Is kayaking better than the gym?
- Thread starter jsmoke
- Start date
Soldato
Better in what way?
For an upper body workout.
Soldato
Probably not, i'm sure there are various muscles that wouldn't be worked and so wouldn't work the full upper body as you would be able to in the gym with weights.
Kayaking is excellent for the mind, I am on Loch Laidon at least one a week.
Permabanned
and how often will you be kayaking....
Probably, I’d say most sports/activities would be better for most people than going to the gym, as far as general fitness is concerned. Exceptions being bodybuilders.
If you’re doing an activity you enjoy then it’s no longer mundane like the gym can be (granted there can be a social aspect to gyms). Also for most people they’ll tend to spend only say 30mins or 1 hour in the gym whereas with a sporting activity you’re really into you might well end up doing it for the best part of a Saturday or Sunday.
With a hobby like that you’ll tend to want to progress and do more… cycle further, climb a bigger or more technical mountain, tackle a more difficult river or take a trip lasting a few days etc..
Gyms are notorious for people signing up then letting the membership expire/quitting. Find a hobby you can really get into and you can stick with it for years.
Look at any serious cyclist, mountaineer, canoeist etc… they’ll tend to be in very good shape. I remember doing the JP Morgan charity run a few times and noticing how unfit lots of the bodybuilder types from my company were, it’s not like they were particularly massive either, just a bit muscular.
If you’re doing an activity you enjoy then it’s no longer mundane like the gym can be (granted there can be a social aspect to gyms). Also for most people they’ll tend to spend only say 30mins or 1 hour in the gym whereas with a sporting activity you’re really into you might well end up doing it for the best part of a Saturday or Sunday.
With a hobby like that you’ll tend to want to progress and do more… cycle further, climb a bigger or more technical mountain, tackle a more difficult river or take a trip lasting a few days etc..
Gyms are notorious for people signing up then letting the membership expire/quitting. Find a hobby you can really get into and you can stick with it for years.
Look at any serious cyclist, mountaineer, canoeist etc… they’ll tend to be in very good shape. I remember doing the JP Morgan charity run a few times and noticing how unfit lots of the bodybuilder types from my company were, it’s not like they were particularly massive either, just a bit muscular.
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What an extraordinarily question.
I love kayaking and I love the gym. No clue what you are asking really.
There are a million different ways to approach the gym and several different ways to approach kayaking. If I do sprints in my K1 it is hugely aerobic and I feel battered the next day. If I potter around in a recreational boat it is no more impactful than walking. Similarly deadlifts vs pilates. You ask a lot of odd questions.
What do you actually want to know? If you are kayaking with good technique you will be working your core and legs at least as much as your arms, your back will be doing a lot of work. Is that better than shoulder presses, bench pressing and squats? may be but depends what you wnt to achieve
I love kayaking and I love the gym. No clue what you are asking really.
There are a million different ways to approach the gym and several different ways to approach kayaking. If I do sprints in my K1 it is hugely aerobic and I feel battered the next day. If I potter around in a recreational boat it is no more impactful than walking. Similarly deadlifts vs pilates. You ask a lot of odd questions.
What do you actually want to know? If you are kayaking with good technique you will be working your core and legs at least as much as your arms, your back will be doing a lot of work. Is that better than shoulder presses, bench pressing and squats? may be but depends what you wnt to achieve
No, because there's lots of different equipment at the gym.
Yes, because you can exercise in a much nicer environment.
Soldato
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- 13 Sep 2005
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Good luck even buying a kayak at the moment.
Associate
There is a very big difference in terms of what kind of kayaking you prefer. If you want something like rowing machine for your house, that's fine, but personally I prefer outdoor sports. Fresh air is very good for health. I sometimes go boating and fishing on the lake, but I like to do it in the wild and either in autumn or even winter. I normally need to buy not only oars and rods, but also good clothes like Bushcraft Pants in order not to get cold there. Those small fixtures at the bottom save my ankles from getting cold water. I also have a small house by that lake where I can sit by the fire and medicate some time later. I haven't been there for a while due to pandemic, but I hope to come back this autumn. So if this is your thing, you can also read about MRE and other outdoor equipment, but if you prefer it itdoors, it is absolutey fine with me too.
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Better for what? Endurance? Muscle growth? General well-being?
If you enjoy kayaking more than the gym, then it will be better for every goal except muscle growth.
The best exercise is the one you enjoy.
Muscle growth would be number one thing.
Soldato
Less boring.
Associate
You want muscle growth... So you've picked for you comparison a non-impact cardio sport that covers anything from 80km days on expedition with a laden 18' boat, to white water, to k1, to people pottering on their lake to go fishing? Why OP, why?
Associate
Even then, unless they're racing or working hard, once they've worked out how to paddle straight and balance, it's no more of a workout than snowboarding or skiing. But I see the post n run now
Well I have a whitewater boat and can take it on lakes for a hard paddle. Anyway I've already done that and it is good for strengthening your upper body but doesn't beat weights.