Running, swimming, cycling: the benefits of aerobic exercise for health and figure

SUP has become popular not so much because of the advertising, but because it is easy to learn, versatile and the natural fun it brings. But the first steps are often a test of balance, patience and attention. In order to learn to row from scratch and to avoid mistakes, a beginner must master the most important skills before entering the water.

How to learn to SUP?

The first few minutes set the tone for the entire training. Even if you choose a calm bay, without wind or current, an unprepared body will immediately feel uncomfortable.

Posture, position and body position

In order to learn to row without falling, it is necessary to learn a neutral position. Knees slightly bent, feet parallel, slightly wider than shoulder width. The weight is evenly distributed between the heels and the balls of the feet, the center of gravity is above the board. The shoulders are relaxed, the chin not lowered. One step to the side and the board sinks under water. Any sudden movement disturbs the balance. The body remains stable, only the torso and arms work, neither the back nor the neck should be overloaded. A beginner loses his balance more often due to tension than to external factors.

Start on your knees and come to an upright position.

Before a beginner can ride a SUP board to its maximum height, he learns the kneeling position. This ensures maximum stability and allows you to see how the board reacts to weight, movement and direction. The lift is performed smoothly: one leg is on the board, the body is forward and the second leg is in a standing position. It is important that you do not shift your weight to one side: the board reacts immediately to the slightest imbalance.

How to choose your equipment: board, paddle and accessories

Mastering the technique begins with the correct preparation of the equipment. The question of how to drive a SUP always starts with the board.

SUP board for beginners

The optimal length is 310 to 340 cm, the width is at least 80 cm and the thickness is 12 cm. These parameters ensure stability and are forgiving of mistakes. The inflatable model is easier to store, transport and is not afraid of bumping into stones. Suitable for flat water and touring. A hard board slides better, but requires dry storage conditions and experience in turning.

Paddle and oar: the details determine everything

An aluminum paddle is suitable for starting with. It is cheap, durable, but heavier than carbon. The length is adjustable – the ideal ratio is: height + 15 cm. Too long causes shoulder fatigue, too short increases the load on the back. The oar is attached to the hind leg. If you fall, it holds the board firmly and prevents it from drifting unpredictably.

Equipment and safety in the water

A beginner should consider all safety aspects before paddling, even on a warm, calm river. The weather forecast can change, the current can become stronger and the water temperature can be worrying.

For short walks: swimwear or shorts and a T-shirt with UV protection. In windy conditions, wear a lightweight, water-repellent jacket. In temperatures below +20 – hydrocover. Hats and sunglasses must be secured with straps. A life jacket with a not too high buoyancy does not affect rowing, but provides buoyancy in the event of a fall. Keep a whistle in your pocket and a waterproof phone case around your neck. Safety is not an accessory, but a basic responsibility.

Rowing technique: how to row correctly?

The answer to the question of how to row without getting tired lies in the rowing technique. With the wrong style, you are immediately out of action: your wrists, lower back and neck start to hurt. The paddle goes into the water while you extend your arm. The dive is performed as vertically as possible. The stroke is performed with straight arms, the body turns with the movement. The shoulder blade is down and the lower back is stabilized. After three or four strokes, you switch sides. When you paddle in one direction, the SUP begins to unfold. Deep penetration of the paddle provides stability. Fast, superficial movements disrupt the rhythm.

Beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

One of the most common mistakes is the fear of water. The beginner tenses up, looks at his feet and holds the paddle like a mop. The result is loss of control, sudden collapse and loss of self-confidence.

Mistakes and solutions:

1. Look down. Solution: Focus on the horizon: the balance is back.
2. Grab the blade at the top. Solution: One hand on the handle at the end and the other on the shaft, at shoulder height.
3. The support is too narrow. Solution: The legs are on the edges of the central handle of the board.
4. Hard knocks with the oar. Solution: row gently, without splashing; the oar should not make a sound.
5. The wind is taken into account. Solution: start against the wind; the return journey will be easier.

Where to ride and rent safely: locations, approach, inspection

To learn SUP surfing you need ideal conditions. To learn how to practice SUP without stress or accidents, you need to choose the right water and rent the right equipment, checking all the parameters.

The perfect place to start

A beginner can more easily adapt to the board in waters without currents, waves or boat traffic. A calm lake, a pond or a sheltered bay without gusts of wind creates a pleasant training environment. The optimal depth is 1.5 to 2 meters: this is enough for a safe fall and recovery. The bottom is flat, without sharp stones or algae.

