Stand Up Paddling AustinAs the temperatures rise in Austin, a great place to be, other than in the air conditioning of your Austin custom home, is on one of our beautiful Lakes or Rivers.  It isn’t just about fun, in typical ATX style, it’s about health and fitness too.  Stand Up Paddling is a worthy past time for fitness, conditioning and immersing yourself in the cool water.  There are many benefits to this popular activity and core strengthening is just one of them.

Core Training is any workout that targets the muscle groups in the mid-section of our bodies, essentially joining our lower bodies to our upper bodies. Training on unbalanced surfaces is an effective method for building and training the core muscle groups, the benefits of which are helpful in other activities we may pursue. While stand up paddle boarding, hips are used for stability, the lower back assists in standing upright, and the abs support your back and stay constantly engaged to keep your body centered and balanced on the board. Your legs, knees and glutes are engaged as well, as they help sustain your balance while your shoulders, arms and chest are strengthened through paddling.

You can imagine what SUP training will do for your golf swing! According to Golfsmith, weak glutes, thigh and calf muscles compromise your stance and posture, making it harder to remain straight and firm while swinging the club.  Upper back strength in conjunction with well-trained glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps take pressure off of your lower back so your posture and swing can be optimized.  Additionally, the core muscles in your body are the most important for your golf game because they power the force behind your swing.

Whether you are “SUP-ing” or golfing, you will be enjoying two popular activities in Austin.  Have a great summer!