Technique & Technical Help

tinho · 2005-10-16 20:22:20

I will be posting soon some pics on stretching exercises that have been very helpful to many windsurfers.
The disclaimer:
Consult your doctor prior to doing any of these exercises. You may have a condition that needs professional intervention or diagnosis. Do it at your own risk.

Fundamentals of stretching:
Experiment: Place a rubber band in a freezer. After several hours, pull it out and stretch it immediately, and suddenly.
Take note of the result: The rubber band snapped right?
Moral of the story- WARM UP first. Then stretch.

Here is the sequence of an exercise activity (such as windsurf).

1- Warm up your muscles through a brisk walk, and smooth movements.

2- "Lubricate" your joints, by gently rotating your wrists, ankles, hips and shoulders.

3- Stretch your muscles. Pay attention to your calves, and forearms.

3a) Breath rhythmically and exhale as you stretch.

3b) Increase elasticity of your muscles: Relax the muscles between stretches of each muscle group. Each muscle group should be stretched at least 3 times. (Otherwise you don't increase elasticity)

3c) NEVER NEVER NEVER "bounce" a stretch. For instance, many people stretch their leg muscles by touching their feet, while sitting down, legs stretched out. But they do this by "bouncing? their bodies repeatedly towards their feet. This is WRONG. Gradually stretch and reach out for your feet, and stop when you feel the muscles resist. Hold that position and exhale. Then bend your legs and relax the muscles. Then repeat the stretch. You will notice that you can reach farther. Keep this sequence of stretch/relax for several cycles.

Do not push so hard that you feel your muscles tingling. If you feel tingling, that is your muscle fibers tearing!!!

4- The fist time you sail out, sail 100 feet MAX, then tack (or jibe). Do this at least 3 times, and if it?s cold, 5 times. Don't blast out full speed and go a long distance. Lactic acid will accumulate on the muscles will ruin your sailing for the rest of the day.

5- Sail at 25 minute sessions max, with small breaks in between, to tune the rig, drink some water, etc. This process speeds learning immensely, and allows your body to build stamina. Do not sit for a long time though. The idea is to get back out within 5 minutes.

6- As you are getting tired you begin making silly mistakes- time to head to shore and take a longer break.
When you are done sailing, or exercising, take a "cool down break" to lower your heart rate, (10-15 minutes of social time is ok) then stretch your muscles and back before you really cool down. (Remember the rubber band).
7- Do some relaxation exercises, using rhythmic breathing

8- Carbohydrate intake must be done within 25 minutes of the end of the exercise period.
Drink water often. Your balance depends on it.

tinho · 2005-10-21 21:39:23

Why stretch?? Simply to avoid injury or to promote quick recovery in case of injury.
The more flexible you are the less prone to injury you will be.

Here are some pictures of some popular windsurfing stretches. The first section you can strech gradually up to a strong stretch. Strong means, you are feeling a little pain but NO TINGLE (that is tearing up of muscle fibers) Never "pull back" when you feel that pain. Instead, exhale and relax the stretch slowly.

Section 1

We will start with the calf. This one is good to do in the morning before you start walking all over and stumbling to your coffee machine.

Place one foot behind you and slowly drop the heel down so your foot eventually lays flat on the ground. As you strech the calf, keep bringing your rear foot further behind from your body so the stretch becomes gradually stronger. Bending your front leg lowers your body and increases the stretch on your back leg calf.

Next sit on the ground and stretch the hamstrings. Keep legs extended and avoid bending at the knees. Keep the back as straight as possible.

After the first strech (The black arrow shows how little I can strech the first time), relax the muscles by shaking the knees repeatedly.

Next, inhale, stretch again and as you reach your max stretch, hold that position and slowly exhale. Repeat the relaxing leg shake, focus on letting go of your knees and allow the muscles to "bounce around". Yes it feels funny. And yes it works great. Notice as I repeat the exercise, how I gain flexibility with each relaxing turn. (Black arrow)

Cup your hands behind your stretched leg and gradually bring the leg to your chest. Relax the other leg so the hips stay parallel to the ground. Hold the strong stretch, exhale.
Keep the hips on the ground and don't let them lift to avoid the stretch.

Bend the leg at the knee and relax. Drop the leg away from your chest and repeat the stretch.

Finally, bend the knee slightly and pull the leg against your chest. Hold that position for a few seconds, breathing rhythmically. Slowly raise the leg while holding the thigh against your chest.

Before going windsurfing, work your joints. stretch several times your wrists and your ankles as well.

Rotate your feet around several turns, in both directions. Be sure to pull on your toes so you can feel a stretch as you go around.

tinho · 2005-10-21 23:33:33

Section 2
This is an "after windsurfing" stretch that is particular in that you must be very careful to only produce a MEDIUM stretch. This means feel a gentle/firm pull, but not to the point you are trying to avoid that position. Breathing rhythmically is very important.

This is for those who feel their back is weak, and the entire back eventually degrades to a stiff board, top to bottom. The problem is the pelvis is over rotated (downward) from loading it with a harness, or simply after a long day, and due to weaker abdominal muscles to support the lower section of the body, your pelvis ends up over rotated. There are these small internal muscles that control pelvis position and are the culprit. Thanks to physical therapist extraordinaire Kirsten Snellenberg for this miraculous exercise.

Lay down on the ground with your behind about a foot away from a wall. Place one foot against the wall, so the foot is a bit higher than your knees. Cross the other leg over the knee and hold your hips down against the ground, so you do not twist.

Slowly bring your foot down along the wall so it gradually pushes the knee towards your chest, and with it the other crossed leg. Eventually you will feel a pull deep inside your butt muscles and under the hip (for lack of better common mortal wording and terminology)

When you feel that medium stretch, hold that position, breathe regularly, and wait one minute. Then change legs and do the other side.
Then repeat the whole process for two minutes and then three minutes. At the end of this session, when you get up, you will feel a tremendous difference.

If you do not have a wall around, and are pretty flexible, this exercise also works:
Reach inside your crossed leg and interlock your fingers so you can hold your leg up and control the amount of stretch. Do move slowly as sometimes you can be stiffer than you think!

There are many more exercises available and with time I will improve this area. But these are the "gold nuggets". I hesitate getting into neck streching exercises even though they are very important. There are just too many implications and people's necks are like a can of worms. So Consult your physical therapist or trainer for some useful exercises for your situation.

windsurfer · 2006-11-24 11:45:49

thanks for your very helpful stretching exercises, particularly the last "after windsurfing stretch"

madelined94 · 2010-08-14 21:52:31

Exercise is very necessary for health. In order to get a healthy body one should follow proper exercise routine.
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madelined94

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#1 2005-10-16 20:22:20

Stretching exercises

#2 2005-10-21 21:39:23

Re: Stretching exercises

#3 2005-10-21 23:33:33

Re: Stretching exercises

#4 2006-11-24 11:45:49

Re: Stretching exercises

#5 2010-08-14 21:52:31

Re: Stretching exercises

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