When Rick and I were in our mid 40's, we started noticing a decline in our strength and endurance, especially in long and difficult regattas. So we started going to a local gym every morning five days a week and going through a weight-training regimen. We did this for about three months straight, prior to the sailing season. It was amazing what a dramatic difference it made in our strength and endurance for racing.

I think regular weight training, along with aerobics, can greatly extend competitive racing years for people who want to race beach cats or high-performance dinghies of any kind.

People on this forum devote a lot of time to the intricacies of rigging and sails and rudders and lines and cleats. So I am just wondering whether people devote any time to making themselves better and stronger athletes to operate all this high-tech equipment.

I've been training for about 35 years...no question it helps me in sailing.I'll be 52 in April.

I lift... but because I have type 1 diabetes, putting any kind of useful weight on (or useless for that matter) is a waste of time. I do it for the confidence it gives me in the sack with the girlfriend :P

Just kidding.

I have been weight training for 12 years. My wake up call was 12 years ago when I had to lay down on the tramp before I could take the boat down after a 2 day regatta.


There are several levels of weight training and it is possible to do a lot of hard work with minimal benefit or set yourself to get hurt. If you are new to weight training find out how to train. The trainers that work at gym's are minimal. A Sports Medicine program is a lot better.If you are really serious and like to hurt, a sports trainer. Finally don't forget to work your back. Stronger arms and legs can put a lot of stress on the back.

I do some weight training, but only under supervision of a physiotherapist, it is part of my program to re-enforce my muscles after surgery.
I intend to keep on training after the program is finished.

I am convinced it will get me trough the summer in a better shape.

I've been fairly habitual in running about 3 miles every other day over the last couple of years, with some weight training off and on. I've found the running and cardio to be a huge help. Over the last couple of years, racing once a week has been my strength training! Probably the biggest help to my sailing was dropping about 30 pounds through the running and diet.

This year will be an uphill struggle - various things have conspired to get me off my exercise program, and sailing season's on the way!

Does anybody know what specific exercises and equipment and weight-training work best to develop the muscles most used in catamaran sailing? And which muscles are they? Forearms? Upper arms? Legs?

For instance, I know serious Laser sailors who live in snow country have their "hiking benches" that they use in the winter while they are watching TV so they can keep their stomach muscles strong.

And I think there also is a sheeting thing that some use in conjunction with the hiking bench to develop strength for the specific type of sheeting they do.

Hi Mary,
Noticed your post, and thought I'd post a "detailed" explanation as to the benefits of "resistance training", and maybe give you satisfactory answers to your questions. I will be back to the forum a little later with my post. I am a professional fitness evaluator and personal trainer; with a college background in work physiology and kinesiology.
Dave

Mary,
The decline in strength and endurance that you and Rick experienced in your mid-40s is par for individuals who haven't been on a regular training program. Some individuals experience that decline before "the 40s", some a little later. It all depends on what you are asking your body to do. If you don't do a whole lot, it takes a "jolt" to realize that you can't do a whole lot.
Active people sometimes come to the conclusion that their "participation" in a particular physical activity is no longer enough. In comes "resistance training" and "cardiovascular training". Question is: "how much do you need"? Well, you need a level that enables you to comfortably accomplish your everyday tasks, enjoy the physical activities of your choice and have a "reserve" for the unexpected over and above your specific needs. This is going to be different for everyone. The catsailor that is "content" with putting the wife, kids, dog, and beer on board for a little Sunday afternoon cruise does not require the strength and stamina of aggressive cat sailing teams. Although, it certainly would not hurt him.
There are many exercises that would benefit the catsailor. And, there is a variety of equipment that can be utilized. I would need a "whole lot of time" to elaborate on everything. You would be on the right track if you were to train "all" your muscles. Legs, upper back, lower back, chest, shoulders, neck, abdominals, and arms. I would make sure to include flexibility exercises. In conjuction with the resistance training, or as a stand alone such as Yoga or Pilates. If you really want to get specific, training for skipper and crew are actually different. They require different demands of their body.
The key to understanding training is that the stresses (and training is a stress) we place on our body is extremely "specific". The closer you can train to what your physical activity is...the better. You don't train a marathon runner by having him/her drag a stove down the road. By the same token, you don't train someone that will be sawing the mainsheet for extended periods of time by using very heavy weights, with few reps. For those with a good fitness foundation, there is also plyometric and ballistic training that can be included. What better way to be able to handle "severe" "unexpected" stresses on the body, than to train the body to accept them. If I had to choose one exercise that utilizes a majority of the muscles used in catsailing, I would give high marks to a rowing machine. There are crossovers between extending the legs from the "compact position", "contraction of the lower back muscles while bringing the upper body back from a bent over position", "upper arm muscles contracting while drawing the fists toward the chest", "shoulder girdle muscles contracting while drawing the elbow back", "abdominals contracting in the layed out position". If you think about it, there is a fairly close relationship there.
O.K., I've probably rambled enough on a subject that I dearly love. As you can see, like sailing, the more you know-the more you realize there is so much to know. You may find this site of interest http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html
Thanks for listening.
Dave

The following two ideas might improve the sailing community's cardio:

1. Subsitution of throw out score.

Your throwout score could be substituted with
an OPTIONAL cycling Time Trail(TT) finish.
The TT does not have to marathon, say 5 to 20 minutes.
It could be done in mornings or evenings.
(use modified Texel system for rating?)
note: if you TT poorly, you have something to work on.

