We may have made resolutions for the new year, but are you keeping up with yours? It’s not too late to get back into the shape you’d hope you be in. As a yacht crew member, it’s important to get past physical obstacles onboard such as limited space or exhaustion. Become healthier and stronger by using these five tips to energize, motivate and organize your time onboard.
- Set goals for yourself
Being consistent in setting and reaching your fitness goals. You have to make your goal visible, something to see every day as a reminder to keep at it. Try creating a goal calendar and hang it in a frequently seen place. Get a list of objectives going to help you achieve a broader goal. Think of objective as stepping stones leading to the main goal. Track your progress by marking completed tasks with an “X.” Breaking your goals down into short-term periods will help you from becoming overwhelmed.
- Squat
There’s no excuse for not being able to incorporate squats into your fitness routine while onboard, unless you have knee or back problems. Squats are a great workout because they allow for many variations to work certain muscles. For a normal forward squat, start with your hips back, not by bending your knees. Keep your back straight, spine neutral and chest and shoulders up. Look straight and as you squat down, focus on keeping your knees in line with your feet. For more squatting to the side or adding weights would help work other muscles and increase strength. Three sets of ten would be a great place to start.
- Push-Ups
Push-ups are another great way to stay fit onboard. You could use a mess table or just the floor to do push-ups and also have variations to exercise and build strength for your upper body. If a standard push up is too much for you, lowering your knees is a modification you can take. Have you ever heard of a burpee? Stand tall with your feet together, drop hands to the floor, jump back to push-up position, raise hips, jump forward with your feet and finally, jump up at least and each so now you’re back in the starting position. Repeat this as many times as you can and you’ll definitely notice progress.
- Stretch
Although it is important to exercise often, you also need to recognize when it’s time to rest. Listen to your body. Moving the body in a different way than static exercise, like stretching the chest, shoulders, lower back, neck and legs, can help improve flexibility, performance in physical activities and ever decrease your risk of injuries by helping your joints move through their full range of motion. Stretching enables your muscles to work effectively and increases blood flow to the muscle. If you have experience or can learn stretches used in yoga, those would be a great way to stay fit.
- Enjoy the Rewards
Now that you know how to stay fit on board, the best part is sitting back and enjoying the benefits of all your hard work. It’s okay to treat yourself once in awhile, it actually helps you stay motivated in the long run. Go ahead, eat steak and mashed potatoes. It makes reaching your objectives that much easier knowing there is a steak waiting at the end of the road to your fitness goals.
