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7 Day Kitesurf Specific Workout Program.
Kitesurf fitness training program developed specifically for kitesurfing.
Get Kitesurf Fit BEFORE You Hit The Water
Most people who come on one of our kitesurfing camps are woefully physically unprepared for the week ahead of them.
This isn’t a criticism…
I fully sympathise.
You see, there’s a major problem that makes getting fit for a kitesurfing holiday all the more difficult…
If you were going on a mountain biking holiday you’d prepare for it before hand by ensuring you were fit enough to keep up with the pack.
What’s more for mountain biking it’s pretty obvious what you have to do in the gym to prepare…
Get on the bike.
What do you do to prepare for a kiting holiday?
Kitesurfing fitness (and for those beginners amongst you, ESPECIALLY learn to kitesurf fitness) is VERY specific and without the correct targeted training before hand it’s very difficult to prepare for it by going jogging or hitting a few cross fit classes.
In fact so specific is kitesurf fitness that many of these exercises will actually impede your progress whilst kitesurfing.
Kitesurfing is a strange sport physically in that it uses a lot of muscles that we don’t use in many other walks of life. It’s also a balance sport (or more specifically a counter balance sport) so we cannot simply muscle our way through it.
We instead need to apply a level of finesse, flexibility and power that is simply not catered for in most gym programs.
So What Can You Do?
Well to get you going I’m going to share with you what I do to stay kitesurf fit in between sessions.
Below are links to all the major exercises that I do, thankfully demonstrated by better looking people than me!
First up we’ll take a look at the key exercises we’re going to be focussing on.
We will come to the actual workouts later (and I’ll put some variations in the workouts that will really boost your performance).
Click on the video below to view the exercise (you can use the controls to make the video full screen if it’s a bit small!):
Supermans
Lower Back
Planks
Core Stability
Leg Raises
Core Strength
Box Jumps
Explosive Leg Power for jumping and holding down the edge
Squats
Build strength for extended sessions on the water.
Single Leg Squats
More of the same
Burpees
Everyone’s Favourite
Complete Bas***ds
Enjoy these and think of me!
Shadow Boxing
With 2 kg dumb bells (up weight and time as you get better) but don’t go too heavy, we don’t want you becoming a gorilla! Concentrate on Jabs, Cross and Hooks. We are looking to work the lats here in the twisting motion.
Stretches
For all these stretches the key is not to win the race by being the one to stretch the furthest, take them at your own pace, relax into them and if you can’t relax you probably need to ease back some. Deep breaths and enjoy. If you are cursing and swearing at me whilst doing this you’re going too hard, ease back and breath!
Concentrate on the “out” breath as this is when the body naturally relaxes.
The Dooowg
If you’re only going to do 1 stretch…make it this 1
Pigeon Pose
Targeting the hips and legs
Dragon Pose
Open up the hips
Lower back/Glutes
Slide the board on your feet…effortlessly
The Saddle
Ride em cowboy
Eagle arms
Keeping shoulders supple
Kitesurf Strength Routine
Building Lean Muscle
These exercises are designed to prepare you for strength building…why do we need strength as kitesurfers? Well the idea here is to prevent injury, we are NOT trying to build strength for strength’s sake, instead everything we will be doing over the next few weeks has a distinct purpose – To stop us getting injured down the line.
Workout frequency: 3 times a week Monday, Wednesday, Friday – alternating sets A & B
Set A
- Dead Lift – Start at 3 sets of 8 reps – Goal: 3 sets of 20 reps.
- Curl & Press – Start at 3 sets of 5 reps – Goal: 3 sets of 12 reps.
- Progression Push Ups (wall, knee, standard raised foot) – Start at 3 sets of 6 reps – Goal: 3 sets of 12 reps.
Set B
- Air Squat – Start at 3 sets of 10 reps – Goal: 3 sets of 20 reps.
- Split Squats (regular with weights) – Start at 3 sets of 8 reps – Goal: 3 sets of 15 reps.
- Overhead Squat – Start at 3 sets of 8 reps – Goal: 3 sets of 12 reps.
Once the goal state is reached in any exercise raise the weight.
Weights Used
I love kettle bells…simply because they’re easy and versatile and recommend you use them for these exercises, dumbbells can be used I would recommend the fixed weight types as you’ll be moving them fast and don’t want bits flying off the ends!
Women
- Less than 140 pounds: 4 kg & 8 kg
- More than 140 pounds: 6 kg & 8 kg
- Athletic of any size: 6 kg & 12 kg
Men
- Less than 180 pounds: 6 kg & 12 kg
- More than 180 pounds: 8 kg & 16 kg
- Athletic of any size: 12 kg & 20 kg
Want the full 30 day program, including my active recovery routine so you can recover faster in between sessions and reach your goals even faster?
