So you want to know more about the Naked Paddleboarding of Katy and Orlando Bloom right?!
Hell yeah, join the club!
A stroke of publicity genius, or a quiet holiday moment caught by the raging Paps…
You decide.
We’re going to be deep-diving (pun intended!) into the incident which had us all hot under the collar for a variety of reasons.
But first – a bit on Stand Up Paddle Boarding…
Everyone’s talking about how standup paddleboarding has exploded in popularity.
The sport has experienced massive growth in recent years.
And to top it off…
… Stand Up Paddleboarding had the highest number of first-time participants in the U.S. in 2013, compared to all other outdoor activities.
SUP, as it’s commonly called, has awesome health benefits and is super-easy to dip your toes in the water.
It’s a thrilling exercise that’ll make you feel free and at one with nature.
And, as you’re about to witness, it even touches ]the rich and famous, because nobody wants to be left behind or forgotten, afterall…
Including the world’s A-List celebrities.
When celebrities and paddleboards are mentioned in the same breath, where does your mind wander?
Ahem…
Orlando Bloom Paddle Boarding by any chance?
Not surprising, considering his… erm… exposure to the sport…
The Orlando Bloom Paddle Boarding Incident – Explained
In August 2016, the internet went crazy after photos of Orlando Bloom paddleboarding in the nude were shared across the globe.
And shared.
And shared some more.
And as you’d expect, people had something to say.
All kinds of gossip surfaced.
@MikeAdamOnAir tweeted, “Orlando Bloom took it ALL off while in Italy with Katy Perry!!!”
@ShaninaMShaik posted, “Ok Orlando Bloom – he’s out and blooming in the sun.”
There were also jokes comparing Justin Bieber’s nude photos the previous year with those of Bloom.
Apologies if it’s a little, let’s say, overexposed.
The two haven’t always been best buds but at least they now have something in common, eh?
Late-night shows did their best to keep the story running too…
But the one question people were mooting was…
…“what was he thinking?”
As a celebrity, he would have known someone was going to pap him – sure as eggs is eggs — especially given he was in the company of the world-class icon, Katy Perry.
Who, despite opposition from her BF – kept her bikini on…
…the whole time.
The couple had only been dating about four months.
They publicly announced the relationship in May of 2016 – they were papped in August.
In an interview with Elle UK, later in 2017, the Pirates of the Caribbean star disclosed that he never expected that to happen.
Yeah?!
While he knows there’s almost always a camera pointing at him, he never thought it would be the case if he took all his kegs off and rowed up and down the Med?
Right!
“Yes, it was extremely surprising. I wouldn’t have put myself in that position if I’d thought it would happen,” the actor told Elle UK.
Orlando and Katy were separated at the time the English actor did that particular interview.
They split in February 2017, after dating for about 10 months.
They both denied rumors there was bad blood between them.
The couple were back together in 2018 but didn’t make things public until around September.
The 43-year-old went on to say he learned that, “you’re never free.”
(He looked pretty free to me.)
But perhaps…
… he really learned his lesson…
…because he’s wearing shorts in all his photos on SUP boards from then on.
You can’t win ‘em all.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
…Katy Perry was unfazed by all of this—from the moment on the paddleboard to the reactions afterward.
Kool Kat Katy.
But four years later, on the Howard Stern Show, she finally puts us out of our collective misery and lets us in on exactly what happened in Sardinia that day.
Howard comments about the nude pictures, pointing out the glaringly obvious – that Orlando was completely naked but the 35-year-old singer was not.
Hmmm.
No S**t Sherlock.
So he asks whether she knew there would be someone taking photos.
Ermmm there he goes again…
Let me see…
Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry together on holiday in the Med…
Paparazzi?
Well, just maybe…
She responds saying that she’d never have set Orlando up.
Although she knew in the back of her mind that there “was a chance” it would happen.
Howard Stern goes on to ask, “did you ever say to him, “listen, Orlando, what’s the point of being naked on a paddleboard or whatever…canoe – I mean, you know…”
Katy Perry replies saying…
…it was Europe…
… they had had a relaxed week and everybody seemed to be naked around them.
So here’s a thing – maybe Orlando just wanted to fit in?
She tells us she was ‘shocked’ when she saw he was trending on Twitter later on.
Okay, well, we all have our opinions on how it ‘really’ went down…
Just some innocent (well, maybe) fun in the sun, or a well oiled Publicity Machine working overtime…?
Celebrities Who Love Paddle Boarding
Vin Diesel
Photo credit – Casa de Campo Living
Mark Sinclair, commonly known as Vin Diesel, has been spotted on a paddleboard a couple of times.
