If you’re like me, then you probably don’t think that windsurfing can build much in the way of muscle until you try it for the first time and quickly learn that you’re working muscles you didn’t even know that you had! Windsurfing works muscles in your arms even when you’re just in safety mode because you’re going to end up fighting with the kit and the sail to at least some degree.
That’s true even if you’re on a lake that doesn’t exactly have much in the way of wind. Modern windsurfing kits are designed to catch even the slightest breeze, and there’s a lot of torque there that you’re going to end up pulling against.
On top of that, you’re going to be working to balance yourself. Several medical experts I’ve come across have pointed out all of the core muscles that are worked when doing a balancing act on a windsurfing rig.
You won’t need a specialist to tell you that, however, because you’re going to be feeling it the next morning.
So does windsurfing really build muscle? Yes, windsurfing builds deep stabilizing muscles. It will improve your tone, definition, greatly improve your balance and overall strength. Think plank exercises for hours at a time. No, it won’t greatly increase muscle size.
What Muscles Does Windsurfing Work?
Depending on the type of riding you’re doing and the kind of waves you’re trying to conquer, there’s a good chance that you’ll work almost all of them. Perhaps the one you’re going to notice the most is your heart!
While I’ve been told by some more experienced buddies to keep an eye on my heart rate while windsurfing, I also have a tendency to notice some strain in the traps and biceps. Fighting with the kit and maintaining a good posture works quite a few muscle groups simultaneously.
It’s certainly a feeling I’ve never been able to copy in the gym!
Some of the muscles I felt strain in weren’t ones I really recognized. From the muscle charts I’ve been able to find, many of these are probably part of what scientists seem to call the deep muscles.
These are skeletal muscles that are beneath those closest to the surface. You usually don’t get an opportunity to work them out unless you’re doing some really hard labor, so you might want to look at even a casual ride as a pretty good workout.
How Big Can You Get?
The answer to this one is going to differ based on your current body structure, your genetics and even the kind of windsurfing you’re going to do. If you’re anything like me, then you have some pretty ridiculous goals.
I know I did!
However, after a few weeks you should probably end up noticing some increased definition and a greater level of tone. Windsurfing has a tendency to build slightly and then start toning right afterward.
That means even if you don’t grow much in size you should definitely see some big changes as far as tone and definition are concerned. If you’re riding with some relatively strong winds, however, then there’s relatively little doubt that you’ll at least build up some pretty strong biceps and hips.
Keep in mind that you’re constantly moving your entire lower body, so you’re certainly going to tone yourself down there while also growing in definition.
You’re also going to probably incorporate at least some kind of cross-training into your regimen, which is going to have a big impact on how you look and feel after your start. There are certainly a number of things you can do to make your workout more geared toward preparing you for progressing with windsurfing.
How Many Calories Do You Burn Windsurfing?
I’ve often seen a claim that 30 minutes of windsurfing equals 116 Calories burned, though I’m not entirely sure what this claim is based on since the number of Calories burned in any exercise is dependent on your own body mass. If this claim by the experts is true, then you’d burn 232 Calories for every hour that you were out there.
Naturally, I’m no expert so I suppose that I don’t have much weight behind what I say in this respect. My guess is that you’re going to burn a fair amount of Calories because it’s pretty hard work and very good exercise.
One study claimed that you’d burn 410 Calories an hour doing really difficult construction work, so that helps to show that the 232 hourly estimate is pretty good for an activity that you’re going to actually enjoy!
There are some math equations that you could do if you needed to know exactly how many you were burning, but there’s so many variables involved with something like windsurfing that it’s probably difficult to tell. Honestly, it’s probably better to get out there and ride the water rather than sitting around calculation Caloric numbers!
The Top Exercises to Make Windsurfing Easier
Windsurfers are kind of an elite group, so I don’t often come across people that plan out detailed workouts to benefit a routine. Those who do, though, tend to agree on a few things from what I’ve seen.
Fast walking or cycling seems to be one of the most recommended exercises for pretty much everything, but I’ve also seen people go out of their way to advise serious athletes against jogging on concrete. It’s really bad for your knees, and you’ll need them to stay upright when wind speeds start to kick up!
Core training is excellent, but you’ll probably want to stay away from traditional crunches. Several studies I’ve seen claim that bicycle-style crunches can activate almost twice as many muscle points per rep as traditional crunches ever could.
Best of all, the back and forth rocking motion feels somewhat like the motion you’d expect from working with your kit, so it could prove to be pretty good practice.
Always pay close attention to your breathing and make sure to take short breaks between different exercises. If you do any kind of traditional longboard surfing, then this should help you especially as far as the balance aspects go.
Some people even recommend Tai Chi and yoga for the same reason!
