Tacking Toward the Gym

To get to my workout I need to work my way upwind through a sea of distractions. I like the metaphor, but like my resolve it starts to fall apart about there.

Gym-type exercise isn’t strictly necessary to sailing a Laser; sailing a Laser will get you in shape to sail a Laser. There are a couple of problems with the “sail-yourself-into-shape” approach though. It takes time to work any particular muscle group into shape, particularly after you get past 35 or 40; physiologists speak about eight weeks to make substantial improvements in strength.

 To make those kinds of gains in that amount of time you need to schedule workouts two to three times per week, not a sailing schedule that many adults keep to. And it isn’t unusual that much sailing in the US occurs during quiet wind periods. These sessions rarely challenge muscles enough to cause breakdown, rebuilding and consequent increases in strength. When the big winds come you’re hurting.

And it is unfortunate that the early season sailing is often in the most wind, so if you wish to do well in spring regattas you have to frostbite. Also, as you sail into shape, you are most venerable to strains and other injuries. (I find that if I don’t workout I do less stretching too.)

Sailing also doesn’t provide the sustained aerobics that are needed to develop the endurance needed to carry you through a full day or two of a regatta. Aerobic base building literally teaches your body to be more efficient about burning plentiful fat and not precious sugars.

Now I need aerobic capacity because I still take the occasional swim and without aerobic training I find myself sitting in the boat, or the water, distracted by my efforts to recover instead of refocusing on sailing the boat at my best.

So, today I rode my bike on its trainer for 30 minutes. My quads burned because I do one legged sessions and periods of high spins. I also did my hyper-extensions, bicycle crunches and leg-lifts to develop abdominal and back strength. And I finished up with stretches. Two days and I’m back on the treadmill and working on upper body.