Living aboard and working out

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Franklin

Franklin

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Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
I've been thinking heavily about moving aboard my boat and selling my house. One of the things I didn't want to give up was my bowflex. I actually haven't used it in about a year now (surprised ? ) but I liked working out with it over gyms...mostly because it was light and in my house. Anway...a thread a couple weeks ago stating it's good as a sailor to keep the upper body strong got me thinking about something, so I've been experimenting with a cheap effective way to work out while on a boat (or anywhere you want like in front of the TV). Most upper parts of the body can be worked out with dumbbells. I've been using two gallons of water (washed out plastic milk jugs). I start out using both in one hand and then alternate hands and then use one in each hand. You will be surprised at the workout you can get with just those two jugs of water. Not only is water free at most marinas and the weight is very adjustable, it doesn't take up much room in storage and can be used as emergency water supply too. If you feel like doing more strenuous workout, add another jug or two and combine them with a thick rope around the handles to make a heavy dumbbell. Another cool thing about this...it's mobile so you can workout anyplace or if you forgot your jugs *pop you can easily get some more when traveling ;D. JUGS ARE GREAT ;D
 
John Nantz

John Nantz

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Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
Martha Stewart Material?

There's some good creative ideas here! Between you and Terry Cox, I think there are some pretty good low-cost solutions. Maybe you guys should send your ideas to Martha Stewart?
 
sailortonyb Allied Mis

sailortonyb Allied Mis

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Jun 12, 2004
1,181
Allied Mistress 39 Ketch Kemah,Tx.
Dont laugh , but...........

I work offshore and needless to say, most of the people i work with are/were major felons. The oil companies provide us with great workout rooms and weight rooms. The jail birds generally will workout with some of the weights, but most of them have learned to adapt to prisons and jails that didnt have the excercise facilities. Its amazing what they can do with some rope and 2 20# hand barbells. They must have a routine of over 100 excercises they do with just that. I think it would be wise to make friends with a felon rather than be incarcerated and learning first hand.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Good topic.

I have long believed that a lot of sailors are out of shape. You see it here on the board, the trend to furling mains and electric winches and trawlers. I am well into Social Security and almost always single-hand my 37' cutter. Many of my outings are for an hour or two. Many or most of my dockmates won't uncover the main if they are not leaving for the weekend. My halyards are at the mast and the main goes up without a winch. I will admit to a furling jib and lazyjacks however. Point being that if you stay strong and healthy you will get much more from sailing. My own method is bicycling, outdoors when it is dry and above freezing. Indoors otherwise. And at least 100 miles a week. Find a program and stick with it. It can be weights or a brisk 30 minute walk three or four times a week. It really will make a difference. Oh, before you say "yeah, but you are retired" one thing. When I was working fifty or more hours a week I was riding more(but sailing less).
 
Franklin

Franklin

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Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
two more good reasons...

If you drop it overboard, it floats :) If you drop it on your foot, it doesn't hurt or break anything...it's soft.
 
Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
6,052
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
In 1976 I had an epiphany at the age of 33...

Some might call it a mid life crisis. That was when I decided to begin running. Since then I've logged in over 40,000 running miles. Age is forcing me to slow down, but I still do seven and a half miles every other day regardless of geography or weather. Over the years I've added exercises to my regimen to help curb physical pains. Quadracep lifts for knee joint pain, pull ups for upper body strength and shoulder pain, etc. It works! One barrier that needs to be overcome is a good subtstitute for running when you are weeks away from the nearest port. The only device that might work is a portable stair climber. I saw one at Value Village the other day. I might just pick it up. During our seven week Discovery Island cruise this past season running took me to parts of the territory that I would have otherwise missed out on. Some might call that a bonus. Terry
 
L

Larry

You guys are a bunch of Yahoooos.

Come On, Really now, working out on a saiboat with water jugs! Is that really a necesary post here? Who cares? Looks like you had too much coffee and just had to post something, anything, oh gosh o golly, what Can I write about! O dear keyboard I'm sooo lonely Paleeese
 
U

uploadjoe

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Jul 25, 2005
124
- - -
I think it's an interesting topic...

