KITESURFING STRETCHES: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY AFTER A SESSION.
Kitesurfing Stretches to keep you at the top of your game.
Hey everyone! Here’s a question for you. How many of you feel like you are being held together with gaffa tape and superglue? In this article we will share with you some basic kitesurfing stretches and techniques.
I know that on a good day I am usually walking around with a few niggles and on a bad day I don’t want to climb a set of stairs. In this article I will share with you one small way that I take care of myself and that will hopefully help you too.
Take care of yourself.
Taking care of yourself is something that I preach on a daily basis. Make sure you warm up, even if you think you look like a twat. Also it’s a good idea to make sure you don’t try your hardest trick first. Be warm and comfortable before you turn the dial up to eleven.
We all know that landing that new trick means plenty of crashing before it’s claimed and we all know that there’s only a certain amount of times you can land on your head before things start to ache. Therefore being ready for those crashes is definitely a good idea.
So what can we do?
Well, the way I see it you can either:
A) Stop trying to improve and just enjoy and maintain your level. Or
B) You can start to pay attention to those little niggles and sort them out so that next time you go for that mega loop you know you’re at your best, wherever that is.
Plenty of people go for Option A, it’s easier and less risky. Maintaining your riding level is nothing to be ashamed of and if it makes you happy then go for it. But i know that there is a second contingent those that are not happy with staying still, those that will continue to push, those that choose Option B.
If you are one of those people then all I can say is this.
I highly recommend you spend some time before and after your session taking some time to get your body ready for what you are about to do to it, and after making sure that it is okay to continue for the next session.
Warm-Ups, Cool Downs, Stretching, Strength, Cardio, the list goes on. All I can say is that over the years I have tried them all and nothing has worked for me as well as The Ready State.
Disclaimer:
This is not a paid advert. It’s just the opinion of one person, me. I’m not a pro, i’m not a doctor, i’m not even a PT, but I am someone that destroys himself on a regular basis and then puts himself back together again every evening.
If you like me are struggling with aches and pains then I strongly suggest you do something about it and in my opinion the best thing for me is The Ready State.
What is The Ready State?
The Ready State is a how to guide that allows you explore your body, find it’s weak points and improve them. It allows you to pinpoint areas that are causing you trouble and gives you a recipe to help fix them.
It doesn’t guarantee you overnight success or to deliver a miracle cure, but it does guarantee that you will feel and create lasting change in your tissues that will help you move and perform better.
In a nuttier nutshell it is a mobility and stretching program that is proven to delver game changing results in an easy to use manner that both easy to navigate and put into practice.
I highly recommend you check it out.
Using The Ready State is part of my daily routine. I sit in front of whatever cheesy 90’s action movie I am watching that night and smash out some muscle smushing and stretching.
It helps improve my terrible flexibility, it helps me go to sleep at night and it definitely helps me move a little freer the next day.
If you’re interested in the whole list of things I do to help build strength and flexibility to keep me kiting for many years to come, you can check out here.
Things to do to help you kite better for longer.
Free Basic Routine for Kitesurfing Stretches.
If you’re not ready to join The Ready State, here is a basic routine that you can follow every evening to help you get the most out of your sessions.
Prep Work.
- Pick three stretches, that work on the area you want to concentrate on.
- If in doubt just google ‘basic stretches for (insert body part here)’
- For instance, example stretches could be: Front Lunge, Pigeon, Lying Twist.
- Make sure you’re in some flexible trousers or shorts.
- Download a free HIIT APP to your phone.
- Program the App to do session of 6 x 3mins. So your timer will bell you every three minutes for a total of six times.
The Routine.
- Put on your favourite Van Damme Movie.
- Start your timer.
- Focus on one stretch for each interval.
E.g
- 1st Interval – Lunge Left Side
- 2nd Interval – Lunge Right Side
- 3rd Interval – Pigeon Left Side
- 4th Interval – Pigeon Right Side
- 5th Interval – Lying Twist Left Side
- 6th Interval – Lying Twist Right Side
Quick Q and A
What if the stretch is symmetrical?
If the stretch does both sides of the body at the same time, like butterfly, then you only have ‘one side’ to do and you will have a spare interval to fill. In this case pick a second symmetrical stretch to do in the next interval.
Should Stretching Hurt?
No. It will feel uncomfortable though.
3 Mins seems like ages.
Yup. Move in and out as you need to, take breaks and adjust as you like.
If you are at all worried about stretching, check out this excellent and basic guide.
Any questions?
If you need any help with anything kitesurfing related or if you want to book in some coaching get in touch.
