particular and you are guaranteed to feel the benefits after a session with me!
However, I find the mental health benefits just as important as nothing quite beats that feeling of being out on the water for relieving stress and calming anxiety.
Ready to Get Up & Get On? Book a SUP lesson with me today.