physical exercises to get ready for stand up style fishing?

[Rickb]

      I am in my 60's very sedentary, my big exercise is steering the riding mower when necessary and pushing the buttons on remote to change channels.
   Nearest gym is around 50 miles. Wondering what if any simple exercises you might do?
I can handle 40/45 lbs of drag for a bit but couldn't very long and a grander may outlast me.
   

[CapeFish]

the humble push up and walking

[Reel 224]

Try walking up stairs tree times a day to strengthen your legs, unless your like me with damaged knees and can not do that. If so then ride a stationary bike if you have one. 

Joe

[Cor]

Similar age, reasonably fit, but also all kinds of aches and pains.   No ways I can hold a strong fish with that kind of drag for long!

[swill88]

I walk every day and fast for a couple weeks before a fishing boat trip.

As an overweight 63 year old wearing neoprene knee sleeves helps a lot.

I wear lace up waterproof boots for support too.

Want to lose 50# so I'll make it to 70.

steve

[Marcq]

A strong back starts with sit ups and bent over, start with 10 rep when comfortable 20, 30 repetition every day

Marc..

[Aiala]

I'm 66 years young, but still got somewhat beat up by those Guadalupe tuna last fall, so to prepare for my upcoming 8-day I've been doing weights in the gym along with an hour of treadmill at least 4-5 days a week.

Also, because I really dislike the backbreaking bend-over-the-rail-and-grind style of fishing that seems to be all the rage, I'm bringing a nice old-fashioned kidney harness to help support the reel (LOVE those lugs!) and a good Braid belt with a gimbal bolt to stop the rod from twisting. I'll be doing the old knee-bend raise-the-rod-tip and wind-down method... to heck with the rail... can't teach an old dog new tricks!   

~A~

[alantani]

if you have your own gear, buckle up, tie the line off to the trailer hitch of a car and practice cranking.  so much of it is balance, not brute strength.  on our puerto vallarta trip, dave hooked into a 200 pounder and he collapsed at the end of the fight.  over the next two days, these fish got easier.  that's just because he started fighting smarter, not harder. 

[Reel 224]

that's just because he started fighting smarter, not harder.

I like that theory as work smarter not harder.

Joe

[Tightlines667]

One small word of advice when fighting big fish on stand up gear...

"Don't piss them off, or frighten them"  treat them as you would a friend, or your pet dog... smooth-gentle-positive persuasion works wonders.  Convince them it is in their best interest to come to the boat, then get a gaff in them before they even know that are in real trouble.  If you piss the fish off, or scare him, or try to force the matter he will make you pay.. often fighting to the death.  

The only exception is if you have very heavy gear (i.e. danglers, hydros, etc...), and you can turn their head toward you with brute force and keep them comming all the way to the deck.  Sometimes staying smooth, and actually backing off on the pressure will yield better results.  

Just a few tidbits based on my personal experiences.

Also, don't pull the fish's head out of the water once you get him to the surface or he is liable to spit/throw the hook.

Not sure what that has to do with preparation for battle, other then your mental attitude, translating to a smoother/shorter/less abusive fight.  

[David Hall]

Learn to use the rail!  First and foremost. It will aid you better than a year of working out!

[David Hall]

if you have your own gear, buckle up, tie the line off to the trailer hitch of a car and practice cranking.  so much of it is balance, not brute strength.  on our puerto vallarta trip, dave hooked into a 200 pounder and he collapsed at the end of the fight.  over the next two days, these fish got easier.  that's just because he started fighting smarter, not harder. 

I resemble that remark!

[Keta]

Learn to use the rail!  First and foremost. It will aid you better than a year of working out!

The rail is for old fat guys, I love it.

I am 5 miles from a YMCA so I have an advantage but I am also walking and riding my bike as often as possible.  I lost 15 pounds in a month but now am gaining muscle.

[MarkT]

The rail is for old fat guys that are short!  I'm a tall and skinny 60 yrs old and the rail isn't my friend.  Fishing fit?  I've been to the gym 11 days in a row and will probably go another 6, maybe 7 days before I leave on my 2 1/2 day trip next Friday. I've been a gym rat for decades and 5 days a week for the past three years but one of the guys at the gym commented last week that he'd never seen me do cardio until that day.  Well, he hadn't!  I've now done 5 miles a day on the stationary bike for 10 straight days. We're doing a health step challenge at work and I need to put in my time for my team. It's a step challenge and I think I get 147 step equivalents for every minute on the bike.  I've been racking up 13-17k steps per day.  Our team is losing big but I'm not!  Some of our guys think exercise is reaching for the remote after getting a beer from the fridge.

[Keta]

The rail is for old fat guys that are short!  

Watch it there.