August 28, 2021

Next Generation Windsurfing

I finished up a lesson at Kanaha and who do I see coming out for some fun? My 12 year old straight out of school, right to the beach! What homework???? He had some energy to get out from the looks of it- and my go pro was ready!

Here is a little ditty on some fun from yesterday!

Kaden 12 years old Kanaha Wing Blastin

What's the deal with this wing stuff? I think we are still windsurfing, just with different equipment. It is the next generation of gear that is propelling us in lighter winds and giving new opportunities for some different tricks and style. What are your thoughts? Look forward to hearing from you all-

April 9, 2021

Conditioning for Windsurfing

This is a great way to kick off the season and get your game on. Injury prevention is at the top of my list these days, check out Sarah's shoulder program below.

Written by World Champion Windsurfer and Certified Personal Trainer, Sarah Hauser

My shoulder story

FROM SO MUCH SITTING TO SO MUCH MOVING

As a professional athlete I had an unconventional path. At 23 years old, after having spent 5 years studying to become a computer science Engineer, I embarked on a radically different journey. I moved to Maui, Hawaii to become a professional windsurfer. I went from sitting most of the day to surfing or stand up paddling in the morning and windsurfing for hours in the afternoons.

After a year at this intense rhythm, my shoulder was on fire with pain and everyone was unanimously telling me I had ‘shoulder tendinitis’. Luckily at that time I had decided to invest in high quality fitness training classes where I discovered shoulder mobility exercises. 

After 2 weeks of mobility practice, the shoulder pain had reduced and after a month it had disappeared. Turns out I did not have tendinitis, I just needed to correct my shoulder joint and keep it happy under stress.

Throughout the years I continued to develop my own routines, taking inspiration from professional trainers and athletes in a variety of sports. Nowadays I split my time between at the desk and on the water. I have identified the movements that help me and my personal training clients stay pain free while maintaining the ability to push our limits when we decide to. Some of these techniques are inspired by functional training, yoga, rotator cuff rehabilitation, surf training, rock climbing stretches and even Gyrotonic. All of it combined into my new digital mobility program called Solid Shoulders. https://www.nc6training.com/programs

Conditioning specifically for windsurfing 


The best way to condition your body for the sport of windsurfing really depends on your goals, your current level of fitness and your discipline. A slalomer has different goals and priorities than a wavesailer or a freestyler. But overall there are 3 key pillars that we should keep in mind for conditioning our bodies for windsurfing:

  1. Cardiovascular training. Fast walking, running, biking, swimming, rowing, dancing… whatever it is, make sure to incorporate interval training in your cardio session instead of keeping the same pace all the time. In the real world we swim after our equipment when it gets pushed by waves or we pump to catch a wave or to come out of a jibe. For our heart it’s the equivalent of doing little sprints throughout the session. Cardio interval training will not only increase the ability to pump hard and catch that wave but once you're on it you’ll have the juice to perform and take full advantage of the ride instead of recovering from the pumping.
  1. Strength training, in a broad sense. To me that encompasses:
  • balance, agility and proprioception (perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body) which you can be practiced by creating instability in workouts with tools such as a bosu or an indo board, incorporating obstacles such as hurdles and adding a stimulus like someone throwing you a ball. 
  • strength, muscle endurance and power which are achieved by playing with variables of a resistance workout such as load, number of repetitions, order of the exercises and rest. I can’t give a complete program here (I actually plan on creating an online one next year…) but I will emphasize the importance of working on these 3 modalities. Whichever part of the body you’re training, you want strength to accomplish the movements of windsurfing, muscle endurance to last through long and intense sessions and (depending on your level and goals) power to jump, smack the lip of the wave or do freestyle tricks.

3. Mobility is vital

Mobility training aims to increase the range of motion of your joints through dynamic stretching techniques. Where flexibility only focuses on increasing amplitude, mobility training allows you to control your movements throughout that gained amplitude, making you able to precisely produce and absorb force in all parts of the range of motion.  

