Singer-songwriter, actor and presenter Toyah Willcox often shares glimpses of life by the water. From turtle watching to painting, the Strictly alumnus seems to spend a considerable amount of time outdoors, surrounded by nature.
Experts often refer to the health benefits of being near water as ‘blue health’. And there’s growing evidence that simply spending time in these environments can boost wellbeing.
One systematic review examining ‘blue space interventions for health and wellbeing’ found significant positive effects, particularly for psychological wellbeing.
So, simply spending time near water is likely doing Toyah some good.
But the researchers also noted that it may be the activities we do in blue spaces, rather than the environment itself, that drive many of the health benefits.
And if Toyah’s Instagram posts are anything to go by, she’s a big fan of one in particular: kayaking.
In fact, when asked by The Times in 2024 whether she’d rather go for a country walk or head to the gym, her answer was neither.
She chose kayaking.
Why kayaking is such a good workout
Kayaking is a surprisingly effective full-body workout, building strength through the upper body and core while also improving cardiovascular fitness.
A study investigating the effects of a 12-week kayaking rehabilitation programme found participants improved their cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, flexibility and psychological wellbeing.
Meanwhile, a narrative review of paddling sports, including kayaking, highlighted potential improvements in aerobic fitness, blood pressure, metabolic health, body composition, upper-body function and psychosocial wellbeing.
Researchers also pointed out that kayaking’s combination of full-body muscle engagement and relatively low impact on the lower-body joints may make it particularly suitable for people living with chronic conditions or physical limitations.
Don’t live near water? Try this instead
If you don’t have easy access to a lake, river or coastline, you might miss out on some of the mental wellbeing benefits associated with blue spaces.
The good news, however, is that you can still replicate many of kayaking’s physical benefits.
According to the same 12-week intervention study, rowing produced very similar improvements in fitness and strength.
So while you might not be able to go turtle watching at your local PureGym, making a beeline for the rowing machinecould still deliver plenty of health and fitness benefits.
Happy paddling!
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.