2. Biathalons.

sailing and cycling (or mountain biking).
side note: don't they sail and ski in one regatta in Tahoe, CA?


For those sailors over 40 or 50, you know the importance of maintaining
your cardio... etc. If you cannot ride a bike should you be on a cat?
Obviously, some regatta site's would better suited for this than others.
Cycling is better than running because it is easier on the joints, for the
running impaired. Cycling is a lot more FUN than running,
mountain biking is even better. (obviously bias)


Cheers,
Chris

Mary,

It's good to hear that others have experienced a noticable decline when reaching the mid-40's. For me, the 45th trip around the sun brought a granddaughter as well. The combination of many new aches and pains along with the notion of being called "Pop" took a bit of getting used to. To fight back, I'm planning on running my first marathon this year and trying to work my way back to my 30-year-old weight. The additional 25 lbs really takes its toll on aging muscles.

As for weight training, I do a little bit a few times a week during the winter. In the warmer months, I get my fill by loading sea kayaks on and off trailers on a regular basis.

Now, if I can only get my neighbor, a Ben & Jerry's employee, to stop bringing over four pints of ice cream every week!

Kevin,
Send your neighbor down here.

Mary,

When I used to work in Dilbert Land I would wait until I had ten pints in the freezer and then bring it to the company lunch room. Within minutes of sending an e-mail announcing, "ice cream in the fridge", it would be gone.

The other night, my neighbor's 3-year-old son showed up at the door delivering pints of One Sweet Whirled. He told me, "My mommy wants you to blow up like a balloon." After I got done laughing, I asked his mom where the comment came from. Apparantly she had told her son, "Take these over to Kevin and Michele. If we keep them here, I'll blow up like a balloon." Little Charlie had interpreted it to mean, "Take these over to Kevin and Michele so that THEY can blow up like a balloon." Kids. Ya gotta love em.

weight training is just boring to me, i do other stuff, kayaking is my favorite alternative. i also bike, run, and play tennis occasionally.i paddle 3 or 4 times a week, often from the sailing club. so i can piddle with my hobie for a while then go paddle my sea kayak,get some cardio and be on the water...but be careful, kayaks are addictive!

Dave...Since this thread has digressed into the area of food, I would be interested in your thoughts on the relationship between the training and nutrition.

I do workout regularly. This time of year while most are trying to loose weight, I'm usually trying to get up to minimum weight. Maybe I need the Ben and Jerrys.

Dan

Yes there is a regatta run from the North Shore every year in the Spring that is run on small monos (lasers?) and is combined with a downhill skiiing race. Check out the details here: http://www.skisail.com/specifics.html.

-Tim

Hello Dan....Good question (very good, as a matter of fact). As with "proper training", "proper nutrition" is a valuable part of the of the big picture. There are formulas that are used to determine specific ratios of macronutrients with relation to an individual's lean muscle mass to body fat percentage. It involves finding out your approx. caloric expenditure, determining an amount of calories that either needs to be added or subtracted from your intake to get the desired results. From what I understood of your post, you are looking at adding muscle to your frame (correct me if I am incorrect). Generally speaking (and that is because there are many factors), you would "tweak" added amounts of protein (used for repair and building muscle) while concentrating on required amounts of carbohydrates and fats for the task at hand. A good trainer has these tools. Also, the amount of weight you lift, the number of repetions you do and the number of sets in your routine needs to be determined. Gets kind of involved, huh?
I'll try to dig up a link that will at least get you on track. I'll send it to your email. Just keep in mind that any "diet" that severely restricts, or eliminates either protein, carbohydrate or fats...needs to be looked at closely. Nutrition is a "lifestyle", not a quick fix.
Dave

[color:"green"]> weight training is just boring to me, i do other stuff, kayaking is my favorite alternative...but be careful, kayaks are addictive![/color]

Dan,

I find sea kayaking to be very complimentary to sailing. When trying to decide which to do, I only have to look at the anemometer. If the winds are good, I sail. If the winds are light, I paddle.

Dan.....didn't see an email address. Here is a link that should be of interest. I am sorry if this has turned out to be a personal training session. I certainly didn't intend it to be.
Dave
http://www.nismat.org/index.html

you are what you eat.....doenst get any simpilar than that,,,