“Could how you unhook be holding you back?”
Words: Simon Bornhoft
Pics: Windwise
Simon Bornhoft explains why getting brilliant at seemingly basic skills can be a game changer for your windsurfing.
Task: Sail fast downwind, unhook and sheet in without losing speed or control…!
Level: Beginner to expert.
Why: Develops stance, control, gybing, jumping, beg-expert wave riding and setting up for ‘moves’.
Key Principles: Vision and opposition
Core Skill: ‘Sunken 7’ stance range
Windwise Touch Points: Backhand down the boom/back foot on windward and leeward rail/sail touching knee!
Counter Intuitive Moment: Wanting to lift hips, stand up and carve too soon.
At Windwise our skills training ethos develops very specific, seemingly basic actions and shows you how to take advantage of them. Stumbling on the core skills or not setting up properly in pressure situations creates a domino effect that makes everything else physically and technically harder. This Skills Training exercise develops your stance range, control and takes you into transitions (tacks, gybes and so on) with the pack stacked in your favour! So, quite simply we’re going to develop on how you unhook – yes UNHOOK! You may ‘feel’ you know this or ‘have it sorted’, but remember, what we ‘think’ we’re doing isn’t always the case. Plus get amazing at it, reaps huge benefits!
Who’s this for?
If you can plane in the harness and want to avoid future bad habits – DRILL THIS SKILL!
If you’re learning to plane into and out of gybes – THIS IS PARAMOUNT!
If you’ve aspirations for duck gybes, 360’s, jumping, wave riding or feasible freestyle moves – MASTER IT!
Why learn it?
It’s a global problem! Before, during and after unhooking many people excessively lift their hips and ‘sheet out’ (as in photo opposite). This plays havoc with the apparent wind as an ‘open sail’ acts like an instant brake, slowing the board in marginal winds or making it harder to tame than a fired up dragon in punchy conditions or chop.
Q. What’s the goal?
A. SAIL FAST DOWNWIND, SET UP & UNHOOK keeping control of the clew!
Q. How do I learn it?
A. Windwise skills training of course.
Repeat stage 1-3 again and again. Initially start on an upwind line. As confidence builds master a faster downwind line.
Windwise touch points: Set yourself high standards by making them a MUST!
How to set up unhook and remain in control
Vision 1-3-5: Look forward and through the turn.
Opposition 1-3: ‘Oppose’ the rig’s power by leaning the body outboard in line with leeward front strap.
Simon says…
We’ll go through the carving part and rig rotation with future Skills Training Exercises. But to help me help you, practice the Sunken 7 Set Up, low unhook and gybing Touch Point to allow me to transform your gybes and a whole lot more!
Our Windwise offer!
If you have read this and thought it all seems quite simple, I kind of knew/do this already, you’re right, but what we are saying is put all your money on Warrior for your moves and turning a board. Massively accentuate it, enjoy it, focus on it and get amazing at it. In fact we believe in it so much, that if you come on a Windwise course and mention this Windsurfing UK feature and we can’t improve your tacks, gybes and other moves using this Windwise Warrior concept, we’ll give you your money back!
Send Simon…
a question or suggestion to [email protected]! If Windwise answer it in Windsurfing UK, you’ll get a fab Windwise Rash Vest!
Bring out your Warrior on a Windwise experiences with our proven fast track Skills Training System with welcoming socials and adventures.
UK DAYS at Hayling in April-Oct
Limited availability on our Alacati 10-17-24th June and Prasonisi 16-23rd July overseas sessions! www.windwise.net
Leave a Reply