The other day I was wrestling with an anchor line in a nice chop with boats running by, which made me regret taking the past two weeks off from working out. I could feel my core struggle to stay in position. It was hard to keep myself upright, my legs were tense, and my knees were digging into the deck. I struggled to keep my balance. My arms and shoulders loved me the next day, too!
The majority of the time; power boating doesn’t require much physical fitness. But there are times when being in shape makes all the difference. Keeping in good condition is not only good for you, but it’s good for your boat and your crew. As the captain of your ship you’re in charge of keeping everyone safe and preventing your vessel from getting damaged. From anchoring, to throwing lines to a dock mate, to just washing the boat, you need to “shape-up to ship out”!
Get into boating shape by focusing on core exercises, balance and lunges. Examples of boating fitness exercises that work your core muscles can be found on the Mayo Clinic’s Website.
See below for an example of a mini-workout I think is helpful:
- 6-10 second planks
- 12-15lb kettle bell swings
- 2 reps of 15 lunges
- Bicep curls on one leg (alternating legs)
As always, please check with your physician before “embarking” on any exercise plan.
Here’s ModernMom’s take on plank exercises: