7 Key Reasons Why Everyone Should Take Up Kayaking
If you love the water, and you’re looking for a new, exciting outdoor sport, then you should try kayaking. It’s the perfect hobby for those who love water adventures or want to spend some time enjoying the beautiful nature surrounding them. Whether you want to relax your mind or go on an invigorating adventure, kayaking will do the trick. It’s suitable for everyone, and it doesn’t require much practice. Here are the 7 main reasons why everyone should take up kayaking.
1. Easy to Learn
Unlike many hobbies and sports, you don’t need to spend months training before you go kayaking. All it requires is basic knowledge of how to hold your paddle, how to maintain your balance on your kayak, and what bodies of water are suitable for beginners. Once you’ve learned that, you can take your kayak on your first adventure. You can sign up for a class to have enough information before you hit the water on your own.
2. Affordable
As a beginner, you don’t need to buy a kayak; you can borrow a friend’s or rent one until you’re sure that it’s the right hobby for you. Once you purchase your first kayak, paddle, and life jacket, there will be no extra fees required. Rivers and lakes are free to use, so you just need to look for the nearest river to practice your new hobby. However, you have to keep in mind that not all rivers are suitable for kayaking; some of them are too narrow or too shallow. It’s always fun to discover new places, but as a beginner, it’s recommended to do some research first or ask your friends and neighbors about their favorite spots for kayaking to be on the safe side.
3. Great Exercise
When the weather is clear and there’s no wind, kayaking will feel effortless. However, even in those days when it seems like you’re not moving your body enough, you’re actually burning a lot of calories because you’re using many muscles in the process. Although it might seem like you’re only using your arms, kayaking is a full-body workout that will tone up your entire body in a few weeks. If you read about the health benefits of kayaking, you’ll learn more info on how it can strengthen your hips, legs, core, and chest. You will no longer need to exercise or go to the gym to lose those extra pounds; an hour of kayaking burns around 300 calories! You can also increase the number of calories burnt by speed racing or going against the wind current.
4. Enjoyable Alone or with Friends
You can enjoy your time kayaking with your friends, or you can enjoy it all by yourself; it’s perfect either way. You can join a community of kayaking enthusiasts, go on fun adventures with your friends, or hit the water all by yourself to relax and enjoy the peace of quiet of nature.
5. Relieves Stress
Recent studies found that kayaking has many mental health benefits that include relieving stress and anxiety and boosting your overall mood. Paddling alone, at your own pace, allows you to focus on the beauty of nature, which by default reduces your chances of having any negative thoughts. Kayaking is not only good for your mental health; it’s also beneficial for those recovering from a brain injury. Many people who cannot participate in outdoor activities have reported that kayaking has improved their overall physical and mental wellbeing.
6. Connect with Nature
One of the reasons why many people love kayaking is that it gives you a chance to reconnect with nature, and allows you to discover new places. You can go kayaking when you travel abroad to explore the natural beauty of different countries. There’s no noise or pollution near rivers, which makes kayaking the ideal hobby for those who want to relax and escape city life for a while.
7. You’ll Never Get Bored
Even if you go kayaking at the same place, you will find that it’s a different experience every time. Kayaking at sunset is different from sunrise; it also differs from winter to summer. You will never get bored of the experience as each time you go, you’ll find that the colors of the sky and water are constantly changing, which gives a different feeling each time.
Kayaking is one of the few sports that boost your mood and strengthen your body without having a steep learning curve. You don’t need to spend months training before you hit the water; all you need is just some information and a little practice. If you’re looking for a new outdoor activity that’s easy to learn and allows you to connect with nature, kayaking is your go-to option. It’s recommended to try kayaking the first few times with a tutor or an experienced friend until you get the hang of it.