12 COACHING WINDWISE TECHNIQUE
Q. Want to learn to harness, footstrap, blast and set
up for gybes?
A. Focus on your ‘7’ stance range
Do all you can to develop a strong ‘7’ shaped stance
range. Predominately extending the front leg and flex the
rear leg to get as outboard and committed in the
harness as much as the wind will allow. If you destroy
your ‘7’, (over weighting the rear foot, excessively over
flexing the mast arm) you instantly destroy your chances
of learning anything – so focus on your stance!
Light winds and slower speeds = Straight 7
Tighten and straighten the torso, push through the toes and
extend that body.
Strong wind and higher speed = Sunken 7
Sink and drop the hips, dig the heels, curl the toes and pull
down in that harness with a very soft rear leg.
uk
WIND
SURFING
Mission 4: fall down, not off!
We fall ‘off’ because human nature means we try to save
ourselves by ‘pulling’ in on the boom, which actually
accelerates the dismount. So as crazy as it sounds, if you
feel you’re about to fall in, be it blasting, trying to get into
the straps, harness, tacking or gybing - drop your body
weight down towards the board quickly by pulling down on
the boom and not in toward your! This ’skill’ will save many
energy and confidence sapping dismounts.