Feeling adventurous but not exactly the Camel Man? Get closer to your inner adventurer with these 10 ways 'how to', that you should learn if you are planning a skiing trip, mountain adventure, paddle in the big blue or simply riding the Argus...

Wipe out without injury

With the Argus around the corner you are probably more focused on fitness than falling. I however remember last year's picture, of a fellow Warthog rider wiping out, on the front page of the Cape Argus — not so pretty…

Sometimes falling is unavoidable, so if you are going to fall, stay focused on your landing area as you come off your bike.

If you're on your bike and going to flip over the handlebars, tuck your head down, your arms in, bring your legs up, and roll.

Most crashes, though, are less showy — when you're losing balance to one side, don't let go of the handlebar.

Try to land on your side instead of your chest or back. As you hit the ground, try to stay as loose as possible. If you're tense or stiff, it's easier to get hurt.

If there are riders behind you, get off the trail or road as fast as you can to avoid being hit or causing more injury to others.

How to run off-road

Trail running is all the rage these days, and if you are making the transition from road to mountain, then you will need to learn to shorten your stride and strengthen your abs.

A short stride is more efficient on off-road terrain because it minimises energy-wasting slips.

As for the abs, your body works them overtime to maintain balance and to brace against shocks on uneven trails. Strengthening your stomach is the best way to make the transition from road running to trail.

How to paddle with power

Have control of your stroke. Every stroke is a push with one arm and a pull with the other arm.

Determine your control hand. Most paddles are right handed paddles, even if you are left handed. If your paddle is right handed, then your control hand is your right hand.

Do a right sidestroke. Line control hand (right hand) knuckles with the top of the paddle blade. This allows your right forearm to pull in the desired direction. The left are pushes through the stroke.

Allow the shaft of the paddle to rotate freely through the left hand as you transition to the left sidestroke.

Do a left sidestroke. Cock the control hand (right hand) down like you are revving a motorbike. This turns the left blade into a forward stroke position so you can get the most power from the water. Pull with the left hand and push through with the right hand.

Relax the left hand to rotate the paddle back to the right sidestroke. Remember to continue to paddle with relaxed hands. Relax the non-control hand (left hand) with every stroke and the shaft rotate freely between strokes. Keep the control hand firmly but comfortably griped to the shaft.

Keep arms in from of body in comfortable position and don't overextend your arms. Use your torso as the main power source, not your arms. If you don’t, your paddling stroke will be ineffective and you'll tire much quicker. Turn your torso to maintain proper position with your arms when doing wide sweeping strokes.

How to beach a kayak

You made it out there, but now you've got to get back to the beach. Help!

First set up, back-paddling while you observe how the breakers are crashing on the beach. Then, start paddling early and ride the front of the wave.

Keep your body weight forward, just ahead of the break, because if you slip back into the trough, the next wave will break on top of you.

Once you hit the beach, exit the boat quickly.

How to ski faster

So you are on the slopes with your girlfriend on your first holiday together and you quickly realise that speed isn't an issue for her while you're struggling to keep up. Need some help?

Starting out, when you feel yourself starting to pick up speed at the top of the hill, bend your knees and keep your feet and skis parallel to each other. Stay in the track if there is one available.

As your speed increases, lean forward and keep a good forward bend in your hips, knees and ankles. This will help you keep your balance.

Keep your hands out and extend them farther forward the faster you go. It's all about control and balance.

In rough terrain, exaggerate the bend in your knees even more. This will help to absorb the shock of going over bumps and uneven patches.

How to swim rapids

Ok your Orange River trip probably won't leave you scrambling for the bank, but think Zambezi or Duzi and you're going to have to swim for your life.

If you dump in the middle of a churning river, the first thing to remember is to hang on to your paddle. It extends your reach by one and a half metres, making it that much easier for someone to haul you back into the boat — always the preferred option.

But if there's no one nearby to help just swim like hell! Also when you're above a rapid, a few forceful strokes can help you avoid a hole or big rock downriver.

If you're below a rapid, swim for shore — the next big one may be just around the corner.

How to predict the weather

It's a scorcher of a day in Cape Town and you decide that there is no way it's going to get cold on the mountain. Think again, you never know.

The easiest way to predict the weather is not too. And don't let predictions of fair weather lure you into ignoring the storm clouds gathering overhead.

If you are climbing, hiking or even riding anywhere (especially in the Cape) make sure you are prepared for a sudden weather change.

How to swing a machete

It's your passport to the jungle, and if you're conquering Africa you are probably going to need it — not just to protect yourself...

Keep your wrist parallel to the cut, and always cut at an angle.

The three steps to a proper stroke are:

(1) Let the shoulder come down
(2) Lead with the elbow
(3) At the last second, use a flick of the wrist. Chop down on woody saplings, and use an upward flick at the flimsy stuff.

How to cross a river on foot

Doing the Otter trail and get to the next crossing too late? You need to get across but don't want to get wet shoes, otherwise the rest of the day's going to be a long one. Take my advice — hopping from rock to rock with your boots is not the right way, only the quickest way to get hurt and get puddles in your shoes.

Rather, find a thick, shoulder-height stick and with your shoes off (you'll have better traction barefoot), enter the stream facing at an angle against the current, planting the stick upstream, and work slowly across.

Your feet will warm up once they're back in dry boots.

How to fight altitude sickness

If you are climbing Kilimanjaro perhaps, or somewhere in the Himalayas if you're lucky enough, you need to take time to acclimatise.

Along with ascending slowly and taking time to acclimatise, try the herb ginkgo biloba, used by the Chinese for more than 5000 years.

"Take 100 milligrams twice a day, starting a few days before your climb," says Dr Peter Hackett, the president of the International Society of Mountain Medicine, quoted on the National Geographic Adventure site.

In tests it reduces both the incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness and also increases peripheral blood flow, so your hands and feet may stay warmer.

That's it — now it's time to go adventuring…