Slogging for Sailing

Ever since the Volvo Ocean Race visited Singapore in January, i have been smarting terribly from my defeat in the grinding challange that took place there. grinding is as painful as it sound, being the winching and trimming of sails, done with a two handled rotation device, and it is hard. i have decided that the next time my nemesis, the grinding machine, comes along, i will be prepared. i am starting a vigorous training routine to get me ready for the Clipper Race including running, and a whole lot of upper body work as previous crew members have suggested to me.

i run along the singapore riverside about three times a week doing about four/five miles in 50 minutes (which i know from my excellent 'Polar' heart rate monitor i got for Christmas.). it is the strength training that is a problem, i have been reduced to using baked bean tins for weights as i cannot possibly afford gym membership.
for those doing a bit of home training themselves, here is a few tips;

firstly, running/jogging - if you are already running a few times weekly you will burn roughly 100 calories per mile you run. it is extremely motivating to imagine that donut you had at lunch... simply disappearing, as if you never even ate it. from my experience, i can say that the important thing is to keep going rather than keeping a quick pace. twenty minutes in, if you are going to collapse you need to slow down, to walking pace if necessary, just keep jogging. i promise in two minutes you will be able to go faster again. it is recommended to take about one breath for every three steps you take, but i take four steps. anything is fine as long as you have a rhythm so you don't have to think about it. weight loss experts say that running when you are hungry will burn off more fat, which makes sense. yesterday i went for a run about 9pm and i hadn't eaten anything since 2pm - the first ten minutes i was encumbered with a crippling pain in my stomach but by the time i had finished my usual circuit it had gone, and i did a second one easily. exercise is an incredible appetite sup present which is odd because the two are opposites. if anyone knows how this happens i would love to know!

i used to do swimming, and breast stroke is great for working the arms. honestly, i was too embarrassed to do front crawl as mine is more like a snails crawl. My mum came along with me to the Volvo Race and also partook in the grinding challange and she was excellent. so what does she do all day? Housework actually. yes, all that lugging around of furniture and scrubbing of stains actually puts our flabby arms to shame with their strength.

lastly, some ideas for unconventional training. i love spending ten minutes working on juggling, i can do it for over 30 seconds now and it develops your hand - eye coordination so that you have good reflexes. my dad frequently annoys me by throwing things at me with the phrase muttered a millisecond later 'THINK FAST!' but the head injuries have decreased since learning to juggle. i also have a drum kit. we live in a tiny apartment so i don't get to play it very often, but when i do it works those arms like crazy, just an added bonus to making a hell of a lot of noise for no reason. i should really get muffling pads but I've had no complaints yet (from neighbors).

so there are some things to mull over if you are thinking of starting sailing or perhaps just want to tone your triceps in time for bikini season. (guys... ism looking at you).
toodaloo,
Laura.