Paddleboarding is much easier to learn than surfing, but is harder than scuba diving. It takes a quick 15-30 minutes to learn the basics, and after that, you can advance to Pinterest quality yoga.

First start with a lesson, there are many paddleboarding marinas nearby. Residents can take a paddleboarding yoga class at Lake Linganore, just sign up online. Washington Sailing Marina is a part of a program called Boating In D.C  where paddleboards can be rented by the hour and will provide a quick lesson by certified instructors.

“It’s not uncommon for me to teach a group of 70 somethings. Or even some in their 80’s. That’s one of the things I love about stand up paddling is the way it makes everyone feel like a kid again, no matter their age,” said Paige Bakhaus, founder of Hooked On SUP.

Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is one of the best workouts with very low impact. It’s a combination of balance, strength, and endurance which are exercised whether you are paddling or just balancing on your board.

Standing on the board, uses a lot of core stability and leg strength to maintain balance. This not only helps you have a good balance while paddleboarding but it also increases your focus and balance in day-to-day activities as well.

Almost every muscle in the body is used at some point during paddleboarding. Because of the balance required, leg muscles will be hard at work attempting to stabilize the center of gravity. Arms, back and shoulders are used to propel the paddleboard in the water. The core, back and abdominal muscles are constantly working to maintain balance.

Life vests and other personal flotation devices are required by law, no matter the age of the paddle boarder. Not all life vests are boring neon; there are many life vests with fun patterns that can be purchased on Amazon or at local stores.

If you spend enough time out on the water paddleboarding, you can get a good cardio workout. According to SupWorld, paddleboarding will help you avoid heart attacks and strokes. Engaging in paddleboarding is similar to running, aerobics, and even cross-training, you’ll have improved cardiovascular health and at less of a risk for related diseases.

If you’re paddleboarding at a leisurely pace, you can plan to burn between 305 – 430 calories an hour. If you increase speed while paddleboarding, you can burn anywhere between 713 and 1,125 calories every hour.

It’s called “stand up paddleboarding” but that doesn’t mean you always have to be upright to get a good workout. You can burn between 416 – 540 calories per hour of doing energetic yoga on your board.

Victoria Burgess broke the Guinness World Record for becoming the first woman to travel 115 miles within 27 hours in shark infested waters from Cuba to Florida on a stand-up paddleboard.