Exercising While Cruising

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Last Updated on September 13, 2023 by Amy

Exercise has always been a part of our lives so it would make sense that we would exercise onboard Starry Horizons.  However, it’s taken over four years to develop some good habits and settle into an exercise routine.

Before Cruising

Back in land life, David and I both had gym memberships to our fabulous neighborhood gym (which I’d been going to since I was a teenager).  I saw a personal trainer once a week at the gym and ran eight marathons.  David did a 90-day program called P90X and was also a runner.  We were in the best shape of our lives.

Exercising While Cruising

Set Your Alarm

For us, especially in the Maldives, the hottest place we’ve ever been, getting up early in the morning to exercise is crucial.  We have to beat the heat and sun, so we are up before the sun rises.  I have an app I use called Sunrise Alarm (Android).  It allows me to set an alarm for X minutes prior to sunrise.

TRX

The TRX is a suspension trainer that fits perfectly onto our furled headsails.  It’s a body-weight-based system and adds extra support for balance and tension.  We do our TRX three times a week; legs, chest & back, shoulders & arms.  We have an app called Suspension Workout (Android) to choose our individual exercises.

Body Weight Exercises

There are plenty of exercises you can do with no equipment. Push-ups, tricep dips, squats, lunges, etc.  This is what we usually do while on passage, a quick 20-minute workout in the cockpit.

Exercise Bands

Since there are two of us and we alternate exercises, we also use a set of ProSource resistance bands.  There’s an app called Resistance Band (Android) that we use to pick our exercises.

HIIT

After each TRX workout, we do 10 minutes of High-Intensity Interval training, which is 30-second bursts of cardio exercise, like jumping jacks, burpees, or jump squats.  We use an app called Tabata Timer for HIIT (Android) to time our intervals.

Treading Water

How long can you tread water?  With a swimsuit on, in calm water, it’s easy, but how about if you add some weight on?  I started treading water with a weight belt and four pounds of weights on to increase my stamina.  During the day, I can tread water between our hulls, giving me a nice shaded area to hang out in.

Swimming/Snorkeling

David likes to swim circles around the boat for his swimming exercise.  I usually take our laser range finder and measure out to the nearest boat, and make that my lap.  Swimming is great because it can be done at any time of day and you will stay cool.  While snorkeling is easier thanks to the fins, we are more likely to snorkel longer than when we just swim laps.

Walking/Hiking

For an easy, low-impact exercise, we often walk, especially when we arrive in a new place.  It’s a great way to explore the area during the early morning or evening together.  There are so many stellar hikes we’ve done around the world that are easy to access from our anchorage.

Running

For a while, I was still running while we were cruising.  Easy access to the shore is usually the biggest deterrent; I don’t want sand in my shoes to chafe my feet while I run.  If there’s easy shore access, there are plenty of opportunities to run beyond roads.  A low-tide beach with hard-packed sand is good for running, or even a quiet airport runway.

Yoga

We have two yoga mats onboard so David and I can do yoga together.  If you have room, an extra thick yoga mat is a good idea, as a nonskid deck is really hard on your body.  I have used the Yoga International app, which is $15 USD a month, but I prefer to use the 20 Minute Yoga Download Podcast, which is free, 20-minute yoga exercises.

Paddleboarding

Inflating our paddleboard is a workout itself, but then on a calm, flat morning, I absolutely love taking the paddleboard out for a half an hour paddle.  It’s tough to tell how many calories this really burns, as it can depend greatly on the conditions, but even with no wind or waves, a half hour paddling gets a sweat going and makes my feet tired.

How Do You Exercise While Cruising?

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