OK, so my caving is irregular, about 10 weekends a year, although I keep fit with cycling to and from work. I have a Yorkshire dales weekend booked for May spring bank holiday, but due to work commitments I am having to spend the next 2 months staying in a hotel in Potters bar. Weekend will be reserved for family time with being away all week. What do people do keeping fit for caving without actually caving? Think I will be limited to jogging and whatever exercises I can do in my room (hotel doesnt have gym). Anyone have any tips? Sit ups? Press ups? crawling round under the bed etc?
Getting fit for caving - no caves!
- Thread starter terry-w
- Start date
cap n chris
Well-known member
Decline press-ups - lots and lots, use the edge of the sofa, bed, bath, whatever; the higher, the better but build up gently `cos there's no benefit in injuring yourself.
Door frame/corridor shoulder presses: hands on either wall, walk back with your feet and then transfer your body weight from one side/arm to the other in gentle but increasing degrees.
Sit ups, again using the edge of the bed or sofa for toe-hooking to aid your stability.
With Decline press ups try and build up to sets of 40 or 50, resting in between, you should be capable of building up to a good daily quota, preferably totalling above 500.
Pull ups on a (sturdy) door frame or suitable height frame/edge will be good, too, especially for ascension on rope.
Cycling is good and I guess jogging is, too, but I'm too heavy set for the latter `cos it knackers my knees so can't speak from experience.
Door frame/corridor shoulder presses: hands on either wall, walk back with your feet and then transfer your body weight from one side/arm to the other in gentle but increasing degrees.
Sit ups, again using the edge of the bed or sofa for toe-hooking to aid your stability.
With Decline press ups try and build up to sets of 40 or 50, resting in between, you should be capable of building up to a good daily quota, preferably totalling above 500.
Pull ups on a (sturdy) door frame or suitable height frame/edge will be good, too, especially for ascension on rope.
Cycling is good and I guess jogging is, too, but I'm too heavy set for the latter `cos it knackers my knees so can't speak from experience.
SamT
Moderator
Press ups, sit ups, dips, pull ups.... lots of pull ups, if your into your srt (yes I know you should use your legs etc. but it doesn't half help).
Swimming is brilliant all over exercise.
if you can fit it into your schedule, yoga/pilates are fantastic for getting your flexibility/core strength up. handy for those awkward squeezes
Swimming is brilliant all over exercise.
if you can fit it into your schedule, yoga/pilates are fantastic for getting your flexibility/core strength up. handy for those awkward squeezes
Joel Corrigan
New member
Chasing prepubescent schoolgirls across town works for me :
RobinGriffiths
Well-known member
Go running. Preferably off road on paths, fields etc. Don't know what you'll have footpathwise round Potters Bar though. It is, however getting towards a good part of the year for evening running after work.
Robin
Robin
You could try this http://www.x-pole.co.uk/ they're based in Potters Bar (health warning)
caving_fox
Active member
Climbing. Find a local climbing wall and just go bouldering, or if you can find a toprope partner do a few routes as well. An hour or two bouldering though is plenty of exercise.
Tony_B
Member
SamT said:
Years ago I had a leaflet from the Health Education Council, or whatever it was called, that rated different forms of exercise in terms of their benefits to strength, suppleness and stamina. Swimming had five stars for all three, by far and away the best rating. Since those three S's would all be important attributes for caving, you might be well advised to pack your trunks and a pair of goggles!
I frequently swim in my lunch break, which has the advantage that you don't have to face the prospect of exercising after a long day at work (never very appealing, I find). From the office I can just about get to and from the pool and do 60 lengths within the hour, although this means eating lunch when back at my desk.
Swimming at an indoor pool also has the advantage that you don't have deal with crap weather, another big disincentive when it comes to putting on trainers or getting on the bike, as far as I'm concerned.
