You may have heard or learned about the connection between paddle boats and exercise. But first, let’s make sure we define what paddle boat is in this article. The paddle boat we are talking about is a certain form of boat or waterborne transport that uses pedals as its main source of power to move it around the surface of the water instead of paddles or engines. Others refer to it as “pedal boat”, “pedalo” or “water bike”. The last term is perhaps the most appropriate and most convenient term to use so that folks won’t confuse paddle/pedal boats with paddle steamers or steam paddleboats and those boats which are, well, paddled (i.e. kayak and canoe).
Since paddle boats are considered water bikes and it’s a known fact that pedaling and cycling can be a good form of exercise, then going for a paddle boat in the nearby lake or shore can be one of your regular exercises if you want it to. This is what the connection between paddle boats and exercise is all about. If you are into biking, chances are you may like paddle boating as well. Unlike biking though, paddle boating is pure recreation and isn’t involved in any serious competition. But if you and your friends decided to race each other through paddle boating, then you have every right to do so. Still, pedal boats are primarily used for recreation.
More on paddle boats and exercise, don’t you know that you can burn certain calories when you go for paddle/pedal boating? It doesn’t burn as many calories compared to other exercises and activities especially the ones that are quite tougher to perform but water biking can still cut down a moderate amount of calories. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds and you went pedal boating for 30 minutes; you will be able to burn as much as 136 calories. Also, this so-called “paddle boat exercise” works your leg muscles that much. If you think your legs and your entire feet need a workout but you want to do it with some sort of water adventure, paddle boating is for you.
As with other forms of exercise, if you can distract your mind while you are engaged your activity, you will not think of it as exercise. Using your paddle boat in nature will give you the desire to move forward. What is next around the corner? This low impact exercise is exactly the type of activity that people will stick with over the long haul. So, turn of your computer, go down to your dock, hop into your paddle boat and go see the sunset from the middle of you lake. That should be enough to check off your 20 min. exercise for the day.