Small, urban beaches with a gradual slope are particularly pleasant. If you sail along the coast with a SUP board, you have a tactical advantage: if you get tired or your board becomes unstable, you can easily walk back or calmly get on your knees and walk through the shallow water.

How to rent a SUP board correctly?

To rent SUP equipment, you need not only a passport, but also a lot of attention. A superficial assessment does not protect against failure. The instructor or rental company must demonstrate the following:

• no holes, scratches or bulges on the body;
• valve tightness: no air must leak when pressed;
• tightness of the inflatable chambers: pressure stability is checked by pressing in the middle;
• stiffness of the deck: with even loading, there must be no deflection.
• duration and pace of your first session: how to start SUPing?

The first training should not last longer than 50 minutes. The body of a beginner is exposed to new forms of stress: tension in the lower back, training the core muscles, maintaining balance and aerobic rowing. All this leads to rapid fatigue. After 30 minutes, muscle fatigue sets in and after 40 minutes, concentration decreases. From that moment on, the mistakes begin: uncertain turns, loss of balance and falls. The optimal schedule is 10 minutes on your knees, 10 minutes standing with breaks and then 20-30 minutes of easy paddling along the bank. When you return, it is important to stretch your lower back and hips.

How to practice SUP with pleasure and benefit: Body, breathing and rhythm

The real benefit of SUP is not in the number of kilometers, but in the quality of the movement. A beginner who learns to keep balance, activates the deep muscles, stabilizes breathing and releases mental tension.

Involve the body and conscious movement

With each rowing cycle, the diaphragm, abdominal muscles, shoulder girdle and hip muscles are activated. The work develops along the vertical and diagonal axes. A stable back reduces the pressure on the spine. At the same time, the knees move microflexibly during the pull, which helps to distribute the load. The arms are not fully extended: a slight tension in the elbows reduces the risk of microtrauma. In rowing, it is not so much a question of strength, but of technique. A slow, deep cycle is better than jerking and accelerating.

Progress through natural rhythm

At minute 15, the body begins to adapt to balance. The body learns to trust the board and senses how to paddle correctly. Excessive muscle compensation is reduced and movements become more economical. After 30 minutes, breathing returns to normal and the heart rate begins to stabilize. At minute 40, a feeling of ‘transparency’ arises: the glanders are experienced as an extension of the body. This is where true skiing pleasure arises.

Psychological effect and recovery

SUP lowers cortisol levels, restores breathing rhythm and balances the pulse. Skating becomes a form of active meditation: attention is focused inward, the body moves rhythmically and the water relieves emotional stress. After the session, it is important to stretch the quadriceps, lower back and trapezius muscles. This accelerates recovery and reduces the chance of muscle pain.

Conclusion

SUP surfing training does not start with theory, but with action. To learn to row safely, confidently and with pleasure, you need to choose the right equipment, master the basic techniques and follow the rules of water safety. Every step is an investment in freedom of movement and body strengthening. The most important thing is that you enter the water consciously, prepared and with respect for the elements.

The modern pace of life demands a load that can simultaneously lighten and activate. Cycling is the perfect combination of cardiovascular benefits, ease of learning and accessibility. The health benefits of cycling go far beyond physical fitness: they affect the nervous system, metabolism, emotional stability and even brain function. Unlike fitness equipment, cycling creates motivation through movement and purpose. Walking becomes a habit, a habit becomes a lifestyle, and a lifestyle becomes a guarantee for an active and long life.

The benefits of cycling for cardiovascular health

Pedaling activates the body’s most important “pump”: the heart. During the journey, the heart muscle adapts to the cyclic load and begins to work more economically: in one contraction cycle, it pumps a larger amount of blood around. This reduces the resting heart rate, reduces the myocardial oxygen demand and extends the life of the entire cardiovascular system.

Regular cycling ensures a lasting reduction in blood pressure. After just 6 to 8 weeks of moderate activity, most people experience a decrease in systolic blood pressure by an average of 10 to 12 mm Hg. Art., and diastolic – by 7-9 mm Hg. Art. Stabilization of the heart rate occurs through training of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for restoring and slowing down processes in the body.

The blood vessels become more elastic, the number of plaques decreases, and the venous system becomes more active. Cycling stimulates the release of nitric oxide in the blood vessels, which dilates the capillaries and improves microcirculation. The result is improved nutrition of all body tissues and the prevention of heart attacks, strokes and atherosclerosis.

