Canoeing: Paddling to Better Health

When it’s summer and you’re bored with the normal rounds of baseball, volleyball and tennis, why not consider packing your family and planning a canoe retreat? This activity is perfect for the summer and, depending on your location and indication can be an excellent regular form of recreation and workout.

If you’re interested in building a family adventure to remember, as well as instilling in your children a lifetime habit of enjoying the natural world, canoeing might be exactly what you’re looking for. There are trips that can suit any family, from beginner to expert or any combination thereof. There are trips that can be as simple as a few hours to ones that last three weeks, depending on your needs.

One of the most appealing aspects of canoeing is the fact that it facilitates a whole-body, holistic approach to health. It addresses both physical and mental wellbeing and stress of any sort can be alleviated on a canoe trip.

First and most obviously is the cardiovascular benefits of this activity. Canoeing is an aerobic activity that gives a good work out to the chest and arm muscles as you drive the paddle into the water and propel your craft forward. This is activity that is best preceded with some gentle stretching and a brief warm-up, a good habit to instill in anyone, as this avoids cramps and injuries from over-exertion. As the landscape goes by, there is no chance for boredom and even the most unimpressed teen will find something to enjoy about the experience.

Another factor is the stress relief that a canoe trip can provide from your day to day life. As stressed as you are, don’t believe that your kids have it easy, either! They’ll love the chance to get away from it all just like you will.

The preparation for a canoeing trip can be one that the whole family takes part in. After a quick consultation with physician, you can start getting ready for your trip with a daily regimen of stretching and exercise. While this is not necessarily required, it is a good idea to get your family used to the constant, though mostly light physical exertion of paddling a canoe

Of course, depending on what sort of canoeing you and your family decides is the best way to spend their time, you might really need that warm-up! Whitewater rafting, for instance, which involves canoeing on a moving body of water, can be quite intense and may be more suitable for a family with older children. This can be an extremely rewarding activity, however, and can be a great experience to bond and meet challenges together.

Canoeing might be an activity you take on every weekend or just once a year in a two-week trip, but whatever your commitment, it will reward you in many ways.

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