Second liveaboard question: aerobic exercise?

[Steve Bean]

Rowing is very good, and a good rig with rolling seat gets more muscles involved. A stationary bike can be rigged with a 12- volt generator to charge your batteries.

[fxykty]

Lots of good suggestions.

On passage we’ve had good results using resistance bands - boat movement just adds extra core work. Really small, light, and can be done almost anywhere inside or outside.

Another option for water exercise when at anchor is water running. If you’re really fit you should be able to do it without any extra flotation. If you sink like a stone then add a small amount of flotation, like a small fender or small cushion - just enough to float when vertical with the water level between nipples and collarbone. A wetsuit in cold weather will work too, though with full legs it is easy to tip over.

It’s surprising how fast you can get moving and how hard you can work. Laps of your boat, sprints and recovery, are a hell of a workout.

[Rennsail]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Lots of good suggestions.

On passage we’ve had good results using resistance bands - boat movement just adds extra core work. Really small, light, and can be done almost anywhere inside or outside.

Another option for water exercise when at anchor is water running. If you’re really fit you should be able to do it without any extra flotation. If you sink like a stone then add a small amount of flotation, like a small fender or small cushion - just enough to float when vertical with the water level between nipples and collarbone. A wetsuit in cold weather will work too, though with full legs it is easy to tip over.

It’s surprising how fast you can get moving and how hard you can work. Laps of your boat, sprints and recovery, are a hell of a workout.

Had to look that up, but yeah this seems like it could be good work out. This video explains what you need to do it, in a pool anyway. Probably different in swells.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAZGDtG7lzs

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by river251

...In a marina it shouldn't be a problem to cycle.

It's at anchor and sailing that is the issue....

At anchor just hand-haul the anchor chain up/down for an hour or so; out sailing just make like the racing boys and alter the sail-plan at every hint of a wind change, you'll have got more than enough aerobic exercise by the day's end.

[Hudson Force]

While living aboard I spent time actively bicycling and roller skating when we were ashore; however, I never gained the same level of activity while cruising. I did not install any of those labor saving devices,- electric windless, electric aide for hoisting the dingy or outboard, electric sheet winches or halyards, but these were not taxing aerobic activities. I like the suggestions of the stationary bike, but I never found that fulfilling. Hope you find the means to stay fit!

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by river251

Thanks everyone for the really helpful and thoughtful responses to my first question about living aboard. I'm still reading them there....

As I said, I'm 65. I cycle, with a nice road bike, an hour or two every morning, pushing it with a with a heart rate monitor. I feel it is critical to my health and physical and mental well being.

But how can I get aerobic if I'm at anchor, or sailing on long cruises? How do you do it?

Thank you...

Jim

For many of us it's called boat yoga All you have to do is find the most cramped space on your boat and crawl in there - it helps to have someone on standby to pull you out when you get stuck. For me that place tended to be the engine compartment, not terribly aerobic, but it really sucked. Hauling yourself up the mast is always a good workout or maybe pulling up the anchor by hand, scrub the deck or take up rowing your dinghy. There are endless ways to wear yourself out on a boat.

[BreadPitt]

Totally agree with "fxykty", resistance bands are a great asset while on board. Countless different exercises possible on deck - free or tie them to a cleat / mast / mast-foot etc.
Just make sure to take some spare ones with you, as the salt/sun seemed to make the plastic on mine get sticky over time (few months).

Have also seen different exercises with sandbags (small to crazy-sized, can also be filled with water for easy stowing, google sandbag fitness).
And TRX bands used with a halyard, want to try this sometime..

[Scotty Kiwi]

Originally Posted by Rennsail

Had to look that up, but yeah this seems like it could be good work out. This video explains what you need to do it, in a pool anyway. Probably different in swells.

Is'nt deep water aqua-jogging just for unco's who can't swim? Why not learn to swim mate?

[river251]

I guess when I go down to look at boats, I should try swimming in the ocean too. My recollection of swimming offshore in Los Angeles, past where the waves are coming in on the beach, is that it's not possible to get into rhythmic swimming when you never know when a wave is going to break over you just as you're about to take a breath. maybe I could just try swimming with keeping my head above water. Plus, there's something about me that sharks find attractive, I just know it. :-)

[RaymondR]

Where I cruise spending excessive time in the water in many of the anchorages is fairly likely to get you et.

Consequently a good push bike is your best exercise machine. I have a full size, shaft drive with eight speed hub which I find can get me to a high but still comfortable level and I get to go shopping, refill gas bottles and all sorts of other handy thing whilst doing it.

[Training Wheels]

I used to have a carbon fiber road bike I rode a lot. Now I swim, SUP, and run. I love running on the beach barefoot. The beaches are closed where we’re at, so I do have a pair of running shoes for the road. A TRX is great for strength training.

[HeelingTo]

I am a retired physician and when patients would come for their yearly wellness exam, I counselled them to exercise regularly. I see that your age is 65 so you need to be most concerned about losing independence and exercise is one of the few things (besides diet) that you can control which will help extend your independence for the years to come. There are three types of exercises that you need 1) balance (such as yoga, tai chi, etc), 2) strength (weight training, resistance training), and 3) aerobic (running, biking, etc). Any one of these will help, two of the three is pretty good but if you can manage all three, this is the best you can do. I use a "Bullworker" for weight training when I travel or live in confined spaces. A "Bullworker" is basically a compression spring with cables running from end to end to provide resistance. For aerobic exercise, you might consider a jump rope if your joints can take it. A stationary bike stand that provides resistance can fold up and easily stow. But, don't ignore that weight or resistance training to keep your bones strong so that you can bounce and not break when that fall comes. A broken hip in old age is hard to recover from! (I'm 69)

[dannc]

We often look for The Exercise to do as if one should only do one form exercise. Or we have to go to the gym, or ride a bike, or go run, or get on the rowing torture machine, or...... This often turns exercise into a chore which is why so many people stop excercising.

