The better you recover, the better you can perform. And yet regeneration is often the first thing we skimp on when everyday life gets stressful. As windsurfers over forty, we face a double challenge: our bodies need more recovery time - precisely at the stage of life when our time is becoming scarcer and our obligations are increasing. Recovery is not just about rest - it's an active process that deserves just as much attention as your training. Think about your equipment: you wouldn't continue to ride a damaged sail without repairing it - in the same way, you shouldn't put your body under constant strain without regenerating it in a targeted manner. At the centre of any true recovery is sleep - your most powerful and free tool for recovery.
Other methods such as cold, mobility or massages can provide support - but nothing replaces the extensive repair work that your body does during 8+ hours of high-quality sleep. During this time, tissues are repaired, movement patterns in the brain are consolidated and your mental capacity is recharged. Our modern lifestyle doesn't make this easy. Constant accessibility, work pressures and family commitments impair our body's ability to recover. Even if we can't completely eliminate these stressors, we can learn to make the most of our recovery within these conditions. Here I'll show you a few practical techniques that are compatible with your everyday life. You can find many more exciting topics in my Book "Never Not Windsurfing".
You wouldn't just carry on sailing with a damaged sail ... (Sascha Lange)
Torso & spine
Although the trapeze helps you to control the power of the sail, it also creates an unusual and often one-sided strain on your lower back. After a session, your spine needs targeted relief and realignment in order to stay healthy in the long term
Immediate care after the session
Start with gentle relief exercises immediately after getting off the water. Simply hanging from a pull-up bar allows your spine to stretch naturally - and relieves the compression caused by hours of hanging in the trapeze. If no bar is available, you can lie on your back and elevate your legs (see above) - this will help to restore the natural length of your spine.
Core reset
The muscles that stabilise your spine need targeted regeneration. This also includes the core - your core muscles - which are also exhausted after prolonged exertion. Especially in choppy conditions, where you have to constantly hold the board position, deep tensions often arise. Gentle exercises such as cat-cow or side torso twists (see "Recovery yoga") help to release these tensions and maintain flexibility at the same time.
Long-term care
The connection between your spine and your windsurfing performance goes deeper than many people realise. Your back doesn't just support you - it is the central connection between your upper and lower body. The connection between your hips and lower back is also particularly important. Shortened hip flexors pull on the lumbar spine and cause chain reactions in the muscles. Mobility in the hips should therefore always be a focus. If there is tension or misalignment here, it affects everything from sail control to foot control of the board. What makes windsurfing special is the combination of static holding patterns and dynamic, often explosive movements. This creates regeneration requirements that are rarely found in other sports. Your spine doesn't just need to rest - it needs active recovery to rebalance these opposing forces. Many windsurfers concentrate almost exclusively on flexibility - and neglect the equally important stability. However, healthy spinal function can only be achieved through the correct interplay of both elements. In terms of long-term maintenance, exercises that strengthen the back and open up the hips are essential.
Forearms and grip strength
After a long session - especially in strong winds - the forearms are often the first to show signs of fatigue. This is not only unpleasant - weakened grip strength can also directly affect your safety and performance during the next session. Recovery starts as soon as you get out of the water. You can consciously open and stretch your hands between movements as soon as you get out of the water - this relieves the muscles that have been tense for hours while surfing. At home, targeted self-massage of the forearms, especially the flexor and extensor muscles (inside and outside of the forearm), will help you. Simple tools such as a tennis ball or a fascia roller (above) will also help you to reach deeper layers of tissue. Pay particular attention to the area near the elbow - this is where windsurfers often have stubborn tension.
In the evening, contrast therapy can also help: Soak your forearms alternately in warm and cold water. This stimulates blood circulation, reduces inflammation and helps you maintain your mobility for the next session. On the following day, you should focus on promoting mobility and blood circulation without putting any further strain on the body. Light mobilisation exercises for your hands and wrists will help you do just that. If you surf for several days in a row, targeted grip strength recovery is essential.
Immediate measures after the session
Start immediately after the session with targeted exercises to relieve the strain:
- Gentle wrist stretches in all planes of movement
- Finger extension and spreading
- Self-massage of the flexor and extensor muscles of the forearm
- Active movements with light resistance to promote blood circulation
Deep tissue techniques for stubborn tension
If your forearms feel particularly tight, the following methods can help:
- Cross-fibre massage to loosen deep adhesions
- Pressure point work on muscle origins and muscle insertions
- Fascia techniques such as scraping for chronic tension - Contrast baths to improve blood circulation
Regeneration is the first thing we cut back on when everyday life becomes stressful.
(Sascha Lange)
Shoulders
Your shoulders carry an enormous load when windsurfing - from holding the boom to controlling the sail power in gusts. The "Dead Hang" (passive hanging) is one of the most effective tools for regeneration in this area. It not only relieves the shoulder joint, but also brings your shoulder blades back into their natural position.
Why dead hangs work:
- They relieve the shoulder joint
- They restore the natural position of the shoulder blades
- They release stresses caused by extended trapezoidal use
- They improve grip strength at the same time
Correct execution is crucial. Start with passive hanging, where you completely relax your shoulders. When you feel comfortable with this, increase to "Active Hangs" (active hanging), where you tense your shoulder blades and practically pull yourself towards the pole with your arms stretched out. This also helps you to maintain the necessary strength for water starts and general sail control, for example. In addition to dead hangs, targeted shoulder mobility is crucial for the long-term health of your joints. Controlled rotations and exercises with resistance bands help to maintain the range of motion needed for manoeuvres such as jibes and tacking. Pay particular attention to the muscles around your shoulder blades - they tend to harden from the constant tension of windsurfing. If you surf for several days in a row, you should alternate between active regeneration (such as light mobilisation exercises) and passive techniques (such as the dead hang).
