One of the most common questions people ask me about Stand Up Paddling is “How many calories can I burn?”
I spent some time online searching for the correct answer, but thought I’d do a little “unscientific” research myself. So I paddled out yesterday using a heart rate monitor and my Polar computer to get a pretty accurate picture of a typical SUP workout.
Now a couple of considerations and revelations. First, the heart rate monitor I used is made for biking. I just took the computer off my bike and put it in my pocket while I paddled. Certainly, there may be some adjustments that need to be made for “workout type”, but since large muscle groups are worked in both cycling and rowing, I don’t think the calorie calculation will change much.
The other consideration is the size and weight of the paddlers. I’m 6’2″ and weigh around 225-228. Also, I paddle about 5 days a week, which I hope means my condition level should be a bit higher than the average bear. I would expect my As As a result, the average heart rate would be slightly lower.
I conducted my non-scientific test on a clear morning at low tide and little to no wind. The conditions were near perfect and had little to no effect on my training (other than a strong head or tailwind etc.). I paddled on a standard 12′ board (SupWorks Alpha) that weighs 28lbs and was using a QuickBlade Kahana carbon fiber paddle.
Here are the results….
- Exercise time: 53:43
- In Zone: 51:32
- Average heart rate: 147 bpm
- Calories burned: 822kcal
Couple of comments:
- “Exercise Time” is the total time from when you started rowing to when you stopped.
- “In zone” refers to how many minutes my heart rate was in my “Anaerobic Zone”. My “Zone” is between 118bpm and 170bpm.
- My average heart rate throughout the training cycle was 147 bpm.
- I burned 822 calories during the entire workout. Using the same data, if you had continued at the same pace for an additional 6:17, making your total workout time 60 minutes, you would have burned a total of 923 calories per hour. (Sorry for not doing it in 60 minutes, I only row one course every day and don’t pay much attention to the time)
So the net-net is this. I burn 923 calories per hour in a normal Stand-Up Paddle workout.
It’s interesting to me that my heart rate was as high as it was. On a typical long-distance bike ride (on a Cervelo S1), my heart rate averages around 130. When I row, I don’t really feel like I’m working as hard as my heart rate would indicate (147). I also don’t feel as “beaten” when I’m done paddling as I do when I’m riding.
So that’s my little studio. I guess the simple conclusion is that while my findings aren’t “scientific,” they do show that rowing is a great low-impact core exercise. If I burned all 822 calories during a typical workout and did it 5 days a week, I would lose over 1 pound per week (assuming my calorie intake remained constant).