We are very happy to announce our blog’s first contributor – Ken Muise. Ken is from the island of Oahu, in Hawai’i and he is a snorkel gear expert who has snorkeled all over the world. He has proclaimed himself to be the “world’s greatest snorkeler” but – as he puts it – many, including his girlfriend, tend to disagree and ignore his bravado ;) We won’t disclose any more details and we’ll leave you in Ken’s company, exploring the fun of snorkelling and its potential to keep you fit. And don’t forget to check out Ken’s cool video at the end of the article! We absolutely loved it!

Ken: “The biggest complaint many people have with exercise or going to the gym is how difficult it is to maintain. Either they start off uber-motivated and eventually burn out or they get bored with their exercise regime. And then there are those who just don’t like working out at all which leads to apathy and a complete avoidance of any gym.

Here’s the good news: If you love to snorkel on your travels, or snorkeling is something that you do on a regular basis, then you can actually have fun in the water and get a great workout at the same time. For someone who loves snorkeling like me, this is some of the best news I’ve ever learned!

Did You Know?

According to myfitnesspal.com, an average person that weighs 175 pounds (80 kg) will burn about 200 calories from just 30 minutes of snorkeling? I don’t know about you, but when I snorkel I do it for at least an hour… probably more if I rest on the beach or boat in between sessions. That’s some serious calorie burning just from doing something that I love to do!

1. Get the Most Out of Your Snorkeling “Workouts”

I put that word in quotes because it’s not really a workout if you’re having the time of your life, right? Tweaking with how you snorkel just a little bit and you can get even more of a workout while in the water and not even know it!

2. Change Up Your Swimming Techniques

By doing different swimming stroke variations you can actually hit all of the muscles in your body during a half hour in the water. Try doing the overhand crawl, the breaststroke, and the side stroke at different times as well as changing your kicking from standard flutter kicks to frog kicks.

3. Use Snorkel Fins

Most snorkel gear is relatively affordable and it’s pretty simple to get a quality set online. However, if you want to get the best workout from snorkeling then never go in the water without your snorkel fins. By swimming with fins on you are actually using more of your leg and buttocks muscles. This way you’ll be giving yourself an upper-body, lower-body, and cardio workout all at the same time.

4. Diving to Different Depths

This may be for some of the more advanced swimmers and snorkelers, but if you get the chance then practice diving down into the water and then coming back, resting only to tread water for a few minutes and then doing it again. By using your muscles and holding your breath at the same time you are actually conditioning your heart and your cardio fitness will soon be off the chart. Also, by diving and surfacing over and over again, you are using your entire body and toning those abdominal muscles.

There’s really no getting around it: Snorkeling for fitness is one of the greatest benefits of the activity. As an added bonus, don’t forget that being underwater and observing nature and life which you would typically not see will help you block out the rest of your worries and troubles. So, snorkeling is also a great mental fitness and relaxation technique. If you happen to have the chance to snorkel regularly then consider it part of your exercise plan or make it your entire plan. Have fun and snorkel safe!

Aloha,

Ken”

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