CONDITIONING: The easy way to become a better sailor

STEPPING UP YOUR GAME WITH FITNESS
There are about a million different factors that go into making awesome, unbeatable sailors. These factors include both controllable and somewhat uncontrollable variables.

For instance, while the next guy on the starting line might have a magical hole and an incredible God-given talent for keeping his position on the line, you might excel at the ability to crush him upwind by keeping your boat flat solely because you’ve got a knack for woodworking and have built yourself a hiking bench… and practice on it regularly.

Now while some of these talents other sailors have may seem unfair if you were not ‘born with it,’ there are some controllable factors that can instantly boost your game and make you a more competitive force on the course.

The number one way to increase you skills and your level of play is through fitness. Fitness not only keeps sailors physically on top, but it also increases our mental endurance and our ability to clear our heads after an event. Like any other competitive sport, sailing is innately linked to fitness.

However, unlike soccer or lacrosse, where players will constantly run or sprint and repeatedly use particular muscles during a game, in sailing, much of our sport depends on weather. Therefore, no matter the regatta or length of an event, competitors must always be prepared for a full range of activity and movements. — SpinSheet, read on