I think it's an interesting topic. As someone who aspires to live aboard one day. I thought it was an interesting solution to a problem that had also crossed my mind. -- Jeremy
 
A

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
Wow you are mean......

I think it is a great question. I often wondered how people traveling around the world get their work outs. abe
 
B

BobW

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Jul 21, 2005
456
Hunter 31 San Pedro, Ca
You're right, Larry......

We should all stop and ask ourselves the most important question before we post: WWLT? That's....... What Would Larry Think? Franklin, you get 3 lashes with a wet halyard for failing to uphold the expected standards. Come to think of it, somebody needs to be disciplined for forcing Larry to read this drivel.... would a volunteer please step forward?????
 
L

Louis Holub

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Jun 17, 2005
197
- - Kemah, Texas
flabby SAILORS with over hung GUTs...

I'VE FIGURED IT OUT...YEP...big ole fat slobby lookin' out of shape 100 lbs over weight SAILORS know the "real reasons"....too much BEER, LAYING AROUND asking others to do the WORK, T.V., more BEER, more RELAXING, sitting and gabbin' for HOURS about Nonsense, more BEER....(Thats why I QUIT DRINKING that SLOP long ago)....SIGH...."happy 'inshape' 'sober' sailing" ALSO...big over hung enormous GUTS arent called "BEER BELLIES" for no reason...HA...
 
M

Mike Misko

CSBB Input

Maybe if some of the CSBB folks are lurking, they could chime in. I would guess that leg strength and balance are bigger issues than upper body, but that's just based on reading some circumnavigators remarks in various books, which is obviously an extreme example.
 
P

patrick

balls would go well with the jugs

Those big rubber balls are fantastic, you wouldn't believe how many exercises you can do on them -most of which contribute to all important core strength. When you're done they deflate and wad up to the size of a softball.
 
Franklin

Franklin

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Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
yep

You need to get some balls Franklin and tell &&& &&& Larry to lay off the insults. Just kidding.
 
Fred Ficarra

Fred Ficarra

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Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
Bob, I volunteer!

I confess! I've brought dumbbells aboard and used them. Oops, that should be larrybells.
 
R

Rick

Use your body for the workout

I have been studying this situation of working out on a boat for awhile (going cruising) and I am going to use the same systems I presently use except for racquetball (I can't find the room for a 20x40x20 high area) I use a stationery bike for leg for 30 minutes per day. On the boat I will use the standard bike on a stand with a resistance mechanism. The strength exercise are push ups, leg lifts and stomach crunches 150 each. I also plan to add chin ups also. I alternate each day. I have been using this method for 5 or 6 years and it keeps me in fairly good shape and health I hope. I had a little cholesterol problem several years ago and this help reduce it from 290 to 185. Larry if you don't stay health you won't be able to sail.
 
S

Stan

Here's a couple more ideas

There are some good ideas listed here, I also run every other day and do the stomach crunch and pushups thing. In addition to that I take the dinghy out and row for about 45 minutes from time to time, and it's hard to beat a good swim when it comes to getting exercise if the water is warm enough ( and I mean swimming, not floating around with a beer in your hand ).
 
Mac Bentley

Mac Bentley

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Feb 26, 2004
161
Hunter 23 Lake Keystone, OK
Fred

In two years of reading this forum, that's the first time I've laughed out loud. Mac
 
J

JohnS12875

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Jul 21, 2005
79
N/A N/A N/A
fitness

I like the water jug 'dumbell' idea. If you want to keep weight down for cruising, you can fill w/ seawater and dump them between workouts. For your lats: Using a halyard, run a length of fat (1" maybe) 3-strand up the mast, and pull yourself up hand over hand. Just don't go so high as to risk injury if you fall. Legs are the most difficult. You could sit over the companionway, and with a loop of rope, hang the water jugs over a foot for extensions. Likewise, stand on a cockpit seat with a foot (and water jugs) hanging over the footwell for hamstring curls. With all the ropes and blocks aboard, there's lots of possibilites.
 
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