Over the years I’ve noticed that the people who really look after their training OFF the water perform a LOT better ON the water. Being physically prepared for kitesurfing often makes the difference between an awesome session and a “meh” session.
In fact it’s so important that I’ve put together a FREE 30 day kitesurf specific workout and active recovery program to ensure you hit the water at your best.
If you want to grab my full 30 day workout and active recovery plan and then regular information to improve your kitesurfing when you’re on and off the water, then…
Enter your email below:
Kitesurfing is a mix of finesse, flexibility and power so we need to adapt our program to match. Now obviously I don’t know how fit you already are. So the workout guides are suggested only.
If you rarely exercise just following what we’re recommending will do you fine.
If your a gym rat or bunny, you might want to simply add them on to your existing retune. To start with they may feel a little easy (they may not, especially the stretches may be very difficult) but the idea of this program is that it is progressive so it will build up as we go along.
The biggest problem I had when putting these exercises together was deciding which level to pitch them at. Some of you are probably very fit and some of you probably not so much.
For those of you that are already fit and strong this isn’t designed as a complete workout. Instead think of what I present here as additions to your present workout, that will specifically target the areas you need for kitesurfing. If you find one exercise here in particular that you find difficult add it in to your normal routine.
If you don’t currently workout these are a great place to start.
Be aware, what we are trying to do is build up kitesurfing specific fitness here and these exercises are the best way I have found of doing that, whatever your fitness level, if you find them too easy feel free to complicate matters a bit by adding more weight or doing them for longer.
If you’ve never exercised before you may find some of these exercises pretty tough, again just do your best but do not force anything and if it hurts STOP. We are not trying to kill you, and the slogan “no pain no gain” doesn’t apply here. You should feel like you are exerting yourself but be able to maintain a conversation.
Today we’re going to start with some stretches the idea here is to start building in some flexibility before we build strength, this will reduce your likely hood of injury and give you some of the flexibility and strength that is so needed in kitesurfing.
VERY IMPORTANT
When stretching the most important thing is not to force it. You should relax into the pose and then simply attempt to breath. If you feel like you can, then on the out breath, sink into the pose a little more. Apart from the doowg these are all passive exercises and you should have the feeling of just flopping into it, without effort. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t feel it, you should, but it shouldn’t be agony and you certainly shouldn’t be forcing it.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
As with all exercise regimes if you are just starting to exercise you should consult with your doctor before you begin.
Day 1
Kitesurf Strength Routine – Set A
followed by:
| Exercise | Weight | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| The Dooowg | 1 min | |
| Dragon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Pigeon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Eagle Pose | 1 min | |
| Saddle | 1 min | |
| Shadow Boxing | No Weight | 2 min |
| The Dooowg | 1 min |
Day 2
Sprints – 3/5 x 100m to Exhaustion
followed by:
| Exercise | Weight | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| The Dooowg | 1 min | |
| Dragon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Plank | 1 min | |
| Eagle Pose | 1 min | |
| Saddle | 1 min | |
| Shadow Boxing | No Weight | 2 min |
| The Dooowg | 1 min | |
| Plank | 1 min |
Day 3
Active Recovery Day
Day 4
Kitesurf Strength Routine – Set B
Followed by:
Active Recovery Routine
Day 5
Sprints – 3/5 x 100m to Exhaustion
Followed by:
| Exercise | Weight | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| The Dooowg | 1 min | |
| Dragon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Pigeon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Eagle Pose | 2 min | |
| The Saddle | 1 min | |
| The Dooowg | 2 min |
Day 6
Kitesurf Strength Routine – Set A
Followed by:
| Exercise | Weight | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| The Dooowg | 1 min | |
| Dragon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Pigeon Pose | 1 min (each side) | |
| Eagle Pose | 2 min | |
| Balance Board | 1 min | |
| The Dooowg | 2 min |
Day 7
Active Recovery Day
Day 8
DOWNLOAD THE 30 DAY PLAN!
Want the full 30 day program, including my active recovery routine so you can recover faster in between sessions and reach your goals even faster?
Over the years I’ve noticed that the people who really look after their training OFF the water perform a LOT better ON the water. Being physically prepared for kitesurfing often makes the difference between an awesome session and a “meh” session.
In fact it’s so important that I’ve put together a FREE 30 day kitesurf specific workout and active recovery program to ensure you hit the water at your best.
If you want to grab my full 30 day workout and active recovery plan and then regular information to improve your kitesurfing when you’re on and off the water, then…
Enter your email below:
