Fitness

[LivingWhale]

I've searched and have been unable to locate ideas for fitness while living aboard. I think many may benefit from the ideas folks have for keeping in shape or maybe even body building? If there's a similar post and I missed it, I apologize.

Cheers!

[Emerald Sea]

Check out the ZeroToCruising website. They are liveaboard fitness nuts and have a wealth of tips for keeping fit onboard.


Steve
L450
SV Emerald Sea

[MarkJ]

If I am staying in a place for a while I get a monthly gym membership.
Casual 1 day visits are too expwnsive.

Otherwise hiking and swimming.

[DeepFrz]

Check the links down at the bottom of this page. When you did a search did you use the "google custom search" or the regular search. Regular search is next to useless IMHO.

[brownoarsman]

Easy enough to keep the upper body and abs in shape, but not body building shape. Explosive and elevated push-ups in standard, narrow, wide, and pike positions. Pull-ups, rows, dips using the whisker pole and cockpit seats. Suspended core work off the whisker pole. Legs are harder. Single leg squats are really the only thing I've found to be any good. Of course, most of these are at anchor or flat seas only kind of things.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[jwing]

Swimming, rowing, paddling.

Push-ups, pull-ups can be done aboard on some boats.

Use jerry cans or gallon jugs on land for weight-lifting exercises. Fill with water until you get the right weight for yourself.

On a sandy beach, you can get excellent workouts with squats, lunges, standing high jumps, long jumps, squat thrusts, etc.

Always take advantage of sloping land for a brisk, uphill walk.

Yoga and t'ai chi can be done onboard or ashore.

Twists, turns, rolls, flips, etc. in the water do wonders for flexibility and sore backs.

If you have access to shore, you are limited only by your imagination.

[brownoarsman]

Also, I started sailing at the end of February a pretty well built 192 with little body fat. I'm now at 172 two months later. I think you'll find you'll have an issue just trying to retain mass. Why so much weight loss? Skipped meals while passage making, mostly. Be sure to eat and keep tons of easily accessible foods around. If it wasn't for trail mix I'm sure I'd be much worse off!


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[LivingWhale]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Check the links down at the bottom of this page. When you did a search did you use the "google custom search" or the regular search. Regular search is next to useless IMHO.

I did the regular search - the top menu bar drop down. Most searches I perform from there usually yield all types of unrelated topics. However, I can't complain as this site has been very helpful!

[LivingWhale]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

Also, I started sailing at the end of February a pretty well built 192 with little body fat. I'm now at 172 two months later. I think you'll find you'll have an issue just trying to retain mass. Why so much weight loss? Skipped meals while passage making, mostly. Be sure to eat and keep tons of easily accessible foods around. If it wasn't for trail mix I'm sure I'd be much worse off!


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Agreed! It's hard to keep mass unless you're drinking beer and then it likes the center of gravity of the body i.e. love handles. Even on land I have to consume lots of protein.

[IdoraKeeper]

You won't lose weight if you bring enough beer. Further more just wheeling the deep fat fryer around will do wonders! Table muscle to the max.

[thinwater]

I don't see why living aboard matters:
a. If you are actively sailing, you will stay fit by sailing, kayaking, swimming, and much more. Passages are irrelavant, as they last no longer than a typical athlete's between cycle layoff might.
b. If you are simply living on a boat, go outside for a work-out. I could never get interested in in-door exercise anyway, and I can't understand why any outdoors person would. Go out side and cycle, run, climb, play a sport, or whatever.

Unless there is some specific personal goal that basement lifting serves, I don't get it. The question makes no sense to me.

("Some boats" you can do pull-ups? Only boats with booms or companion ways. And of course there is always hoisting sail.)

[onestepcsy37]

When we go cruising we both lose weight and feel better. We dont do anything special, just the normal cruising activities. Last time I went from a paunchy 210 to a svelte 190.

[SailFastTri]

I find resistance bands to be easy to transport and you can do a good exercise program just about anywhere, in combination with squats/ thrusts / crunches/ pushups and pull-ups etc. The best quality I've found are Bodylastics. Bodylastics Pro Quality Resistance Bands | STRONGEST I have a set for the boat and another for my land home. The only issue with the bands is that TSA won't let you take them in carry-on luggage -- they have to be in checked baggage. (not that you'd carry dumbbells aboard either)


I have no relationship to Bodylastics -- just a satisfied customer. Amazon sells them too.

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

Single leg squats are really the only thing I've found to be any good.

But all you need if done properly- just a great exercise.

Originally Posted by thinwater

I don't see why living aboard matters:
a. If you are actively sailing, you will stay fit by sailing, kayaking, swimming, and much more. Passages are irrelavant, as they last no longer than a typical athlete's between cycle layoff might.
b. If you are simply living on a boat, go outside for a work-out. I could never get interested in in-door exercise anyway, and I can't understand why any outdoors person would. Go out side and cycle, run, climb, play a sport, or whatever.

Unless there is some specific personal goal that basement lifting serves, I don't get it. The question makes no sense to me.

("Some boats" you can do pull-ups? Only boats with booms or companion ways. And of course there is always hoisting sail.)

Particulalry as you get older building or maintaining muscle becomes hard and the usual outdoor activities won't leave you with a balanced structure unless you are doing swim sprints or 'yak sprints and such.

[brownoarsman]

It all comes down to what your fitness goals are. I spent years on in a sport that emphasized endurance and cardio. Obviously that can be relatively easy on a boat. Others are looking for flexibility, again, lots of options.
Only recently did I get into weight lifting as a hobby, and that's mostly something you'll need to leave at home. Yes, you can lift jerry cans or your spare chain rode, but it just wasn't as satisfying to me as iron. So, back to body weight activities and 'functional' fitness.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum