fitness

Hard to believe, but summer is finally here! Which means so is junior sailing. Looking for a way to enhance your program and get your kids having fun!? Add some fitness to your daily routines! So program directors, head instructors, coaches, and instructors this one is for you! Check out reasons to add daily fitness to your programs routine and how to do it so the kids are having fun and getting fit all summer long!

Whether your program is sailing competitively or recreationally fitness is an important part of sailing. You need to be strong, flexible, and able to move quickly across the boat to enhance your performance in the different wind conditions. By adding fitness to your junior program you can help the sailors to understand the importance and develop a good mindset about fitness for sailing. Since we are targeting juniors we want to make sure we don’t forget to make it fun!

Reasons to Add Fitness to your Program:

Get Sailors Fit
One of the first reasons to add fitness to your program is to help get your sailors fit. Adding some fitness every day or every other day will help your sailors to get stronger which will enhance their performance out on the water. Even if they are sailing for fun, things will get easy out on the water by taking the time to build strength!

Make the Program Fun
Does your program need a little morning or afternoon change up? By adding some morning or afternoon stretching and mini workouts, you can change up the program. The sailors will enjoy the change up and have fun with the new activities in the program. By creating the right fitness routine you can make it fun while getting the group fit!

Develop a Good Mindset 

By adding fitness to a junior program we can help sailors develop a good mindset about fitness for sailing. We need to make sure we make it fun and not make it feel like a chore, so they develop a positive mindset. By adding it to your junior program you can help create a fun and positive mindset so the sailors continue with their fitness journeys as they grow up.

Avoid Injury 

Sailing is a physical sport and activity. So every time we hit the water we are in a position to get an injury. By adding stretching and some strength work to our programs we can help to sailors avoid injuries they may receive on the water due to lack of strength or tight muscles. However, we also need to watch when we add fitness to our programs that sailors don’t do exercises incorrectly or exercises that are too advanced. You always want to consult with a fitness professional before adding fitness routines to your program.

How to Add Fitness to your Program:

So now how can you add fitness to your program? First you want to make a program that is appropriate for the age of your group. You only need to make slight adjustments to make this work for each age group.

Ways to Add Fitness:

• Add stretching into the morning routine.
• Add stretching at the end of day, you can debrief while stretching.
• Fitness activities are great to add on no wind or too windy days.
• Use team building activities that utilize fitness.

Before Sailing Stretching Routine:

Dynamic Stretching Workout #1
Knee Ups – 10 each side
Lunge w/ Twist – 10 each side
Shoulder Shrugs – 20
Hip Stretch w/ Twist – 10 each side
Repeat 2x

Arm Circles – 10 each way
High Kick – 10 each side
T-Push Ups – 10
Reverse Lunge w/ Reach – 10 each side
Repeat 2x

Dynamic Stretching Workout #2

Single Leg Deadlift – 10 each side
T-Push Up – 10
Side Lunges – 10 each side
Standing Side Reach – 10 each side
Repeat 2x

Knee Ups – 10 each side
Arm Circles – 10 each way
Side Leg Swing – 10 each side
Knee Up Reverse Lunge – 10 each side
Repeat 2x

After Sailing Stretching Routine:

Hamstring Stretch
Glutes Stretch
Quadriceps Stretch
Wrist Stretch
Active Side Lunge
Shoulder Stretch
Tricep Stretch

Check out the video with all the stretching exercises!

Team Fitness Activities:

Fitness relay races are a great addition to your program not only are they fun, you get the group working together as a team while getting a workout in.

Team Relay Race Workout #1

Break the group up into two teams. Each member of the team has to do all the exercises. The team that completes the workout first is the winner. Team members should motivate and push other team members to help them finish.

20 Jump Squats
15 Push Ups
Sprint 50 yards
20 Shoulder Taps
20 Burpees
Sprint 50 yards

Team Relay Race Workout #2
Break the group up into two teams. Each member of the team has to do all the exercises. The team that completes the workout first is the winner. Team members should motivate and push other team members to help them finish.

10 Push Ups
20 Mountain Climbers
30 High Knees
10 Tricep Dips
20 Ski Abs
30 Switch Lunges

Check out the video with all the exercises for the relay races!

A fun way to finish the workout all together as a whole team with a game of “Extreme” Duck Duck Goose.

How To:
Group forms a big circle facing outwards spaced apart. Everyone is jogging in place throughout the game. Someone in the group begins with being it jogging around the circle clockwise calling each player duck until they pick one to be the goose. Each time a player is called duck they do a squat. Once a goose is picked they run the opposite way of the person it and they both attempt to race to back to that empty spot. You may need to enforce a no physical-contact to avoid anyone getting hurt. If you have time let everyone have a turn at being it.