In a country as beautiful as Australia, canoeing and kayaking is an excellent way to explore our Victorian waterways. You can connect to nature, while also having a fun, family friendly experience. 

Not only do you get to enjoy an amazing day out in the sun, it also comes with a bunch of health benefits, both physically and mentally. 

This blog explores just a few of the health benefits of kayaking and canoeing. 

Physical Benefits

Kayaking and canoeing are water sports that are perfect for all ages and fitness levels. Paddling is gentle on your joints, and while it boosts your fitness, it is still considered a low impact activity. 

This reduced wear and tear on your muscles and joints means you potentially have less issues later in life, rather than high impact sports that can cause permanent damage. 

Depending on your energy levels, you can go at a slow, moderate or fast pace and still see amazing benefits to your physical fitness and health. 

Improved Upper Body Strength 

Paddling is an excellent upper body workout, increasing the muscle strength in your back, arms, shoulders and chest. 

The natural resistance of the water makes it extremely effective at engaging your muscles when you paddle. 

Improved Core Strength 

Kayaking is also a great way to improve core strength. When you are turning, you are engaging your core muscles by rotating your torso and applying pressure with your legs. You learn to use your core to balance and stay in control of your movements. 

Improved Cardiovascular Fitness

Spending time outdoors kayaking can improve your cardiovascular fitness. It can elevate your heart rate, and boost your stamina. 

Cardiovascular exercise has been proven to improve your health overall, including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Mental Benefits 

Canoeing and kayaking have a lot of amazing physical health benefits, but they can also help improve your mental health as well. 

Simply put, canoeing is fun! And having fun is going to boost your mental health greatly. You get to exercise, get some much needed vitamin D from the sun, and have an outdoors adventure, all in one sport. 

Reduced stress levels

Kayaking can be an incredibly peaceful experience – if you want it to be. Of course there are daredevils out there looking for their next fix of an extreme adventure, but there are many places you can go for a calmer experience. 

The great thing about canoeing and kayaking is that you get to choose whether you want a fun full on adventure, or a more laid back and peaceful adventure. 

Being out on tranquil waters, listening to wildlife while paddling can have a great calming effect on your brain, and can even potentially lower your stress levels.

Improved mood

Canoeing and kayaking can help lower levels of depression, and improve your mood. Many feel like paddling on the water can be a peaceful and meditative experience that helps you feel more relaxed and stable inside. 

Exercising is proven to be good for your brain and mental health, but exercising specifically near water and greenery has been shown to reduce depression and anger levels. 

Build self-esteem 

Paddling can help you build confidence and self-esteem as you see improvement. There is so much variety in what you can do when in a canoe or kayak, so there is an endless amount of room to grow and improve. 

As you improve, you will feel more confident both on the water and in real life. Whether you’re on a solo trip, or team building in a tandem kayak, you learn to overcome challenges and explore new areas confidently. 

Enjoy Canoeing with River Country Adventours 

To get the most out of your canoeing or kayaking experience, a guided tour is your best option. You will learn how to safely navigate the water, and have all the proper skills and preparation to have a fun day of paddling.  

If you’re looking to enjoy our glorious Australian bush, then these river adventures are perfect for you. With experienced guides, you can feel confident in your canoe. 

River Country Adventours has a whole range of kayak and canoe adventures for all skill levels, whether you’re looking for a full 4 day adventure, or you just want a half a day river canoe. 

Based in Kyabram, Victoria, you can browse the full range of canoeing experiences here.