He’s pretty good at it too.
The Fast and Furious star has been seen SUPing casually, sometimes alone and other times with loved ones.
The most heartwarming photo, by far, is below – where he’s out paddleboarding with his adorable daughter.
Photo Credit – closerweekly.com
Jennifer Aniston
Photo Credit – The Sun
You probably know her from Friends.
The beautiful American girl-next-door actress has been able to maintain her enviable bikini body for years.
She’s a huge fan of watersports and maybe this has something to do with it.
There are photos of her – gracefully standup paddling – all over the internet.
She took up SUP while it was still gaining popularity and you could argue its a reason that SUPing is ever popular in Hollywood.
Juliana Mancuso
Photo Credit Outside Online
The retired alpine skier simply loves paddle boarding.
She spends most of her off-season on either a paddleboard or surfboard.
During an interview, she said she goes SUPing with her dad every other Sunday and referred to it as their “Sunday Ritual.”
Nice!
Other than Orlando Bloom…
…what or who has contributed to the out and out popularity of standup paddleboarding?
Many people indulge in SUP for the health benefits.
And you can’t blame them…
Benefits of Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Stress Relief
There’s plenty of difficulty all around the globe in current times…
If you even choose to watch or read it anymore – there’s always negative news all over social media and mainstream channels.
This can be pretty overwhelming for most people.
So my advice –
Turn off the TV – put down the Smartphone and go spend some time in nature.
With a friendly SUP.
It’ll improve your focus and help you become more mindful.
A University of Michigan study revealed that cortisol levels drop by about 21% within the first 20-30 minutes in nature.
Cortisol being the stress hormone.
There’s more…
SUP is, of course, a physical activity.
And exercising also reduces the level of cortisol your body produces.
It increases the body’s production of serotonin and endorphins – aka feel-good hormones.
After every SUP session, you’ll notice you feel happier and more relaxed.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding Is An Efficient Way To Burn Calories
Paddlers never look like they’re struggling.
To an onlooker, it’ll seem like the easiest thing to do.
While the learning curve isn’t particularly steep, SUP is by no means as simple as it looks.
To stand and paddle properly, you’ll need plenty of strength and max effort.
Leisure paddling burns 300 to 450 calories an hour.
SUP yoga burns about 400 to 550 calories.
More intense paddleboard sessions can help you burn 1000+ calories in a single hour.
Not many sea sports can compete with this.
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Stand Up Paddle Boarding Is A Low Impact Exercise
You could argue there are better activities for people who want to burn calories.
And maybe you’d have a point…
But most of those exercises are weight-bearing.
Meaning it’s easy to do damage – you can hurt your ankles, tendons, and joints while running, skiing, etc.
SUP is gentle and perfect for people of all ages.
In fact, it’s recommended for athletes with injuries and people with weak bones.
It can help you to heal – without causing further damage.
Note: if you have a condition, confirm with your doctor before you start SUPing.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding Works the ‘Entire Body’
That’s right, it’s not just your arms you get to flex.
If you use a good paddling technique, you’ll be using your shoulder, arm, and back muscles.
Further to that – if you do happen to notice that your arms are the only parts getting tired, you’re doing it wrong.
The core probably works the hardest.
It’s used to maintain balance and during the paddle stroke.
Stand up paddleboarding is one of the best activities for building core strength – gradually and gently.
The leg muscles, your glutes, and the entire lower body will be engaged too.
I think Jennifer Aniston knows this SUP Secret, don’t you?
Stand Up Paddle Boarding Improves Balance
SUP is all about balance.
Once you can stand upright on a paddleboard without taking an unplanned dip, you’re halfway there.
Learning how to maintain balance on a SUP requires mindfulness, focus, and core and muscle strength.
When you decide to make paddling a habit, you’ll improve in all these areas beyond your wildest imagination.
Athletes incorporate paddleboarding into their offseason training.
Not only does it keep them fit, but it also enhances their balance—which comes in handy while playing any sport.
The balance improvement is not just physical.
As I said, it’s good to be focused and mindful when paddling.
This mindfulness will translate into your daily life.
You’ll find it easier to concentrate and make better decisions.
You’ll benefit from peace of mind and improved sleep.
What’s not to love?
Conclusion
Stand up paddleboarding will continue to grow in popularity.
There are now designated SUP holiday destinations where paddlers can have every kind of adventure.
Celebrities have hopped on the bandwagon too.
The benefits are amazing and almost all of them have been proven by scientific studies.
If you’re yet to become a standup paddleboard fan – take the plunge – give it a try, you’re gonna just love it…
Photo Credit – Vanity Fair
Photo Credit – Celebrity WotNot
