The Wake Plan 2 – Complimentary sports and activities
When the season is in full swing with competitions every weekend, events on mid week and just not enough hours in the day to satisfy your wakeboarding buzz, it’s hard to even consider any other activities. Why would you? Wakeboarding is sociable and keeps you fit, it ticks all the boxes right? However, wakeboarding places very specific and constant demands on the same areas of your body, and muscular and strength imbalances can occur and leave you vulnerable to injury. Wakeboarders typically have very strong quads in relation to hamstrings (a contributing factor to knee injuries) for example. The body needs to work in balance; for every pull, you must push, and you just won’t get that with wakeboarding alone.
In this series on prevention of injury, we propose that you vary your activities, range of motion and muscle demands. You’re only as fit as your chosen sport. You may last a triple boat set with no major fatigue issue, but try and run for the train and you might not be quite as fit as you think you are. What’s running got to do with wakeboarding?? Well, variety of physical demands will allow your body to work in balance and prevent niggles and weak flash points. If you get used to a variety of activities before the season really kicks off, then you’ll reduce the chances of gaining injury, and definitely get fitter and stronger.
“Each sport places its own individual demands on a performer’s body. From power and strength to balance, agility, flexibility or aerobic capacity every sport requires a different combination of our physical capabilities; even down to the extent of different movements or actions involved in a sport having its own demands. How ‘fit’ we are will have a huge bearing on how well we execute these actions and in turn determine how successful we are in our performance.
Think of each person as having an ‘athletic box’ of skills and movement capabilities. We know each sport or activity demands its own unique combination of these skills and capabilities – so each activity will only need us to use so much from our box. All individuals should aim to have a box of athletic capabilities far greater than they require for a single activity. Having a greater repertoire of athletic skills allows an individual to better cope with the physiological demands placed on the body during each performance; regardless of what they are asking their body to do. Placing too much emphasis on one particular skill or activity can lead to muscular and postural imbalances which can in turn have a negative impact on performance along with invariably leading to injury in both the short and long term.
This ‘box’ can be filled through taking part in a wide variety of activities not simply putting more hours in to your chosen sport – something particularly important in adolescent athletes (see work written about the subject of Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD)). Individuals should look to take part in as wide a range of activities as possible – cross training – to ensure they can cope with a variety of demands. Every activity will have its benefits; from swimming to pilates, a zumba class to strength training, participating in boot camp to playing basketball we can improve our athleticism in any activity. And don’t be fooled into pigeon holing activities based on general perceptions – for example whilst people often look at climbing as an upper body strength activity they over look the need for leg strength, flexibility, hip mobility and core strength; all extremely useful tools to have in your box!”
Mark Garfoot , Performance Sport Manager, Surrey Sports Park
We suggest adding a different activity to the mix, head to the gym for a spin class or find a climbing wall, take a yoga class or a game of tennis or just head out for a run. If you find a facility that offers a wide range of activities, more’s the better. Surrey Sports Park offer so many different sporting activities that you’ll be spoilt for choice. By speaking to sports fitness professionals you’ll be able to find activities that interest you and compliment and balance the physical demands of wakeboarding.
“Yoga is the perfect compliment to wakeboarding and skating. On a physical level it tones, lengthens and strengthens the muscles, giving us more control, flexibility and awareness of our body when riding and attempting tricks. Yoga improves our overall posture (we all recognize that classic wakeboarders stoop!) and it is important to address any imbalances that over time may cause us long term pain. Yoga helps to focus the mind, a necessity in any extreme sport and it teaches us to breathe better, giving us more energy. Yoga can be just exercise but it can be life changing too. You may like to think of yoga practice as maintenance, a way of keeping ourselves in balance. Practicing yoga means we are less likely to crash but if we do we can get ourselves back on the road much more quickly. So give it a try…there is nothing to lose and a lot to gain! If you’re passing through Box End Park there are classes most Sunday mornings 11.30 -12.30am (strategically planned so us local lasses can still do Ladies Morning!) or try a Retreat Day for full day of yoga and relaxation. For more info visit www.stressfreezone.org.uk“
Rachel Hawes, Wakeskater and founder ‘Open Your Heart’ Yoga Retreat Day
Next week – Trampoline and balance benefits
Wake Plan: Prevention is better than cure !!
The Wake Plan Series: Prevention is better than Cure
The Wake Plan 1 – Tailor Made Wakeboarding Fitness
The Wake Plan 2 – Complimentary sports and activities
The Wake Plan 3 – Trampoline Benefits
The Wake Plan 4 – Introducing Chiropractic
The Wake Plan 5 – Diet and nutrition
The Wake Plan 6 – Warm up and stretch
Wednesday 06 April 2011 | Permalink
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