Hi, I'm 14 and I've recently finished the "Learn to Sail" program at my yacht club after 5 years of taking the program. I'm in the process of getting my own Laser Radial for next year and I'm going to join the RNSYS race team (Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron). I'm a bit out of shape...well, I was actually never in shape. I'm wondering how I should go about getting in shape. What exercises should I do and what should I eat? I want to be in shape and ready to go by next May.
The Laser Sailor Diet and Exercise
- Thread starter TravisR
- Start date
49208
Tentmaker
Best advice I can give for getting in shape is to sail as much as possible. For the time periods you can't sail (such as a cold Canadian winter), pick up a copy of Michael Blackburn's book "Sail Fitter", (it's available directly from MB at http://www.sailfitter.com/sailfitter.html and also many of the marine stores that cater to dinghy sailors will have it. )
At 14, you just need to eat sensibly and healthy, ie don't come home from school and pig out on the ice cream and cookies every day.
At 14, you just need to eat sensibly and healthy, ie don't come home from school and pig out on the ice cream and cookies every day.
Merrily
Administrator
Yeah, eat healthy, plenty of vegetables and fruit, along with some meat, complex carbs, and lowfat dairy. Cycling and rowing are good aerobic exercise for Laser sailing. Here also is a workout routine designed for Laser sailors:
http://www.uiowa.edu/~sail/library/skills/hikingexercises1.htm
http://www.uiowa.edu/~sail/library/skills/hikingexercises1.htm
computeroman2
Member
If you're not already in shape and really need some work, I would ask your parents to get you a personal trainer for a while. Things like push-ups, crunches, etc. help you a lot if you're already in shape, but you need more exercises than that. I would also suggest cycling or running for a cardiovascular workout, and build yourself a hiking bench.
as for eats- try to stay off fast food. I avoid fast food as much as possible. I've been off it for long enough that I get a bad stomach reaction whenever I do eat it. Ask your parents to find a healthfood store near you and to buy their foods from there. Ask her to cook well-balanced dinners, e.g. a vegetable, something with carbs like potatoes, and a protein-rich meat or other food. Lastly, try to avoid snacking on unhealthy food too much.
General rule- if your parents wouldn't want you to eat it, then you probably shouldn't.
as for eats- try to stay off fast food. I avoid fast food as much as possible. I've been off it for long enough that I get a bad stomach reaction whenever I do eat it. Ask your parents to find a healthfood store near you and to buy their foods from there. Ask her to cook well-balanced dinners, e.g. a vegetable, something with carbs like potatoes, and a protein-rich meat or other food. Lastly, try to avoid snacking on unhealthy food too much.
General rule- if your parents wouldn't want you to eat it, then you probably shouldn't.
computeroman2
Member
Oh yeah- try and avoid soda too. You get over 50% of your daily sugar from sodas.
Petpeswick -
That is awesome, I used to race there every summer at the mid summer regatta - is that still running?. What a blast - do they still have those Sat night dinners of all you can eat Homemade Lasagna. If they do, I'd love to come up to it next year!
Good luck on the fitness aspect of things. Get a pair of Cross Country skis - that will build up your cardio and give you a good full body workout. You can go on the golf courses out there. The hills are the best part!
Good luck
Matt
That is awesome, I used to race there every summer at the mid summer regatta - is that still running?. What a blast - do they still have those Sat night dinners of all you can eat Homemade Lasagna. If they do, I'd love to come up to it next year!
Good luck on the fitness aspect of things. Get a pair of Cross Country skis - that will build up your cardio and give you a good full body workout. You can go on the golf courses out there. The hills are the best part!
Good luck
Matt
bcardarella
New Member
The Laser is a very demanding boat physically. I would recommend an overall body workout complemented with a balanced diet. (40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat)
There is a book out by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove called 'The New Rules of Lifting' and it is excellent. It will not only give you a workout program for an entire year (the program will change every few weeks to keep your body challenged) but it will also help you develop the correct diet and explain why eating properly is just as important (sometimes more important) than the actual workouts.
The book's workouts were designed by Alwyn Cosgrove who has taken a very scientifc approach to working out: trying to get the most out of a workout in the least amount of time. The programs focus on combined body movement exercises instead of muscle isolation, the goal being to build muscle that actually helps perform everyday physical activity instead of muscle that just looks nice. (yes, there is a difference)
The most important thing I can say is to start off slow! Make concetration on your form a pripority over putting up more weight. You'll get more benefit from proper form with lighter weights than crap form with heavy weights. I've got bad knees and a bad back and always stayed away from squats until recently. I started with no weight on the bar and just concentrated on my form and have been steadily increasing the weight. The funny thing is that since doing proper squats I've had much less knee and back problems.
As far as losing weight goes you don't need to focus on cardio exercise. That's one of the big points in this book. Muscle takes more calories for your body to maintain than fat. If you build muscle and eat properly you will lose fat because your body will need to burn the fat to maintain the muscle. You just have to watch your calorie intake and make certain that it is less than what your body requires so it is forced to attack the fat.
There is a book out by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove called 'The New Rules of Lifting' and it is excellent. It will not only give you a workout program for an entire year (the program will change every few weeks to keep your body challenged) but it will also help you develop the correct diet and explain why eating properly is just as important (sometimes more important) than the actual workouts.
The book's workouts were designed by Alwyn Cosgrove who has taken a very scientifc approach to working out: trying to get the most out of a workout in the least amount of time. The programs focus on combined body movement exercises instead of muscle isolation, the goal being to build muscle that actually helps perform everyday physical activity instead of muscle that just looks nice. (yes, there is a difference)
The most important thing I can say is to start off slow! Make concetration on your form a pripority over putting up more weight. You'll get more benefit from proper form with lighter weights than crap form with heavy weights. I've got bad knees and a bad back and always stayed away from squats until recently. I started with no weight on the bar and just concentrated on my form and have been steadily increasing the weight. The funny thing is that since doing proper squats I've had much less knee and back problems.
As far as losing weight goes you don't need to focus on cardio exercise. That's one of the big points in this book. Muscle takes more calories for your body to maintain than fat. If you build muscle and eat properly you will lose fat because your body will need to burn the fat to maintain the muscle. You just have to watch your calorie intake and make certain that it is less than what your body requires so it is forced to attack the fat.
laser2_9804
New Member
I just eat fairly healthily, swim at least once a week, go to the gym (cardio and weights) and do pilates.
As well as sailing as often as I can - summer and winter.
As well as sailing as often as I can - summer and winter.
It's very cool that you are considering your diet and excercise program as an important part of your sailing effort, but before anything, sailing your boat is your best workout. In the off season, a hiking bench is important. How you proceed from here depends on how fit you are now. You imply "not very", so a personal trainer can help a lot to get you pointed in the right direction. It's very difficult to provide advice on health from a distance, but a personal trainer can see the specific issues you need to deal with and give you good advice. You don't need him forever—just to kick start you program. Make sure your trainer understands what the demands of sailing are. You need flexibility and stamina. You don't need big muscles. In fact, you need to fairly slim if you are going to grow to 6 foot or taller. Your ultimate size goal should be in the 170-180 range. A little heavier if you are shorter than six feet. Good luck. I wish I had been as motivated to get fit at your age. You have some great sailors in Halifax to emulate, so ask them what they do, and don't stop bugging them about how to go fast until they tell you.