5 Fun Ways to Get Fit with a Paddle Board

I understand why you’re confused. How can getting fit be fun? Getting fit means exercising and eating healthy, and that doesn’t sound fun. But think about it like this.

What if your daily exercise was a hobby you loved to do in your free time? That would be ideal. Need ideas? I have a good one – stand up paddle boarding (SUP).

Stand up paddle boarding is an excellent full-body workout, meaning, it works all the muscles in your body – your shoulders, chest, back, core, arms and legs. And while you’re getting fit, you get to be outside, in the sun, enjoying beautiful views and the sounds of nature. Not too shabby.

So, what’s the best way to get in shape on a paddle board? Here’s 5 fun ways.

1. HIGH INTENSITY PADDLING

The number of calories you burn on a paddle board is dependent on the intensity level of your paddle stroke. The harder and faster your paddle stroke is, the better the work out.

A high intensity paddle can burn over 1,000 calories per session.

High intensity: An intensified paddle pace where you maintain a high stroke rate without stopping.

Workout length: 15 min – 30 min

You always can do a mix between a low and high intensity paddle for your workout. For example: You can do a high intensity paddle for 15 min, a low intensity for the next 15 min, then go back to doing high intensity again for the last 15 min.

Here’s the best paddle boards for a high intensity paddle:

• Voyager
• Glider
• Explorer

2. SUP CROSSFIT

If you’re not living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Crossfit. Crossfit is a series of high intensity workouts that incorporates elements from different types of sports and exercises.

For this workout, we combined paddle boarding with a standard crossfit routine.

If you want to lose weight and get toned fast, doing a SUP crossfit routine 3 days spaced out in a week will do the trick. You will easily burn over 1,500 calories, each session. Here’s an example of a SUP crossfit routine:

1. Warm up with a 10 min paddle
2. 10 push ups
3. 10 sit ups
4. 10 box jumps
5. 10 burpees
6. High Intensity Paddle for 5 min
7. 10 lunges
8. 10 rope jumps
9. High Intensity Paddle for 5 min
10. Repeat 2-3 times

All types of paddle boards (Inflatables, Epoxy, Soft) are great for a SUP Crossfit.

3. SUP YOGA

Even though SUP Yoga is calming, it’s also an exhilarating mind-body workout that combines strengthening and muscle toning. An energetic yoga flow can burn around 500 calories in an hour.

The intensity of your yoga practice depends on the form of yoga you choose. Techniques like hatha and iyengar yoga are gentle and slow. Bikram (hot yoga) and power yoga are more intensive and challenging.

If you’re looking to get toned fast, Bikram and power yoga will be your best option.

If you’re new to SUP yoga, check out our beginner 10 Paddle Board Yoga Poses to help you build out your own flow.

Here’s the best paddle boards for SUP yoga:

• All Around
• Cruiser
• Megalodon

4. SUP SURFING

SUP surfing is one of the most thrilling ways to get fit with a paddle board. Catching and riding waves never gets old. Just like regular surfing, SUP surfing is an incredible full-body workout.

On average, you can burn around 700 calories in an active one-hour surf session. The bigger the waves, the harder you work and the more calories you will burn.

Here’s the best paddle board for SUP surfing:

• Classic Surf

5. SIMPLY PADDLE BOARDING

Believe it or not, taking a leisure paddle around your local spot can burn a surprising number of calories and help you get toned.

A casual paddle will still burn over 400 calories (burns twice the number of calories you’d burn on a moderate paced walk).

You can burn around 350 calories leisurely paddling in an hour.