Jogging isn't the only way to get your cardio in, doing a plank isn't the only way to strengthen your core, and push-ups aren't the only way to strengthen your arms.
Ditch all of that nonsense and go play in the waves!
Depending on how active you are, as you frolic in the water, you burn around 200-400 calories per hour. Keeping yourself stable in the water and stabilizing during currents is constant core-strengthening work.
Treading water alone you can burn about 200 calories! This is because your chest, back, neck, hips, abs, feet and hands are working to keep your body vertical the whole time. Even if you are in shallower water and are able to stand most of the time, your body is still working those muscles to keep you balanced as waves continue to crash by.
Everyone knows that surfing is a full-body workout, but there are too many excuses (or legitimate reasons I suppose) to not do it. “I can’t transport a board to the ocean”, “I'm not coordinated”, “Being that far out in the ocean scares me, what about sharks?
The list is endless, and not all of us are surfers or realistically have access to the right equipment. Bodysurfing and bodyboarding on the other hand are much more accessible, you aren't out in the open ocean, and you can still work the same muscles you do while surfing and burn the same calories, or even more because you are constantly working to keep yourself vertical in the water.
If you don't live near the ocean then I guess you truly don't have access to this great all-body workout, but I suppose you wouldn't be reading a blog on a handboarding site in the first place.
For those of you who have caught a wave in any way, whether it was a massive 30 footer at Jaws or you accidentally got caught in the shore break, you know what an adrenaline rush it is. Adrenaline is a hormone that allows your muscles to be pushed to the max, more oxygen to enter your lungs and it makes us feel great. Sure you get an adrenaline rush after a lengthy run, but what about playing in the waves where you are guaranteed more than one adrenaline rush during your workout and, let’s face it, you feel like a kid again.
The ocean may be the one place it’s socially acceptable to act like a child. You're swimming, splashing, catching waves and getting washed up to shore- and it’s totally normal. So what better way to stay fit and strong?
Have fun out there kids!
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