Gabriele Steindl: Professional Kitesurfer & Freelance Writer - Action, Lifestyle & Travels
9
Oct 08
Injury Prevention
Many people get into the groove during kitesurfing, obsessed by learning a new move and forget about some key principles for safe and effective training.
Mistake No.1: Warming up & stretching is gay
Guys I have to admit I hardly ever have seen athletes in other sports who demand so much of their bodies right in the first few seconds of exercising – just one example … the typical ‘show-offs’: launching and already a few metres into the water attempting some hardcore trick to ensure a big ‘wow’ from the people on the beach…!? REGARDLESS of whether they pull it off or fail, the point is: too much strain without having prepared muscles, and joints can be fatal !!
Please do yourself and your body a favour and do at least a 5 minute warm-up before each session: jumping jacks, some 100 metres jogging, kicks and spins on the beach, etc. in favour of some good session to come will definitely be worthwhile!
Same accounts for stretching. Muscles tend to stiffen immediately after a vigorous workout. A stretching session after your exercise will keep your muscles lithe and supple. It even helps prevent certain kinds of muscular degeneration. Stretching helps limber up muscles and keeps them in peak working conditions and by that helps to reap the benefits of exercise and training.
Mistake No. 2: Ignoring pain
Exercising when you have pain is one of them, and it’s the fastest way to develop a serious or persistent injury. Minor aches and pains can easily become chronic overuse injuries that plague us for years. If you feel pain during exercise, stop, rest and look for the cause of the pain. Sometimes all you need to do is make some minor adjustments to your equipment or body position to eliminate pain. Sometimes it’s a couple of days PURE REST, i.e. off the water, no guys, not even a short, easy session !!!
Pain is your body’s way of warning you of a problem. Pay attention and you will often find you can quickly recover and return to training faster than if you push through.
Mistake No.3: Work on the same move day after day
To excel at a skill, you need to practice it. However, doing the same workout routine day after day can increase your risk of injury as well as lead to muscle imbalance, weakness and just plain boredom. It’s important to vary your routine from day to day and session to session. In addition cross training, combining endurance and speed training, weight training as well as stretching and yoga are all great ways to maintain a high level of fitness without overstressing certain muscle groups. Plus: your muscle memory needs some time to understand and absorb what you’re trying to teach it !
Mistake No.3 – Never take a rest day
Rest is an often overlooked part of a workout routine for effective training. If you don’t plan rest or schedule recovery days into your training, you actually limit your ability to train. Your body gets stronger after exercise stress, so you need to allow down time for the rebuilding of muscle tissue. An effective training program will have regular periods of rest and recovery. This allows you to adapt to the exercise — you return bigger, stronger and faster. Rest also allows you to recover mentally and emotionally and avoid exercise burnout.
Mistake No.4 – Ignore proper form (yourself) and condition of your equipment
No matter what sort of training routine, using incorrect technique not only reduces the effectiveness of the training but puts you at greater risk for getting injured. Take time to learn proper technique no matter how simple or what sort of move you want to master!
To kite at your best requires proper form, controlled movements and the right choice of the ‘next move to learn’. Attempting a trick that’s several levels above yours is a set-up for injury.
Training when you are fatigued is another easy way to get sloppy with your form. When you are tired, it’s much harder to maintain proper technique and stay focused. Mental fatigue can also put you at risk as you may be more likely to ignore your surroundings, fellow kiters, changing nature and wind conditions.
Always ensure your equipment is the right one for your objectives – i.e. use a freestyle model of kite to learn new tricks, choose a wave-model if you wanna progress in the surf and so on!! – and make sure it’s in good condition – depower adjuster working, all safety features in top – state etc. – as well as it’s the correct dimension – size of kite, dimensions and shape of board – for the given wind & water conditions !