HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - Going to the gym might not be what floats your boat when it comes to working out.
If you're someone who likes to enjoy nature while getting a sweat in, kayaking is one outdoor sport that's blown up during the coronavirus pandemic.
"We’ve been busier than I ever thought we would be this time of year," Kayak Nature Tours owner Randy Gore said.
"I think it’s a great thing to do during the pandemic because you can space yourself out, it’s peaceful, it’s relaxing," Tula Adventure Sports Isa Cohen said. "At the same time you’re getting your exercise."
Kyaking is a sport that's featured in the Olympics, but you don't have to take it as seriously as an Olympic racer to reap the physical benefits. It works out more than just the arms and a day on the water can burn hundreds of calories.
"A great recovery day from whatever it is you’re training for, it can be that," Cohen said. "At the same time it’s not just upper body it’s a lot of core and legs. Whether you’re in a kayak or a paddle board you’re doing a full body workout. It just depends on how much you want to push yourself."
If you're looking into getting into kayaking there's a huge community for it in Virginia. In fact, there's a Facebook group called Virginia Kayaking that has more than five thousand members.
"The Virginia Kayaking group has been great in terms of supporting one another and providing tips and tricks," Jerry Hagdorn, member of Virginia Kayaking, said.
"It’s a place where beginners can ask questions and lots of people are willing to help," Virginia Kayaking moderator David Fulleborn said. "Lots of people are very passionate about getting outside, taking photos."
Joining the kayak community during the pandemic is easier said than done, because with everyone looking to kill time outdoors kayaks have been in high demand.
"I’ve had a number of guests on our tours ask me where they can find boats," Gore said. "They can’t find them. The stores don’t have them."
"The biggest obstacle was finding a kayak," Hagdorn, who recently took up kayaking, said. "Once we got past that hurdle, getting a spot, getting out to the water was pretty darn easy."
