Sports-Specific Kiteboarding by Heath Williams | Date Released : 14 Jul 2007 0 comments Print Close Kiteboarding is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular extreme water sports. Using the power of Mother Nature to launch you into 30 foot jumps and then pulling your favorite kiteboard moves is the dream of every kiteboarder! Individuals at the elite level of kiteboarding capable of such feats often possess an abundance of natural talent and have the physical attributes to support the unique demands of the sport. To be a good kiteboarder, you need to have a high level of both upper, lower body and left to right coordination and skill. Agility and balance are required in order to turn and react quickly to changes in both board and wind direction. Strength, power and endurance are other essential physical components and skills needed. Identifying, assessing and address the key physical components of kiteboarding is necessary for anyone serious about taking their performance to the next level, whether it be from the beginner to the elite. Kiteboarding is very similar in many ways to many other extreme board sports i.e. wakeboarding, snowboarding, landboarding and surfing. The individual is attached to a board and is required to control and adapt to the ever changing environment around them (whether it be water, snow or the ground). The key difference between kiteboarding and many of these other board sports is that not only does the rider need to be capable of riding the board, but they must also be able to control and fly the kite. Those already adept at such board sports will often find that this transition occurs quite quickly. Physical Components Important to Kiteboarding Balance Proprioception and body awareness Control and timing Coordination (necessary to control board for both front and back riding (goofy and straight style) Agility (important for change of direction in both board and kite control) Flexibility (lack of flexibility increases risk of injury) Speed (needed for deep water starts and change in direction) Strength (getting out of the water (deep water starts) and kite control (especially as the kite moves in and out of the power zone) Power (getting out of the water (deep water starts) and kite control require power) Aerobic and anaerobic fitness Optimal performance involves training these skills and physical attributes. Body regions that need to be addressed and trained include the upper body, lower body and the core. No single muscle is more dominant or stands out in kiteboarding. Instead, there is a need to focus on training movements rather than individual muscles. Almost every action performed by a kiteboarder involves a balanced and controlled involvement of the upper body, lower body and core. Is there a solution to the question of, "How do we train for this kind of sport?" Yes! Address these areas and train them in exercises that assimilate the real life activity. You can do this by training multiple body regions and training them for the role for which they are required i.e. strength, coordination power, balance and speed etc. Therefore it is essential to address these areas and incorporate them into exercises that assimilate real life activity. It is also important to train these activities using methods in which they are to be used i.e. strength, endurance, power and speed etc. Kiteboarding training can be broken up into various models. Examples of this can include training specific physical components, kiteboarding skills training such as learning to fly the kite (a training kite is a fantastic tool for this), cross training as well as combining all of these. Cross training is a key component for anyone looking to take their fitness and skills to a new level without causing injury or burnout. Kiteboarding Training Equipment Training Kite (1.8 to 3.2 metres) Kiteboard Kite (10 to 20 feet) TRX Theraband Medicine Balls Dumbbells Swiss Balls Bosu Ball Dura Disc/Wobble Board/Core Board Landboard Rules for Kiteboarding Kiteboarders don’t hold their breath during kiteboarding, so breathing must be separate of any activity. Exercises need to address the key physical components used: strength, power, endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, agility, anaerobic and/or aerobic fitness. Select exercises which are more neurologically demanding, these are generally exercises which train movements and challenge multiple physical components (i.e., strength and balance). Remember, a kiteboarder doesn’t have time to think about pulling in his transverse abdominis when riding out on the water. Therefore, don’t train this way. Rather, focus globally and train movements, skills and activities that mimic kiteboarding and will help the individual to react naturally and instinctively to the ever changing environment. Kiteboarding Exercise Program Upper Body - Chest Exercise Variations/Progressions Wall Push Up: Standing Standing on Bosu ball Hands on Swiss ball Hand on a ball each (vary by using different sized balls) Ground Push Up Hands on Swiss ball or Bosu ball Feet on Swiss ball or Bosu ball Hands on small balls each Hands on differing swiss balls and feet on bench TRX Push Up Feet attached TRX Incline push up Decline push up Hands on Swiss ball or smaller balls Asymmetrical hand position Cable Push Static cable push Cable push standing on bosu ball Cable push with lunge/squat Why use these specific exercises? Good eccentric, concentric and isometric control of chest and arms required when flying kite. Good control and transfer of energy and balance from the upper body to the core improves performance and reduces fatigue and risk of injury. Back Exercise Variations/Progressions Standing Cable Pull (cable, theraband or bar) Single hand (bilateral or alternating arm pulls) Pull with squat/lunge Standing pull on dura disc or Bosu ball Lat Pull Down: Standing Pronated grip Supinated grip Bar or cables Single leg or two legged Squat or lunge Body Row: Bar or TRX Feet on ground Feet on Swiss ball or Bosu ball Why use these specific exercises? All actions