Windsurfing Magazine

kristin
2008-04-03 07:05:21 | 415 views | 1 Comments

In most sports, you move your feet around underneath your upper body to help maintain balance. Windsurfing, however, is not one of those sports.

Keeping your feet directly under your body causes the board to tip back and forth out of control and usually results in a premature dismount. When you windsurf, you should really try to move your feet as little as possible.

Standing still creates a stable platform from which to maintain balance, power and control. Try to get into the habit of always pointing your front foot toward the nose of the board and your back foot across the centerline in what's referred to as an “open stance.”

By pointing your front foot toward the nose, your knee also points that way, enabling you to drive the board forward with the power from the sail and helping you to brace against catapults. Placing your back foot across the centerline allows you to move your hips in and out over your back knee.

Placing your feet in the open stance gives you the ability to move your hips in any direction to counterbalance the varying power in the sail without moving your feet. In addition, with your hips free to move 360 degrees, you can also adjust the weight exerted on either foot, pressing the back foot down and to leeward, for example, to sail a longboard upwind or putting weight on the front foot and toward the windward rail to sail a shortboard upwind. Adjusting foot pressure also helps to make small steps toward the foot straps.

Remember: minimal foot motion for maximum balance.