I’m bestselling indie writer Teague de La Plaine. This is my weekly newsletter, where I talk about writing and self-publishing in addition to my own life. I keep the newsletter free, because I prefer you spend your money on my books.
“Simplify, simplify.”
—Thoreau
In the process of paring down my life for an eventual transition to full-time catamaran cruising, I’ve learned that staying strong doesn’t require fancy equipment or a sprawling garage setup. It just takes consistency, clarity, and a little creativity.
Even on a roomy cruising catamaran, space is always at a premium. The cockpit becomes your living room, office, dining area—and gym. I knew I had to develop a simple, repeatable routine that could be done underway, at anchor, or anywhere between. It had to be portable, bodyweight-based, and hit the major muscle groups.
It also knew I needed to build and maintain muscle as I get older. No fluff. No wasted motion.
The Core Routine: ~15 Minutes, Full Body
I call it the Recondo Circuit (a nod to Rave Dekko). It’s dead-simple and brutally effective. On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, I do 4 rounds of:
5 Inverted Table Rows or pull-ups
10 Pushups
20 Tricep dips
30 Squats
I finish this resistance set on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays with a 3-round HIIT workout routine, resting for about a minute between rounds. Each round consists of:
Pulsars (30 seconds) (star jump with a pulse during the squat portion)
Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
Plank shoulder taps (30 seconds)
On Thursdays, I focus on resistance only, upping the reps and completing 3 rounds of:
10 Inverted Table Rows or pull-ups
20 Pushups
30 Tricep dips
40 Squats or Lunges
You can scale up or down as needed. Some days I move slowly and focus on form. Other days I push hard and see how quickly I can get through it. But I never skip.
The Endurance Days: Resilience, Not Just Muscle
Muscle without grit is ornamental.
On Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, I shift the focus. Wednesdays are for shorter rucks (5-8km; 20kg). Saturdays are for long, slow runs (8-10km); pace doesn’t matter, but I aim to sweat and zone out for about an hour. Sundays are back to ~18km ruck with 20kg on my back. This gives me just under three hours of thinking time while the body grinds forward.
Rucking builds mental toughness, leg strength, and endurance. It also keeps you humble. And on a boat, where every dinghy haul or anchor reset can turn into a full-body effort, it pays to stay strong in your skin.
I will likely have to replace these activities with water-based equivalents once we’re living full-time afloat. But I imagine it’s pretty easy to Do Hard Things in and on the sea.
Why It Works
It’s sustainable. Fairly short workouts. No excuses.
It’s adaptable. Add reps or rounds. Reduce the routine to two core exercises if you’re in a hurry. Do it barefoot on deck—or the beach.
It’s functional. Everything translates to life on the water: pulling, pressing, jumping, and carrying.
No gym memberships. No machines. Just gravity, grit, and a willingness to show up.
Do Hard Things
Whether you’re trying to shift to a more simple life or just trying to de-complicate your fitness, this kind of minimalist approach might be what you’re looking for. It’s important to try and do hard things (physical, mental, spiritual) every day to forge a strength of spirit that cannot be overcome. Build the habit now, and it’ll carry you through squalls, stillness, and the long blue miles ahead.
Now, get after it.
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