2 Move Wading Workout

Israel Dunn of Shorebound Hero wading and fly fishing on the Wolf river

Who else here loves wading?!  I know I do!  Whether wet wading or throwing on a piar of neoprene waders and going out in January chasing some beautiful trout, it’s hard to beat it.  Even when I’m kayak fishing, I love getting out and fishing the eddies, riffles, and more.  This is a great way to get out a little farther from shore and cast to your dream catch.  However, getting to your wading area can prove a difficult task at times.  Whether it’s steep banks, or walking through some fast water with an uneven bottom you will want to stay safe.  These 2 moves will help you keep your balance and trudging through the water with ease.

Lunge me your Balance

As the water swooshes across your legs trying to throw you down as you walking across the stream you fight to keep your balance.  To help you try these balance lunges.  First, stand on your tiptoes. Then step your right foot forward and attempting to get as close to a 90 degree angle in your front knee as possible (If you can’t get that low, no worries, just do the best you can).  Keep your back leg straight and stay on your tiptoes. Then bring your left foot to meet the right foot. Stay on your tiptoes, and repeat with stepping forward with your left foot.  Continue doing this 20-30 times.  

Tall grass to moving glass

Getting up and down into the water can be one of the trickiest things to while wading because there is usually a good height difference between the bottom of the water and shoreline.  This move will help you get in and out of the water with ease.  If you have a weight bench, steps, or anything stable and strong enough to step on, perfect!  Stand tall in front of the object (I’ll say bench to make it easy). With your right foot step up onto the bench, placing your entire foot on it. Raise yourself up and lift your left foot placing it next to your right.  Then step down with your right foot and bring your left foot to meet it.  Do this 20 times.  Repeat exercise but stepping up and down with your left foot first.  Do 20 reps leading with your left foot.  

There you go!  Practice these moves a couple times a week and you will be more stable, and ready to get to your spot with ease.  Tight lines!

Days flying by? Slow them down with this easy sequence.

It’s amazing how work seems to drag on and the weekend is gone in a blink of an eye. Besides the actual difference in amount of days, life has a way of throwing so many things our way that it is hard to slow down.  And it’s getting even harder with the instant access to information from cellphones, social media, and all that technology.  While this is a necessary part of the majority of our lives we need to have time for ourselves.  We need to find time to slow down, find ourselves, and enjoy every part of life.  For many of us outdoors folks it when we are outside.  Sadly sometimes we can’t always be in outside.  Below is a short sequence to help you find peace and enjoy the moment, your life, and everything that much more.  

Going insane inside

Sadly here are times when we can’t get outside and enjoy our favorite hobby.  When this happens try to find 5 or more minutes a day you can have to yourself and give the following a try.  

While wearing comfortable clothes, find a spot that is as calm and quiet as possible in your home.  Sit of the floor with your legs either in a pretzel shape (like we did when we were kids) or out in front of you.  Place your hands gently on your knees and close your eyes.  Take 3 slow, deep breaths, in and out through the nose.  As you breath try to let all thoughts leave your mind.  Don’t worry about what happened, what’s coming up, nothing.  Just be in the moment.  You may now open your eyes.  Breath in through your nose and as you exhale reach your hands farther in front of you with your palms down.  Keep your hands where they are and breath in again.  When you exhale, try to stretch your arms forward a little more.  Now keep your hands there and take another slow, deep breath through your nose.  

Slowly bring yourself back up with your hands on your knees.  Straighten your back and reach your left arm above your head.  Lean to your right and stretch the left arm to try and have it touch the wall to your right.  Inhale, exhale, and come back to your seated position.

Repeat with your right arm and stretch to the left.  

Take your time and stand up tall.  Reach your arms out to your side so they are parallel to the ground.  Inhale.  As you exhale keep your hands extended out, keep a flat back, and look ahead, slowly lower your upper body to the ground.  When your upper body is parallel or as close as possible, lower your arms to the ground and round out your back.  Inhale and exhale.  Slowly roll up keeping your arms hanging down.  Imagine you can feel your vertebrae lining up as you slowly come up.

Stand tall, close your eyes, and take 3 more slow, deep breaths, in and out through your nose. Then you can open your eyes and go about your day.

If you have more time available I highly suggest you google short Yoga videos.  I know for many guys it seems lame.  I used to think the same thing.  But give it a try and you may be surprised how much you like it!  Good luck, and find yourself.

