Three Activities To Keep You Fit in Paradise
So you moved your life to Paradise, but now you find yourself spending more of it watching TV than you did back home and more of it online than you ever imagined you could…
The beautiful eco-lifestyle that is Costa Rica is howling outside your window and you are ready to do something about it? Okay, I support you. Let’s start with three low-commitment, easy access activities: walking, bicycling and kayaking, any of which we can all start today and will increase our blood-flow, strengthen our cardio profile and may just pull us away from Facebook for an hour or so.
Now, when we refer to “bicycles,” in terms of riding bicycles, I want to be clear that we are referring to the non-motorized versions. I know the growing number of bici-motos are slowly clogging Costa Rica’s already tight shoulders, but lets view these, not as beefed up bicycles, but more as marginalized motorcycles.
Not only does one not look as cool as thinks he does riding one of these, as workload performed is about the same as catching up on episodes of Mad Men. We can work harder than this.
To be fair, operation of even a regular bicycle is low on the calorie burning scale. Bicycles are designed to give the user a mechanical advantage from a seated position. By reducing the effect of our own bodyweight on our own propulsion we now gain the ability to move more efficiently but with much less effort.
That said, any calorie burn is good use of the krebs cycle (really nerdy stuff we won’t go into) and thus far better than the aforementioned episode catching-up. I recommend bike riding as a good means to get from one town to another. For shorter distances, walking is my preferred choice.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about walking. Walking is your fundamental tool in the fight against stagnation, also effective at travelling distances, but a great way to see the world as you travel through it. If you want inspiration for walking read anything about Gandhi.
Walking positions the body vertically so we are now using our own body weight to increase our calorie burn, about 30% more efficiently for those who were taking notes a few weeks back, and we are propelling forward so our expenditure increases even further based on how fast we are moving.
Walking allows the walker to slow down and see all the beauty which is Costa Rica, and allows that same individual to more easily stop and engage other people in conversation.
Walking’s only slightly distant cousin, hiking, is the sheep in wolf’s clothing. It’s really not all that ominous as it may seem to the uninitiated. That said, because hiking will often lead down trails literally off of the beaten path, I have a few recommendations before just throwing on old tennies and trouncing off into the rainforest.
Know where you are headed. Having a map or marked trail makes this much easier, but going with someone who has been there is even better. Costa Rica is rich with options for hiking locations, many of which are marked for ease of use. National parks are a great resource for hiking made easy. Regardless of where you hike, getting lost should never be part of the plan, so consider where you are going before heading out.
From experience, unless you know exactly where the trail is going, don’t hike back out a different way than you hiked in. I once found myself up a hill in a desert, staring down the edge of a cliff with no ropes and fading sunlight by making this mistake. Stupid. Hike back the known route, the one that led you into where you turned around.
Even if it appears to be an interesting way out don’t risk it. This is how a very safe activity can shift into very unsafe territory very quickly. And last thing, do I need to mention water? Bring more than you think you need. Even an hour turned around or stopped can drain supplies fast. Running out of water is not fun and not recommended.
Stepping up our game a little bit, definitely in the category of burning calories and seeing the splendor of Costa Rica, is Kayaking. From Puerto Viejo, to Arenal and all down the Gold Coast of Costa Rica, rental locations are abundant in Costa Rica, and the act of kayaking is fairly intuitive. It takes all of about 5 minutes to learn the basics and then you are off.
I recommend you go tandem versus solo and go as early as possible. That afternoon sun can give you a beating if you are in it too long. See the coast from the other side of the water’s edge while you stimulate the heart, lungs and upper body muscles.
Kayaking engages the cardio system like walking but it also works the back muscles, abdominals, shoulders and biceps. Don’t be surprised after a day of kayaking if your upper body feels a little sore. That means you did it correctly.
Again, water in abundance is key with all of these activities, even afterwards. Water not only quenches your thirst but it aides in repairing the body after exercise. Hydrate more than you think you need to. I think it’s pretty well understood now that we need to wear sunscreen when outside even on cloudy days, but I also like to layer over the sunscreen with mosquito repellant. At least during rainy season.
Any activity is better than no activity, and feel free to mix and match. Ride your bike to the trail head and hike in from there. Walk to the kayak rental and double-down that way. You could even kayak to the trail head and hike the island off the shore for the activity triathlon. Don’t worry. You can catch up on Mad Men later when the rain kicks in, as long as the power doesn’t go out again. Oh well, a walk in the rain can be nice too.
Written by VIP Member Damon Mitchell who spent over 10 years in the fitness industry before he moved to Costa Rica in search of a better work/life balance. Currently he lives in Playa Tamarindo in Guanacaste, where he and his wife Cristina are owner-operators of Pizza&Co pizza express, located in Plaza Conchal 2.
Daily, Damon runs on the beach or works out at Tamarindo Fitness Center, keeping fit by doing a combination of old-school weight lifting, calisthenics, TRX, stability ball work and just about anything he can do to create new and fun exercises. Most recently he is learning to surf.
You can email Damon here if there is anything specific about staying fit and healthy in Costa Rica you would like him to cover in his next article.
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Three Activities To Keep You Fit in Paradise
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Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
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