Mobility training also corrects muscle imbalances, decreases muscle soreness, relieves joint stress, improves muscle extensibility and maintains the functional length of all muscles. These factors increase neuromuscular efficiency and enhance overall function.

Designed specifically for windsurfers and wing foilers, Solid Shoulders is a unique upper body mobility program built on 8 years of experience as a professional ocean athlete and certified fitness trainer. 

It is comprised of:

   - 3 workout videos 

   - 1 foam rolling video 

   - 1 guided hypnosis for mindset training

The program can be downloaded for just $35 (no subscription required) at https://www.nc6training.com/programs

This is a great way to stay in shape and prepare for your next windsurfing vacation or clinic! You too can have healthy and strong shoulders without having to go through expensive and complicated procedures.

About Sarah https://www.hauserlifestyle.com/copy-of-b-i-o

Sarah Hauser is a professional windsurfer, brand value ambassador, motivational speaker, and personal trainer recognized worldwide for her performance and innovation in big wave windsurfing. 

Based on Maui, Hawaii, Sarah is a 3x overall winner of the International Windsurfing Tour, 2x Winner of windsurfing's most prestigious contest the Aloha Classic, and recognized worldwide as one of the top big wave riders in the history of the sport.  Her accomplishments have earned her the attention of a following who not only supports her athletic conquests but also her advocacy of eco-friendly and gender-balanced policies, projects, and products worldwide. 

Sarah constantly pursues mental and physical training techniques to fully prepare herself for any situation big waves or life may throw at her.  After receiving her personal training certification, she has helped the world’s best windsurfers as well as those vacationing to Maui with workout programs to keep them on the water longer, performing at their best, and feeling great.  With the recent changes in times and as part of her relationship as a value ambassador for SAP, Sarah has expanded her training to virtual fitness classes to stimulate the body and mind through a long day on the grind. https://www.nc6training.com/programs

Athlete reel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De16KpCeAJM&t=3s

December 31, 2020

Happy New Year

Good bye 2020! Looking forward to a new and beautiful 2021....... Here are a few of my favorite fun family pics of 2020. There was plenty of good to be celebrated even in these times..... See you all in the new year!

Play Time
Watched K-man learn the wind addiction!
We learned a new sport!
Enjoyed the beach!
Erin got back on the board!
K-man boosting the wing!
Unkle Kevy stayed home to play with us!

September 30, 2020

What’s with all the Wing Talk?

Watch out because wherever you go on Maui these days wind freaks are talking about the Wings, the Foils, the this the that and everything in between! This summer it seemed as though 8 out of 10 windsurfers on Maui learned how to Wing Foil. With the Covid restrictions for travel in place, Kanaha seemed empty and if you didn’t know any better, you would have thought 10 windsurfers out there was crowded! The wind was cranking all summer and I think the windsurfers may have gotten a little bored or just curious? A lot of them decided to try something new!!!! And good for them….. The Kahului Harbor turned into the happening place to go-

Family Fun

There were families bringing their kids, their dogs and cats and it looked like a crowded day at Lake Garda! Gusty winds shifting all over the flat water made for a very safe and easy place to learn this new sport. As a windsurfer, the best way to learn to foil is on your windsurfer- since you already know how to windsurf getting used to how the foil works is pretty easy. The ONE thing you have to know and remember is there are at least 4 KNIVES that are riding underneath you- so BE CAREFUL. 

For those that have never been on a foil before, the wing offers some help to hold your balance. Once you do get up and on the foil, the world changes. You are hovering around a couple feet above the water. It is silent and a very free feeling. You can go as fast or slow as you want. It is easy to shoot upwind, downwind and back and forth. Flat water blasting has not been this fun in a long time! The coolest thing about it all though was seeing all the kids learning how to do it. I’m talking about 10 year olds getting out there and figuring out a new sport for them. Not just 1 or 2 kids, 10 or 20 kids are out there doing it and getting good quickly and this is just Maui! I know the Gorge has kids doing it and it is attracting the youth into a wind powered sport which is great to see! 

