"Just Do It"

In the summer of 87/88 a sailor at my yacht club was looking for someone to train with leading up to the Australian National Championships. His regular crew wasn't able to train on Friday evenings so he approached my mum who had been sailing with my dad on a 14 foot windrush catamaran. It was a big step up to the faster, more powerful 18 foot stingray catamaran where mistakes became very wet. Mum had lots of difficult releasing the jib sheet (the rope that controls the front sail), and when you don't get that off quick enough it can result in a spectacular capsize. Randall's catchcry that season became "Just Do It". Mum heard it so many times that year that she actually had some t-shirts printed up with the words "Just Do It" emblazoned on them. Someone at Nike marketing department must have seen those t-shirts because it has been there slogan ever since.

Anyway the point of this story is I am often asked what is the best sort of exercise. There has been lots of research on this topic and the answer has repeatedly come back, "just do it". Now, I know i am going to upset a few pilates instuctors, and yoga masters out there but really the best type of exercise is the one you enjoy and will do. As a minimum i would suggest 30 minutes of walking everyday. Walking is cheap and effective, has a low impact on your joints, and you can do it almost anywhere and anytime. Regular walking:

• is associated with decreased risk of stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis and dementia, alzheimers.
• helps with arthritis and depression
• helps you sleep better
• helps you lose weight
• improves your blood pressure
• and can even help people cope with cancer treatment. (Lance Armstrong said that he knew that if he kept moving he would be alright).

OK some hints on getting the most out of your walking:

• To benefit from walking you need to walk fast enough to raise your heart rate so that it is dificult, but not impossible, to talk to someone next to you.
• To lose serious amounts of weight you need to aim for 60-90 minutes everyday.
• As your fitness improves you will need to increase the intensity and/or the duration of your workouts to keep improving.
• Consider joing a group (or starting one up), it's harder to miss a session when you have others relying on you.

Here's my training partner chasing a pine cone on a frosty Nairne Golf Course.

He's pretty persistent and doesn't care if its cold and wet, or i stayed up too late the night before, we are still going for our morning walk.