Breathing and oxygen: how the lungs learn to function more efficiently

The lungs are an organ that often suffers from a sedentary lifestyle. Cycling provides just the right amount of exercise to naturally accelerate your breathing, without making you feel suffocated. These are the lower parts of the lungs, which we rarely use in everyday life. Full ventilation takes place, the lung tissue is cleaned and the cilia in the airways actively remove microparticles and impurities.

After just 20-30 minutes of cycling, the ventilation capacity of the lungs increases by 20-25% and the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) increases by 10-15% with systematic training. This not only increases endurance, but also improves general well-being, reduces headaches and reduces the risk of respiratory diseases.

In ex-smokers and people with chronic fatigue, gas exchange improves, people have less difficulty breathing when climbing stairs and the respiratory rate at rest stabilizes. The changes are particularly noticeable in people over 35: with moderate daily stress, the adaptation process begins quickly and effectively.

The health benefits of cycling: your body is strengthened from the inside out

Muscles respond to repeated, even loading and it is the deeper, stabilizing muscle fibers that are strengthened best. Cycling activates more than 70% of the muscles in the body, including the quadriceps, glutes, lower back, calves and abdominal muscles. At the same time, the movement is smooth and there are no joint injuries.

The benefits of cycling for the health of the musculoskeletal system are especially evident in overweight people. The machine does not put pressure on your knees or spine, making training safe even if you are overweight. During one month of moderate exercise (30–45 minutes per day), the body loses up to 3 kg, while the musculoskeletal structure is strengthened.

“Economical” muscle mass is built up: the body becomes stronger, but does not increase in size, as happens with strength training. At the same time, lymphatic flow is activated and venous flow is improved, which eliminates swelling, a feeling of heaviness and nighttime leg pain.

Weight, metabolism and digestion: losing weight without hunger

Losing excess weight without dieting is one of the main reasons why cycling is so popular among city dwellers. A 60-minute bike ride at a moderate pace (15–20 km/h) burns up to 600 kcal, and at a higher intensity up to 800 kcal. The body uses glycogen and fats, and metabolism continues for about 3-4 hours after the end of the trip.

Weight loss is also promoted by a hormonal response: insulin levels normalize, tissue sensitivity to glucose improves, and visceral fat is broken down more actively. At the same time, digestion is normalized: the vibrations of the bike and the slight abdominal tension stimulate intestinal motility.

People who suffer from constipation and flatulence report a significant improvement after regular cycling. The benefits of cycling for the health of the digestive system are also reflected in the composition of a diet: the body itself adjusts food consumption based on the biorhythm of activity.

Sleep, stress and mood: the psyche in balance

A stable emotional environment is the key to physical health. Cycling has a direct effect on the amount of neurotransmitters: it increases the production of serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. These substances provide feelings of pleasure, self-confidence and inner peace.

After just 15-20 minutes of riding, a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol is noticeable. At the same time, brain rhythms stabilize and the prefrontal cortex, responsible for attention and self-control, works more actively. The person becomes less irritated and can make better decisions and concentrate better.

Sleep normalizes due to improved thermoregulation and reduced fatigue. Sleep becomes deeper and your sleep cycles become more regular. Insomnia disappears, the frequency of waking up at night decreases. The benefits of cycling for nervous system health are especially noticeable in the case of chronic fatigue, anxiety disorders and burnout syndrome.

Circulation, skin and brain: a profoundly renewing effect

During cycling, the blood circulates more actively, which means that the cells have more oxygen and nutrients at their disposal. The capillary density increases and tissues begin to ‘breathe’. This is particularly important for the skin: lymphatic flow improves, blockages disappear and cell renewal accelerates.

The complexion becomes more even and the signs of chronic fatigue disappear: dark circles, greyness and bags under the eyes. The sebaceous glands begin to function in a balanced way and the risk of inflammation and irritation decreases. At the same time, the brain is activated. Regular oxygenation improves cognitive functions: it increases thinking speed, improves concentration and improves long-term memory. The benefits of cycling for brain health include better neural connectivity and the prevention of dementia, especially in the elderly.

Health benefits of cycling: conclusions

The health benefits of cycling become noticeable after the first few weeks of regular cycling. Organ function stabilizes, weight normalizes, anxiety disappears and motivation returns. Cycling does not require a membership, expensive equipment or age restrictions. They only need one thing: to get outside and get moving.