If you’re lucky enough to take a beach vacation, or are even luckier still and actually live near the beach, snorkelling or scuba diving can make for the most fun and entertaining of workouts – if you even call it that (it may be just too fun to qualify!). These activities combine both cardio and strength training, burning a ton of calories while tightening and toning the body.
Snorkeling and scuba diving offer the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, minus the strain, sweat, stress, and discomfort of a typical workout. And because you have to work hard to push against the resistance of water (water is hundreds of times more dense than air) to move forward, it also really works the butt, thighs, hips, back and abs. To move powerfully and efficiently through the water, you intrinsically adapt and streamline your body by engaging your core, glute and back muscles; you also kick from the hip, rather than from the knee (like you do when you’re swimming). Using fins increases the resistance forcing your legs to work even harder to move through the water.
Snorkeling and scuba diving allow you enter an entirely different world. With only the sound of your breath, it is a calming, quiet, infinitely relaxing, and beautiful world, offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. What more could you ask for?
Calories burnt: Snorkeling burns about 170 calories per 30 minutes, while scuba diving can burn up to 400 calories!
