Race Management: What Fitness Should Be Done

Print Page | Close Window

What Fitness Should Be Done

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Race Management
Forum Discription: For race officers and competiors to discuss the topic
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=937
Printed Date: 28 Jun 25 at 11:49am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: What Fitness Should Be Done

Posted By: Jason
Subject: What Fitness Should Be Done
Date Posted: 13 Aug 05 at 8:31am

Hi I am a dingy sailer from South Africa that has just started keel boat sailing, I am 16 years old and need to start training in the gym. I don't have any trainimg programs and would like to know if there is any one that could give me some tips. Thanks for the advise but i would like to also know what training could be done for my posistion on the boat. I am in the cockpit playing the piano (all the hallards and the kicker(vang) topping lift ya you should have got it by now)

Replies:

Posted By: Stefan Lloyd
Date Posted: 13 Aug 05 at 9:27am

What keelboat? The photo is missing.

The main training required for most keelboat classes is to eat lots of pies. Heavier = quicker.

If you are looking for a serious answer, it depends on whether it is a hiking class or not. Hiking: concentrate on quads. The gym can suggest how. Otherwise, general upper body stamina. But fitness is less of an issue for keelboats than for dinghies, which is one reason why a lot of older sailors (like me) move to keelboats.

Posted By: Phil eltringham
Date Posted: 13 Aug 05 at 3:15pm

I would be very carefull starting to do too much gym work at 16, your body is not fully developed and pushing it too hard too soon can do long term damage, make sure that if you join a gym you get someone to help you put a routene together. What Stefan says is right too, more weight and upper body strenght are the important things. One final point, try and keep dinghy sailing if you can, you lear a lot more about racing tactics and the mechanics of how a boat works that way, in a keel boat it is easy to concerntrate to much on your own little bit and miss out on learning how a boat works as a whole.

-------------
FLAT IS FAST!
Shifts Happen

Posted By: Ian29937
Date Posted: 13 Aug 05 at 5:10pm

I'd agree with Phil's comments about dinghy sailing. You rarely see keelboat sailors doing well in dinghies but the best dinghy sailors are in high demand to helm the bigger boats.

Whatever you do have fun.

Posted By: Stefan Lloyd
Date Posted: 13 Aug 05 at 6:01pm

I'd actually say stamina rather than strength for both dinghy and keelboat sailing i.e. low weights, many reps. The number of times absolute strength is important is quite small, even on a big boat. But Phil makes a good point on being careful about strength work until your bones have finished growing. I would also agree that sailing a 1 or 2-person dinghy will teach you more than bigger boats, and stand you in good stead even if keelboat sailing is your ultimate goal. That said, you can learn a lot in small (2-3 person) keelboats too.