with the kite typically use a bar attached to two guide ropes (if you cannot perform the exercises with a bar then cables are the next best choice). Kiteboarding requires concentric, eccentric and isometric contraction of the back and arm muscles. Good control and transfer of energy and balance from the upper body to the core improves performance and reduces fatigue and risk of injury. Core - Obliques Exercise Variations/Progressions Wood Chop Dumbbell Bar Cable pulley Theraband Woodchop with lunge/squat (one plane or multiplane) On wobble board Lateral Brace Arm on Swiss ball Stuart McGill lateral brace TRX oblique Rectus Abdominis Exercise Variations/Progressions Standing Extension Abdominals One leg Dumbbell Bar Cable pulley Theraband TRX Pikes/Ball Tucks Swiss ball TRX Wall Brace Hands on Swiss ball Hands on ball each Standing on bosu ball Floor Brace Hands on Swiss ball or Bosu ball Feet on Swiss ball or Bosu ball Standing Brace Swiss ball Dowel stick Body blade Lower Back Exercise Variations/Progressions Birddog With or without Swiss ball Why use these specific exercises? The oblique muscles are engaged and required to work during upper and lower body movements. Isometric, concentric and eccentric activation of the oblique muscles is required during all movements when kiteboarding. A healthy core will help in movement execution and reduce risk of injury. Lower Body Exercise Variations/Progressions Squats Static Labile surface (Bosu ball or dura discs) Plyometrics Lunges Static Dynamic Multi-directional Plyometrics Lateral Anterior/Posterior Multi-direction Stable to stable (i.e. floor to floor) Stable to unstable (i.e., floor/bench to Bosu ball) Unstable to stable (i.e., Bosu ball to bench/floor) Unstable to unstable (i.e., core board to core board) Why use these specific exercises? Kiteboarding requires learning to develop strength, power, balance, coordination on an unstable environment. Training the lower body will help to reduce risk of injury. Advanced: Combination Functional Exercises Bosu Ball Wood Chop Bosu Ball Push Bosu Ball Pull Squat/Lunge and Wood Chop Squat/Lunge and Push Squat/Lunge and Pull Kiteboarding Specific Skills Training A training kite is an essential tool for any serious kiteboarder. Training kites range from 1.8 to 3.2 metres wide and are important for learning basic kite skills. Kite and water training is also important for developing the necessary skills for kite control in the water. Body dragging is important for learning how to manoeuvre the kite in deep water. For below exercises, pull towards the body (one hand and two hand). Wood Chop Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Variations/Progressions High to low (see Figure 1) Low to high (see Figure 2) Seated to standing position (see Figure 3) Squat jump to stand One Leg Kite Flying (see Figure 4) Figure 4 One Arm Kite Flying (see Figure 5) Figure 5 Variations/Progressions: Wood chop (high to low, low to high) Lunge Kite (walking) (see Figure 6) Figure 6 Variations/Progressions: Wood chop (high to low, low to high) Squat Kite (see Figure 7) Figure 7 Variations/Progressions: Wood chop (high to low, low to high) Kite Jumping/Plyometrics Running/Walking Variations/Progressions: High to low Low to high In all activities, you need to take the kite through the power zone. Start from either the 10:00pm or 2:00am position and cut down through the power zone. See Diagrams 1 and 2 for details on how to do this. Diagram 1 - Kite Position Diagram 2 - Finding the Power Zone Landboard Exercises Standing on Landboard Landboard Squat Landboard Wood Chop (movement, dumbbell, theraband) Landboard Abdominal Extension (movement, theraband) Landboard Cable Push and Pull (theraband) Landboard Medicine Ball Catch (multi-directional) Why use these specific exercises? Kite and landboard exercises are a great transition from developing physical components to kiteboarding itself. Learning balance, control, coordination, power, strength and endurance in activities that closely assimilate kiteboarding movements and actions is important for any beginner. For more on kiteboarding, check out the following web sites: www.kiteboardingmag.com www.kitesurfingschool.org www.northkites.com www.realkiteboarding.com www.boardsportsschool.com References: Boyle, M. Functional Training for Sports, 2004 Cook, Gray. Athletic Body In Balance, Human Kinetics, 2003 Chuck Wolf, Human Motion, 200 Chek, P. Movement That Matters, A C.H.E.K Institute Publication, USA, 2000, p.p. Chek, P. How to Eat, Move & Be Healthy!, A C.H.E.K Publication, USA, 2006 Liebenson, C. Rehabilitation of the Spine, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2nd Edition, 2007 McGill, S. Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention & Rehabilitation, Human Kinetics, 2002 McGill, S. Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance, Wabuno Publishers, Canada, 2004 Verstegen. M. Core Performance Essentials, Rodale, 2006 Back to top About the author: Heath Williams Heath Williams is an Australian-trained Osteopath who graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor Science (Health Science) and a Master's Degree in Osteopathy. He has practiced as an Osteopath in Australia, Sweden and the UK. While working in the UK, he taught at the prestigious British School Osteopathy and London School Osteopathy. Heath’s passion lies in rehabilitation, functional movement screens and exercise prescription. His ethos in life is, “Look after your body and it will look after you.” Heath regularly contributes to PTontheNet, FitPro and Network Fitness and has presented at several FitPro UK conventions. Full Author Details Related content Content from Heath Williams Kite Surfing Tony Reynolds | Articles Water Skiing – Strength and Balance Noah Hittner | Articles Healthy Surfers Shoulders Paul Frediani | Articles Surfers Bungee Swiss Ball Workout Paul Frediani | Articles Back Up: Back Pain in the Older Population Heath Williams | Articles Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat? 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