Monday, December 17, 2012

Fitness on the boat


Fitness and Sailing

Several friends have wondered what I am doing on board to “stay fit?”.  Last February, I had joined the Mountain View YMCA, and worked up to going every weekday, taking cardio kickboxing, body sculpting, an occasional Zumba class, 30 min boot camp or walking an hour with the “ladies”.  It was great fun.  With the anticipation of a very different lifestyle, I consulted a fitness trainer who had actually gone sailing on a similar trip, for ideas and exercises to keep me fit.

So I moved onboard with my exercise kit:  one pair of dumbbells, a full set of colored elastic bands with nice handles, a folder with a collection of strength training /floor type exercises, workout music playlists and yoga tapes.   I left the 15 lb kettleball and a 2nd pair of weights in our car.  There is only one level place in our main salon where I can squeeze in to do push-ups, planks and yoga.  It’s hot here in Mexico, so this is only an early morning routine.  Rob is good about ignoring me during my exercise times; he’s happy sitting at the chart table, near all the technology, and working the VHF or Ham radio, while “Shake your booty" is blasting on the stereo. 

When we are on longer sailing passages, there’s plenty of time to do some more exercises in the cockpit.  On a quiet watch, I’ll do sets of bicep curls, hammer curls, triceps and deep knee bends, plus general stretching. 

Just living on a boat, whether at a marina or anchorage plus sailing, is very physical work.  There are steep stairs in the companionway connecting our outside to the below.  Some day I’ll  count how many times we go up and down, or carry a pedometer to see how miles we “walk” during a day or two of sailing.  We also enjoy snorkeling, swimming and hiking.  Walking a long beach with the waves and sand tickling my toes is my favorite meditation.  Our stand-up paddleboard is a nice way to get exercise as well as check out other boats in a quiet anchorage or marina. 

In Tenacatita Bay, Rob dropped me off at a 2 mile long beautiful sandy beach. I walked back and forth for an hour, finishing up with more squats, stretches until he picked me up.

We’ve found some Yoga classes being offered daily in both La Cruz and Barra de Navidad.  Rob has enjoyed his first few sessions with me this week.  We want to do that more regularly.  After an afternoon of playing in the surf with our paddleboard, we were ready for our late afternoon siestas.
Here’s to Health and Happiness!! 

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