Core Fitness Tips
Health and fitness are the foundation for a productive life and we as club members have a head start on most people. Our activities at the beach whether they are competition, patrol or just chasing nippers have a beneficial effect on mind and body.
Having said that, there are some basic principles of exercise that we can apply to ensure we reach our goals effectively and safely.
Always warm up for 5-10 minutes by starting at a lower intensity, then stretch the muscles you are about to use. If you are not a regular exerciser, start at low intensity where you can talk comfortably but can't sing and break it into bouts of 5-10mins and build up over time. Cool down for 5-10mins then stretch the muscles you used. This is the best time to increase flexibility.
Goal | Days per week | Duration | Intensity | Examples |
| Weight/fat loss | 4-5+ | Up to 60mins+ | Talk without limitation but can't sing | walking |
| Increase fitness | 3-4 | 30-60mins | Talk with some limitation | Fast walk/jog, swimming |
Higher and/or varied intensity exercise is useful in attaining specific sporting goals and is best left to the more seasoned among us.
Most importantly try to have days off between training as it is during rest that our bodies adapt and become stronger and this also helps prevent many injuries.
The benefits of aerobic exercise include
• lower resting heart rate and reducing high blood pressure
• weight/fat loss
• reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease and other diseases
• lowers bad cholesterol levels
Resistance training (eg weights) is not just for body builders. It is something we all should include in our training along with core stability for your mid section.
The benefits of resistance training
• fat loss- an increase in lean muscle mass and higher metabolism burn fat 24/7!!
• reduced risk or improvement of diabetes, arthritis and other medical conditions
• osteoporosis- increases bones density/strength and reduces fall risk as we age.
This is a general and cursory overview of fitness training and doesn't take the place of good nutrition and plenty of fluid (not amber)!
Also, if you are over 35, unused to exercise, have an injury, smoke, have a medical condition, are taking medication or have a family history that you are not sure has been cleared by your doctor for exercise then consult your doctor first.
We are lucky at the beach (particularly Terrigal) that we have the opportunity to exercise whilst playing, be it walking, ocean swimming, training or just mucking around on the sand. So grab it with both hands and use it!
Dave Kelly
Core Personal Training