Calories Burned While Paddle Boarding

Exercising at home day in day out can get boring very soon. At the gym, you would have had your trainer or friends to encourage you but the Pandemic has ensured that is no longer the case. It is no wonder then that you have started falling short of your fitness goals of the week. It’s time to look for a new way to seat it out and find an alternative full body work out regime. So, why not try stand up paddle boarding? No matter how old you are this avenue will always remain open to you. Not only will it help you keep yourself fit but the fresh air and deep blues of the sky and water will rejuvenate you!

Below you’ll find the four most common types of paddle board exercises, plus the respective calorie burn estimates for one hour of paddling. There are various types of exercises one can engage in with the SUP and you should know how much calorie you can burn while resorting to them.

  1. Recreational paddling: The most common type of standup paddle boarding is recreational use, which is an easy paddle with calm water, light winds at a slow walking type pace. At a typical casual pace, you’ll burn about twice the calories you’d burn on a moderate paced walk (2.5 mph). You can burn 305 to 430 calories while leisurely paddling for an hour.
  2. SUP surfing: This can be the best cross training fi you are trying to improve your surfing skills. It is also the perfect alternative exercise and a good workout for surfers when the waves are small. The average number of calories burned during a surf session at Coronado Shores on a typical chest to head high day with light winds were:
  • On average, you can burn 623 to 735 calories in an active one hour surf session.
  • The bigger and rougher the waves, the harder you work your body and muscles, (more calories burned and increased muscle growth) making for a full-body workout.
  1. SUP Racing: Racing might be the highest intensity exercise of standup paddle boarding. There is no slowing down and your heart rate and cardiovascular are at full throttle. Perfect paddle board exercise for those who are competitive and addicted to pace. The data given here were recorded at Dana Ocean Challenge – a popular five-mile SUP race in Dana Point, CA.
  • On average, you can burn 713 to 1,125 calories in an hour of high intensity racing.
  • The number of calories you burn can vary greatly depending on stroke intensity, stroke form, wind speed and water conditions.
  1. SUP Touring: SUP Touring entails paddling for long distances at a moderate pace without stopping in between and the perfect solution for adventure seekers. It is also a very relaxing way to get out on the water with friends after a long day at the office and burn some calories along the way. The data recorded here were measured at Glorietta Bay with an average speed of 3 mph.
  • On average, you can burn 615 to 708 calories in an hour.
  1. SUP Yoga: Is calming and meditative, but also exhilarating and an intense workout for the mind, body and spirit. The data recorded was measured after having practiced yoga on a paddle board for about an hour.
  • With an energetic yoga flow, you can burn anywhere between 416 to 540 calories in an hour.

The amount of calories you burn in a day while on a SUP depends on the intensity of your workout. You can have light session or a hard, intense one according to you and the paddle board will suit both of your moods. No matter what intensity level you decide to go, SUPing will help improve your balance, upper body strength, core and endurance.

Written by William Lester