Nothing like a little airtime for this 11 year old!

Is WingFoiling going to replace windsurfing? NO, is it a great option and something FUN and exciting to Learn? YES- In my experience it makes blasting around flat water with light/ fluky winds a lot more fun, all with no strings attached! Another bonus is the equipment is easy to set up, bring your wind and your pump and let her rip. 4 screws mount the foil in to the board and off you go. Super easy and it all fits in your car!

Check out this video of Ben Proffitt on Windsurfing.TV as he gives a pretty funny intro to how this all works!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7KLdl5ESAY

June 9, 2020

Seven Secrets to Summertime Success

It is time to get ready for windsurfing! In a perfect world you would have 25 knots, the sun shining, the water clean and clear and all the time in the world to blast back and forth honing in your skills! Reality sometimes begs to differ so when you get the chance to hit the water, make sure you are ready to have a good time!

  1. Fitness first! People always ask how to keep in shape for windsurfing- the best answer for that question is windsurfing! Ha- there is nothing like it!!!! It works your entire body and even muscles you never knew you had! My real answer there is cardio. Get on the bike, do your runs or walks or whatever you can to get a base going. Jumping rope is also a good one. For the muscles, I like pull ups. They toughen up your hands and give the body a good workout. For those that want to follow a good program, check this out: Windsurfing Workout
  2. Check your gear before you head to the beach. It may have been sitting around for a bit and getting tired. The most important is your universal- make sure that rubber tendon is not going to fail you. The last thing you want is a swim in due to a $10 part that can easily be replaced. Inspect your sails for rips or tears that can easily be fixed. Get a roll of Session Saver sail tape and some Ding stick to have on hand, this will keep you going.
  3. Rig it right! Don't rush out to get on the water and do a half-ass rig job. Take your time to tune the sail. If you don't know, ask someone for their 2 cents! Most windsurfers love to be helpful. Check your foot straps making sure your feet fit in easily. The last thing you want is that big catapult right off the beach because you look down at your feet trying to get them in the straps! Check out this Rigging video for some refreshers!
  4. When you first step on your board, assuming you are doing a beach-start, make sure your front foot goes far forward (right next to the mast foot) with your TOES pointed to the NOSE! This little tip is one of my favorite nuggets of knowledge as it orients the hips and helps you stay upwind. You are naturally twisting upwind and able to see the wind/ water coming at you.
  5. Many of you know my ruling on harness lines...... Most people are using too short a setting for their lines. Your elbow should be able to go inside your line with the palm of your hand open under the boom. Measure the distance from your elbow to your wrist and that should get you close to the right length. For an in-depth discussion on this, Hit this Link
  6. Look where you want to go. ALWAYS! No matter if you are sailing in a straight line, upwind, downwind, sidewind or whatever- Look where you are going. Similar to driving a car. Can't find your footstraps, use your feet to feel for them. Look down = Go Down! Watch This
  7. Smile and Breathe! My favorite tip of them all. It also works really good for everyday LIFE.
Always Smiling at the beach!

May 15, 2020

Virtual Clinics

Who would have thought we would be wondering when the island of Maui would open up to having visitors come? For those of us fortunate enough to be living here things are pretty good. Empty beaches, no traffic, sun, wind and warm water all to ourselves! We are able to use the ocean and get our fix. Kanaha Beach Park is closed so access to the ocean is the difficult part. Some people are parking near the airport and walking in with their gear, but that is quite a mission. Prior to Hookipa opening, you had to take your life into your hands, park across the road and jump fences to get out there...... First wold problems I suppose.

People have been asking about virtual clinics and how this could be the future. I think a lot of the basics can certainly be covered but there is nothing like being on the water and watching exactly what is going on for the student. However, being able to analyze video and understand incorrect movements is the key to learning and correcting those bad habits! Jibes in particular are quite easy for me to see what people are doing that needs improvement. This is where technology can take over. Get out your GoPro, get a mount from Fly Mount and collect some footage that shows your movements. It is important to see your feet and hands so having the camera looking down on you is a great angle. Another good mounting position is from the back of your boom. With all this time on our hands, editing video should be no problem! If you are struggling with those jibes, upload your video's to Vimeo or YouTube and send over the link. I'll pick some of them out and analyze!

