March has been pretty busy for me. Unluckily not windsurfing-wise. The wind just went a long way round the North. Only one day with ok waves and sunshine in Hanstholm. So I focused on my fitness. In fact, most people who windsurf ignore this tiny little fact to train off-the-water. If you have a good endurance and core stability mixed with strength, balance and coordination, it will also help you on the water. Endurance will help you to spend more time actively on the water. Core stability helps you to have an active position on the board, protects your back and makes it easier to learn moves. For sure strength allows you to sail bigger sail and to hold on, but it is not all about the shoulders: you also need your legs way more in windsurfing than most people think. A good and powerful waveride or even a jibe are based on leg power. Windsurfing is one of the top balance and coordination sports and for sure those parameters are a key to improve on the water: not only for pros, also when you start learning your first moves: if you are as stiff as a poker, planing jibes will most likely be rare. That is why I love to spend time in the gym or running through Hamburg: it helps me on the water.
Before or after work, I try to squeeze in some sessions of functional training, crossfit, running and/or yoga. For me a good windsurf-specific training includes exercises using the one bodyweight, TRX, balance boards/bosu and crossfit elements. Oh..and rope jumps. I love to do double unders: they hurt, but are super fun.
