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FITNESS
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LET’S
G E T
P E A R C E D
C A P TION > G et tr aining to ma k e su re yo u d o n’t ti re a nd ca n d o m i na te the s ur f like Ma tt th ro u gho ut yo u r do wnwi nde r!
LET’S GET PEARCED Matt Pearce, Kiteworld’s resident kite-specific fitness expert is back with a downwind specific training programme that’s ideal for anyone looking to clock up some big distances
W
SESSION #07:
probably the answer, but a bit of training
PLANK
This isn’t the answer you’re supposed
on the lead up to such an epic undertaking
to give when asked, ‘How many pull
will make a world of difference. This
ups can you do?’. Negatives are great
e kiters are active and
training will help with any downwinder.
in that they train the lowering part of the
(reasonably)
by
Work through these exercises and build
pull-up movement - when the muscles
standards,
quads of steel that will help you tackle
contract and work hard to lower your
DOWNWINDER SPECIAL
modern
fit
but you don’t catch
whichever herculean feat of kitesurfin
many of us running up
endurance you embark upon and you’ll
When it comes to muscular endurance, your
need to be able to do a pull-up to do
and down hills in lycra
also recover more quickly afterwards.
core strength and stability are absolutely
a negative pull-up, so anyone can do
key. All of your body’s strength and co-
them and they build fantastic upper
ordination is centered around a strong core.
body strength.
and it’s fair to say that
the only time we end up doing a long
THE EXERCISES: WALL SLIDES
body weight under control. You don’t
The stronger your core is the longer you’ll
Find a pull-up bar or something
gone a little bit pear-shaped out on the
be able to kite before your body starts to tire
similar and pull yourself up so that your
water. Once we’ve reached a base level of
and you begin to struggle. The plank is the
chin is over the bar. If you can’t do a
kite fitness, our regular sessions generally
classic and, perhaps most effective, core
pull-up, jump while holding the bar to
aren’t like an iron man, thankfully.
exercise out there.
get to the top rather than using your
swimming session is when things have
and
arms to pull yourself up there. Lower
does involve some pretty lengthy periods
hold yourself still, resting only on your
yourself down as slowly as possible
of exertion is the downwinder. In a normal
elbows and toes. Keep your body
until your arms are fully extended.
session you’ll change tack, go back to
straight and don’t raise your hips or let
DO: As many as you can for one set.
the beach, chat to your friends or change
your knees drop. Hold it until your form
Then do four more sets but do two
However, one area of our sport that
Just
‘assume
the
position’
kites, depending on the conditions. Your
Wall slides are a squat with your
deteriorates and you can no longer
fewer reps each time. Rest for two
body gets a break from straining against
back against a wall. They force your
keep your body straight. Rest for two
minutes in between.
the kite and you can head back out
quadriceps (the muscles on the front of
minutes and go again.
refreshed and ready to tear it up again.
your thighs) into an isometric contraction
DO: Repeat this three times.
However, regular rest ‘n’ chill breaks
for a long period of time. This helps build
aren’t necessarily a luxury that you’ll be
muscular endurance which is very useful
afforded on a downwinder.
when maintaining course on a kiteboard
The Iron Man downwinder previously
V-SIT HOLD
NEGATIVE PULL-UPS
for hours at a time.
mentioned this issue averages 93 ‘clicks’
Put your back against the wall and
a day! Sound like your cup of tea? If so
lower yourself down slowly until your legs
you’ll no doubt be quietly wondering just
are bent at a 90 degree angle. Hold it until
The V-sit hold is another brilliant
how bad the ‘back-leg burn’ could be
you end up slumped on the floo . Stand up,
exercise for building core strength
after around 60 miles a day of relentless
walk it off for 90 seconds and do it again.
which is very useful when doing
kitesurfing in one direction. ‘Pretty bad’ is
DO: Repeat this three times.
anything physically tiring or strenuous