AMC Outdoors, Web Exclusive, April 2005

Research by Lauren Saxton

If the warm weather is making you think ‘activity,’ but you saw a little too much of the sofa this winter, we’ve got some advice from the experts to get you ready for springtime—safely. AMC Outdoors intern Lauren Saxton spoke with some of the fittest folks out there to get their Top 10 Tips for springtime training. Here’s what she learned:

Philip Keyes, executive director of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), www.nemba.org, commiserates. “It’s tough to stay in shape [during the winter],” he says. “You have to stay active doing whatever. Keeping the ticker going is the best thing.” For those whose ticker may have taken a little break during the cold months, Keyes recommends:

1. Taking spinning classes at your gym.

2. Using cross-country skiing machines. “Cross country skiing is a solid crossover from biking.”

3. Skate skiing and snowshoeing, for those lucky enough to still be enjoying this winter’s bounty of snow.

4. Doing abdominal work to help strengthen your core.

5. Running to build endurance. Add ten minutes each week to your total running time.

6. Working out regularly with weights. Aim for 2-3 sets on each Nautilus machine at your gym. “Working on core muscle groups is important to balance,” says Keyes.

7. Join a cycling group and take part in local events. Check your chapter’s activity listings or the list of outings posted on www.nemba.org.

8. Head out for some early spring road rides, because you can control your exercise more on the road and, for mountain bikers, the trails are sensitive in the early spring. Still muddy from winter thaw, trails need time to try out and toughen or they will be damaged.

9. Add some squats to your routine: They help build strong quads, a cyclist’s best friend.

10. Try rollers and back-wheel trainers for indoor cycling at home on bad-weather days.

Paddling:

Matthew Swan, head kayak instructor at New England Outdoor Center, offers the following tips for paddlers ready to hit the water after a long winter’s break.

1. Dust off your old gear, clean and check it for wear and damage. Spring is a great time to use 303 on your latex gaskets, and buy new gear if any looks tired. (Remember, it’s better to splurge on a new paddle now than have half a paddle out on some remote river.)

2. Clean off your boat. Check the outfitting--some of us do gain weight in winter--adjust and reglue if necessary. Or, even, buy a new kayak. You can find some great deals in the off-season.

3. Pick a new river to explore this year with friends.

4. Join your chapter’s paddling group.

5. Get into a weight program at your gym. Focus on your shoulders, back, and core using free weights--these are key areas used when paddling, and free weights build not only the muscle you are working, but also the surrounding, supporting tissue.

6. Sign up for a few rolling sessions this spring. AMC chapters offer sessions and many Ys and universities have pools they open up to kayakers. If you’ve never attempted a roll, sign up for a clinic.

7. Sign up for kayak instruction through AMC or a local outdoors center. Helpful friends are great, but there isn’t anyone who wouldn’t benefit from instruction by a professional instructor.

8. Buy a couple of paddling videos or books--they are great ways to get you excited about the upcoming season and destinations, as well as give you ideas on the new moves you haven’t quite mastered. Check out the AMC Store to get started.

9. Write down three goals for the upcoming season and how you will go about achieving them (nailing the roll, catching a wave you haven’t been able to yet, or a new freestyle move), then focus on those goals this season.

10. Take an early season trip down south for a little paddling in a distant destination. See Sea Kayaking Along the Mid-Atlantic Coast in the AMC Store for ideas. Things warm up early in the southern states, and you can paddle a bunch of rivers down there from class 1 to 5, and do it very inexpensively.

Climbing:

Derek Brennan teaches at the Boston Rock Gym and has these ideas for climbers coming out of hibernation. “But the best thing to do is work in an indoor climbing gym,” he reminds.

1. Join a climbing gym and just start climbing as much as you can.

2. Take classes. The Boston Chapter Rock Climbing Workshop (March-May) has inspired hundreds of climbers over the years.

3. Add to your routine some floor exercises that focus on balance: standing on one leg, standing on tiptoes, etc. Climbers benefit from being balanced.

4. Work on the abs. Use an exercise ball or just do old-fashioned crunches. Strong abs help climbers make strong moves on the rock.

5. Three sets of 10 leg extensions on the Nautilus machine and walking lunges to help build strong quads and lower body.

6. With at least 10-pound dumbbells, do shoulder rolls to build the shoulder and upper back.

7. Get on the floor and do push ups. “When climbing you use a lot of back muscle, you want to work the opposing muscles,” says Brennan.

8. Stand on a balance ball to help tune your balance and reaction time.

9. When at the rock gym, try some arm hangs to build finger strength. Grab onto a hold or fingerboard with one hand and hang your body from it.

10. Don’t forget climbing-specific aerobic exercise. Find an easy climb the rock gym and do “laps” to add up to 30 minutes of continuous climbing.