Our May clinic on Maui has been postponed till further notice once things open up. Details to come as we see how things progress on our magic little island.

Here are some good angles to learn from

March 21, 2020

Corona Virus Postpones April Baja Wave Camp

We are certainly experiencing some challenging times globally at the moment! For the safety and precautions for all, the 2020 Baja Wave Camp scheduled for April 25- May 2nd is postponed. What a bummer! But better to be safe than sorry..... In the meantime, check out this video that KP scored a few years ago! Don't worry this was a surgical strike and the waves rarely get this big but WOW, like they say..... timing is everything!

Possibly the score of the decade right here, check it out.......

March 14, 2020

Clinic Schedule 2020

Seems hard to believe we are already halfway through the month of March. The good news is that Spring is in the air and it is time to start thinking about windsurfing! For 2020 we have the following clinics that are fixed dates and we also have a flexible date option that we can coordinate with others that have a similar level and are traveling to Maui at similar times.

Maui Dates

  • May 17-22nd
  • October 12-16th

Maui clinics are targeted for Intermediates to Advanced looking to fine tune their overall performance. We work on making windsurfing easier on you! Stance technique, better use of the harness, intense jibing exercises, learning some jumping skills, and learning about waves. Maui camps focus on advancing all skills.

Baja Dates

  • April 25- May 2nd
  • September 12-19th

Now in its 12th year, these wave camps are tons of fun! We all live together in a 5 star camp right on the beach eating like Kings and playing like children all day long. We have a great program that takes your skills to your next level. Don't be afraid, if you have ever considered learning to ride waves, this is the place! The most gentle waves that go on and on and on setting you up to quickly advance your skills. Must know how to water start and stay upwind. Having light wind and high wind skills is helpful!

Get in Gear!

The first step is to contact Matt and learn what clinic is best for you. Hit the contact button on the clinic page and start your improvement NOW!

Paradise...... Come join us!

August 4, 2019

What are you looking at? Simple Summertime Tip

Can anyone name a sport that tells you to look at your feet or hands while doing it? Unless you consider getting a pedicure something athletic, you may be in the wrong sport! I have been seeing so many bad habits lately that I wanted to share this one very basic tip- LOOK where you want to go! Don't look at your feet, don't look at your hands. Get your head up, EYES up and be aware of where you are going. Anticipate chop. LOOK for the wind that is coming towards you. Look down = Fall down.

 

January 13, 2019

Clinic Schedule 2019

It's that time...... planning the year with FUN adventures! Let's get in gear!

April 27- May 4 The Baja Wave Camp with Matt Pritchard and Kevin McGillivray.

Now in its 11th year, these wave camps have been so much fun! We all live together in a 5 star camp right on the beach living like Kings and playing like children all day long. We have a great program that takes your skills to your next level. Don't be afraid, if you have ever considered learning to ride waves, this is the place! The most gentle waves that go on and on and on setting you up to quickly advance your skills.

Don't be afraid, if you have ever considered learning to ride waves, this is the place!

May 20-25th Maui: It will be with Matt

This will focus on Novice/ Intermediates working on sailing more efficiently, jibing and tacking and learning to pick lines through chop that will allow a safe passage or send you up for your first jumps. Tuning of the gear to make sailing more easy. Setting up harness lines to do the hard work, making your time on the water far more efficient.

September 21- 28th Another Baja Wave Camp with Matt Pritchard and Kevin McGillivray!

Everyone asks which is the best one to come to and my answer is flip a coin! Come when you can.

October 20-25th We are back to Maui

This clinic is targeted for Intermediates to Advanced looking to fine tune jibing, learn some jumping skills, ride some waves. It focusses on advancing all skills.

For more info and details contact Matt

 Copyright 2020, Pritchard Windsurfing