With the Fitbit, I went from walking the quickest path to somewhere, ie, the fewest steps, to walking a path/route, that would get be more steps, not the least. That was easy, not hard to do, and did not take a bunch of time. Just the time and effort to GET to a gym can be too much in a busy day. And right now the gyms are all closed anyway.

When I started using the Fitbit, I was "only" doing 5,000 steps a day. Then I wanted to do 10,000 steps a day, and was wondering how in the heck I was going to do that many steps? Where would I find the time?

The answer was go a longer walking route not the shortest. Prior to the virus and working from home, I would walk the longest route to my desk. I would park my vehicle, if not the farthest from where I worked, then a good long walk. By the time I walked to my desk, I could have 2,000 steps. Then I got another 2,000 steps when I would walk to my vehicle to drive home.

Walking to get lunch I would take, not the shortest path, but the longest. Walking back from lunch was also a long path. During the day, I would try to go for a walk before lunch, and if I had time, after lunch. Just sitting at a desk all day is bad for you in so many ways, so getting up and taking a short walk helps you physically, mentally, and improves one's productivity.

Just doing these simple things to increase my walking, I could get 10-12,000 steps at work without any effort.

Then work had a challenge to see if you could walk a million steps in a few months. I forgot how many months. I signed up for the challenge since I was walking anyway so it was no big deal. After a few weeks, I realized if I walked a million steps I would get a T Shirt that said I had walked a million steps. So I did the math to figure out how many steps I needed to walk each day to get that T Shirt.

I needed something like 15,000-17,000 steps each day to get a million steps in the time remaining, but I ended up doing 20,000 steps a day which is about 10 miles. I never thought I would be able to find the time to do that many steps but I did. If I am talking to the wife, I get up and walk in place. If I am watching TV, I get up and walk in place until I get my steps in. Over the last few years, I have gotten to the point that I can run in place for 30-40 minutes at a time to get steps even faster. All while watching TV.

Most days I do 20,000 steps. I try to do 20,000 steps 6 days a week with one day I try to get 15,000 on a slacker day. I really want 140,000 steps a week. Most weeks I am over 140,000 but some weeks might "only" be 130,000-140,000.

Working at home has sorta helped. If I am in a meeting, I get up and walk. If I have lots of meetings, I end up with lots of steps. If I am talking, or listening to someone talking, I am walking. This week I had 27,000 steps one day and 29,000 steps on another day because I was walking while talking/listening. It is freaking easy to do. Just get up and walk.

I try to do weights, stretches, push ups and sit ups. I don't do this as much as I want or should, but I do get them done from time to time. It all helps.

If I bend down to pick up something, I use that as a chance to stretch. To put on shoes and tie the laces, that turns into an opportunity to stretch.

I have a manual coffee grinder that I try to use once or twice a week. Using that coffee grinder builds up hand strength that is hard to believe and gets my heart rate up. One can turn the simple thing of grinding coffee into a work out.

We were in Waterford, Ireland once upon a time and we spent hours walking around the city sight seeing, getting boat supplies, food, etc. I remember seeing this little old lady who had gone out food shopping. She was pulling a little cart that had her groceries and she was walking up a very steep hill. I would bet she did this 3-4 times a week. Now, I think she could have taken the bus but I do believe she decided to walk and pull her groceries to get exercise. She was going at a good pace too. That exercise, just a wee bit of walking, surely was helping her stay in good shape, mentally and physically, and all she was doing was walking to get her groceries.

Think about what you do in the day and try to turn that into a bit of a workout. Just a bit here and there, or a bit extra of something you are already doing, can end up being a decent workout without much extra time or effort.

Later,
Dan

[mikedefieslife]

One thing to think about is that you'll be doing this in heat above 30c for the most part. European summer it's very common for highs to be up to 37c in the popular cruising spots.

The Caribbean is cooler but more consistent at around 29-31c with no real respite at dawn or dusk since they are so short.

If you practice a form of Kung ** (Choy Li Fut was a favourite of mine), you could probably do all the forms or variations of such on deck if you have a decent sized boat (especially the wall bag set). Or even just the exercises. In the cannaries I was going through part of my MMA warm up routine. Using the main sheet for a target for jabs, hooks etc.. and leg work.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by river251

I guess when I go down to look at boats, I should try swimming in the ocean too. My recollection of swimming offshore in Los Angeles, past where the waves are coming in on the beach, is that it's not possible to get into rhythmic swimming when you never know when a wave is going to break over you just as you're about to take a breath. maybe I could just try swimming with keeping my head above water. Plus, there's something about me that sharks find attractive, I just know it. :-)

Open water swimming is fine and breaking waves are not an issue if not constant. Swim beyond the surf line of course. I’ve swim along the coast in up to 25knots of wind and matching open water waves. The ones that actually break over your head are rare and you have warning. Learn to breathe to both sides and breathe every second or third stroke - that way you’ll have enough air to not have to breathe if a wave is on top of you. Front crawl (freestyle). And I’m still a beginner swimmer with lousy technique - 1000m in 20 minutes is very fast for me.