Andreas Macke
Windsurfer
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Strength, balance, agility, or why anyone would want to squat on a Swiss ball…
I’ve been asked quite a bit why I do squats on a Swiss ball, or other stuff that seems a little crazy, like coming off a box jump and landing on a Bosu. Windsurfing requires dynamic balance, i.e., the ability to apply force while in motion on an uneven or unsteady surface, often while rapidly changing direction. Usually, that involves some variation of the classic athletic stance (knees bent, weight forward), with the legs and torso acting as shock absorbers.
And when you think about it, just about any sport that has you on your feet requires the same – whether it’s skiing, snow boarding, mountain biking, basket ball, soccer – there’s always an element of having to apply force while balancing. Maybe it’s to absorb impact and rapidly change direction in racquetball, or it’s to soak up a drop going downhill on a mountain bike. Perhaps it’s retraction turns skiing a steep chute, snowboarding in powder, or faking out an opponent and then going for a jump shot on the basket ball court. But even activities of daily living benefit from the ability to move in this way, like catching yourself when stumbling over an obstacle like a curb you didn’t see while carrying something bulky.
Your performance in just about any sport can be improved if you work on the basic athletic building blocks – strength, speed, agility, balance. Lots of folks have started recognizing that they need to do strength work, but I still don’t see a lot of people adding those functional components that allow you to apply that strength to a purpose and move with more confidence. Ask the trainers at BAC to help you out with this – they will be able to show you how to use the great arsenal of tools at the club to your advantage. Or check out some classes that have functional components, such as Tacfit, boot camps, or the ski conditioning that usually starts up in the fall. You’ll find that this kind of training not only has great and almost immediate impact on your everyday athletic performance – it’s also a great way to liven up your routine and just plan fun.