Fitness mantra: Sail away this summer as fun and adventurous way to stay fit

Sailing can be one of the best ways to get yourself to work out, while also having an incredible amount of fun, say veteran sailors and fitness experts. As a sport, sailing can strengthen one’s core muscles and help the body tone up like no other, says sailor Vivek Shanbhag.

“Sailing is a safe and easy hobby to have, which will help in making the core muscles of one’s body fitter. Sailing also involves a tremendous amount of coordination between muscles and one’s brain — which helps in quick thinking and muscle activity. There is also a fair bit of balancing on water, which also strengthens one’s body,” explains Shanbhag, an airline pilot, who has also been sailing for the past decade in Chennai.

Here are the ways sailing can help in staying fit.

Core strength: Pulling on the lines and hiking your boat are sure to improve your core strength and general muscle strength. You can also add some exercises while sailing, like squats, single arm rows and partial crunches for strengthening specific parts of the body.

Body balance: Manoeuvring the boat requires a lot of balance in one’s legs. Starting off with exercises like trying to balance the body on one leg can be all the more helpful while sailing. Sailing, overall, can improve one’s agility with the waves being unpredictable.

Cardiovascular fitness: Sailing, just like running and swimming, can contribute to lowering the risk of hypertension, say fitness experts. Since sailing involves taking in a lot of oxygen, the activity is also good for your heart health.

Endurance: Sailing can last anywhere from 1 to 4 hours of navigating in the sea waters, which involves developing a lot of stamina. Even if your first sailing trip drains you out, you are sure to develop endurance for the next one.

Apart from these fitness benefits, sailing can also help one relax, as the body’s serotonin levels, which indicate happiness, are more balanced due to sea air. There can also be no better way to relax after a busy week, being amid sea water and sailing away.