5 Healthy on the Water Snacks

Ever get the munchies?  I know I do!  Especially since I started working out and eating well it seems like I am constantly snacking throughout the day.  Needless to say when I’m spending hours on the water I get hungry.  Here are some healthy snacks that work great when you are on the water and keep you on your diet.

Apples

  Red Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, or any others for that matter.  Apples are a fantastic quick and easy snack to have while you are on the water.  Not only are they easy to eat they provide you with some hydration!  

Seeds

  Snacking on seeds while on the water is a great way to keep to enjoy a simple snack and get some fiber and healthy fats.  Pick your favorite ones and snack away!  My favotires are roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.  Especially the non shelled sunflower seeds.  Grab a mouth full and keep on fishing and/or paddling away!

Nuts

  Nuts are a great source of protein and healthy fats.  Plus they are a quick and easy snack when you are paddling and/or fishing!  The biggest thing is to try to stay away from the salted variety.  Try to grab lightly salted or just plain roasted.  Even Honey Roasted works well.  Some of my favorites are peanuts and almonds.

Carrots

  Grab some baby carrots! You only get in a vegetable but have a fun finger food snack. I portion some out in a bag when I know I'm going to need a snack and put it next to my kayak seat and snack away.  It’s easy to quick grab one in between paddle strokes or casts.  You can keep on munching and paddling/fishing.

Granola Bars

  Granola Bars are one of the easiest snacks to grab on the go and are a great source of fiber, protein, and much more!  There are many on the market but not all of them are healthy.  The tricky part is finding one that fits your tastes and needs.  If you rather not shop, you can always make some at home and bring them with you.  Just search the internet and you can find lots of recipes.  So find or make your ideal ones and snack away! Here is one of my favorites (Energy Ball) https://youtu.be/Jxk-6mjZN6U

Stay Hydrated on the Water

 Whether you are just paddling for fun or trying to catch a fish of a lifetime you will want your wits about you.  Especially during the summer when the sun gets up in the sky and the temps are on the rise you need stay healthy.  It’s no time to be dehydrated which could increase your risk of heat stroke.  Having a water bottle onboard with you is obviously the easiest way to ensure you are set but how much should you drink? What about other beverages?  Let’s take a quick look at those questions.

What should you drink?  To put it simply, water.  Other drinks like soda, energy drinks, coffee, alcohol, and other drinks of the sort may make you feel full and trick you that you’re staying hydrated but you are not.  Instead, they are actually dehydrating you!  So try to stick with just water.  If drinking plain water is not something you enjoy, look at adding fresh fruit to it and flavor your water.  And if your like me and won’t give up your coffee for anything, that’s ok.  I drink my coffee on the water.  But I make sure I bring an extra water with me to have to ensure I stay hydrated.

How much should you drink?  Your body uses up the water you drink naturally but it needs even more when you are sweating.  When the sun is beating down on you and reflecting off the water you’ll dry out even faster.  (Although it may not feel like it)  OSHA suggests that outside workers working in over 103 heat index should drink 4 cups of water every hour.  This should be done throughout the hour and not all at once.  Now even if we aren’t out there in that kind of heat you should be drinking throughout the day.  And try to drink a total of 2-4 cups an hour when you’re out paddling around.

I want you to have an amazing time on the water so don’t let getting sick and dehydrated stop this from happening.  Bring bottles of water with you and remember to drink up when paddling around!  

The Ultimate Paddling Exercise

You can look at almost any body of water during the Summer and there they are, people standing and floating on the water.  Wait, they are standing and paddling on a board!  That’s right, paddle boarding, and now our addiction to fishing is starting to take a hold.  Heck, many of you probably already fish from one!  Let’s get you to your secret hot spot quicker and easier, all with this one workout move.  Well, let’s not waste anytime, here is the ultimate move to gain a stronger paddleboard stroke.

The Floor Figure Eight

Sit on the floor with legs in front of you with a slight bend in your knees.  Keep your back straight, tighten your abdomen, and lean back.  Having your back at a 45 degree angle would be fantastic but get as close to that as possible.  Clasp your hands and make a sideways figure eight.  The top of your figure eight should be at least to the top of your head.  When making the lower part of your figure eight twist at your body in the direction of your hands. (Similar to a strong kayak stroke).  Do this for 30 seconds.  Once you’ve mastered it here are some ways to challenge yourself and get even more from this great move!  First, lower your back closer to the ground.  Second, do this move longer, 45 seconds, 60 seconds, more!!!  Third, hold onto a weight.  Start with a little weight and work your way up.  

Build up your core strength and you’ll be in our spot faster than ever before!

Check out the video below or click HERE and subscribe to our channel!