SUP Fitness: How Many Calories Does Paddle Boarding Burn?

Paddleboarding is one of the fastest-growing summer activities. This goes hand in hand with paddleboard fitness. Paddling across the lake or along the shore or the ocean may seem effortless but it turns out to be a great form of exercise.

What makes this sport so amazing is that nearly everyone can do it. Unlike running and hiking, paddleboarding doesn’t involve any impact to your knees or joints. At the same time, paddling activates nearly every muscle in your body from your core to your legs to even your arms. It also increases your balance and range of motion.

How to Calculate the Calories Burned

Many factors can affect how many calories you burn while paddleboarding. This can include your age, weight, time on the water, heart rate, and even weather conditions. After all, someone who is just casually paddles boarding on a Sunday morning will burn fewer calories than someone pushing their body and heart rate.

Pro Tip: You can enter all of your information into a calorie calculator to get an accurate estimate of the calories you burned during the day.

Stand Up Paddle Board Surfing

Within the category of paddleboarding SUP surfing. If you are looking for the best workout with a paddleboard this may be what you’re searching for. Some waves are needed for this sport so it can be limited to certain parts of the world but will give you one of the highest burned calorie totals you can get.

Of course, your totals will vary depending on your skill level and how large the waves are. For example, if you are in 4-8 foot water and catch waves say every 5 minutes you can burn up to 650 calories in an hour.

SUP Racing

Another popular way to burn calories with your paddleboard is by racing. You don’t have to be in a competition or even have another person that you’re racing. All this means is that you go full out for an extended period. The longer you paddle at your maximum the more calories you will burn while increasing your heart rate and strengthening your body. You can also race by yourself. If you have a destination that you can paddle to you can time yourself and try to beat it every time you’re on the water.

You can even try high-intensity interval training this way. For example, if you can only paddle your maximum for a minute, that is completely fine. Take a few minutes break and do it again. If you continue this way you will find that your body will become stronger and you can paddle for a longer period.

If you are paddling like this with short breaks you can burn upwards of 700-1100 calories in an hour. This makes SUP racing one of the best ways you can exercise. Not only are you burning a high amount of calories, but you are also doing it in nature with the sun on your face

SUP Touring

If you are more of a chill paddler you may enjoy touring on your stand up paddleboard. This is more of a long-distance paddle rather than a sprint (like racing). Touring is perfect for an afternoon after a day’s work. It will loosen you up and get your heart rate up without sitting in a dark gym. If you can maintain a 3 miles per hour pace you can burn around 600-700 per hour.

SUP Yoga

Do you love yoga? Well, this can be the next step in your practice. When you add balancing on your board while doing your regular poses you will notice that different muscles are activated. But the bonus that nobody talks about is the change in the environment. Paddleboarding allows you to find a complete center in your little world. You can paddle out into the middle of a lake and be completely alone while you go through your favorite routine.

You can expect to use up to 400-600 calories an hour depending on the type of yoga you’re performing. Just keep in mind that this doesn’t include paddling out to your spot. When you combine this with your positions you can expect to have a well-rounded workout.

Recreational Paddling

For the days where you need a break from your workout try recreational paddling. You may want to bring a friend on the water and have a nice conversation while you paddle. Even though this may not seem like a workout you will still be burning calories. A slow paddle could burn more than double that of walking. Depending on your pace you can use around 300-400 calories an hour. If you are looking for a challenge, try paddling on a windy day. Even a slow paddle can burn even more calories as you’ll be working harder to stabilize your board through the choppy wake.

Globo Surf Overview

If you are looking for a new way of exercising stand-up paddle boarding may be an excellent option for you. It not only gets you outside and in nature but is also an activity that doesn’t put a strain on your body. Paddleboarding is also a social sport where you can bring your friends out on the water.

The best part about incorporating a paddleboard into your workout regimen is that it doesn’t feel like a workout. You will notice that you’ll start to crave and look forward to your time on the water. There are so many ways you can use your board that you’ll find yourself spending hours on the water without even realizing it. The best part is that inflatable stead up paddle boards are so portable you can bring them anywhere you travel. Simply toss it in the trunk of your car or wear it in a backpack and you are all set for your next workout adventure.