Front Hand Position – Windsurfing Tips
Are you putting your front hand in the right position during your windsurfing manoeuvers? Watch the video above to see Sam Ross explaining his quick tip for your front hand position in windsurfing:
Front Hand Position:
This week’s windsurfing tips are about getting your front hand in the right position. It is one of the biggest impacts you can make on your windsurfing and will help you with almost all windsurfing manoeuvres. We’re often told to have our front arm totally straight. But actually just having it in the right place and having it extended is more important.
When you have your front arm straight but too far forward it stops you from putting the rig in the right position. This then prevents you from sheeting in, because you are fighting against the front hand. When you slide that front hand close to your harness lines and push away, it will drive your weight into the harness. In this position, you will find it much easier to sheet in and have a comfortable and fast sailing position.
Front Hand Position During Moves:
If you think about any move, for example, a Carve Jibe, the backhand always needs to go far back down the boom. Notice that your front hand position also totally controls where your backhand can go. If you start with your front hand too far forward you can only move your backhand a little bit down the boom. When your front hand is right back by your harness lines, you are able to move your backhand far down the boom. This will allow you to really drive the mast forward.
For the Waterstart, where you need to get the rig upright and away from yourself, having the front hand back by the harness lines will also make it a lot easier.
To do a Forward Loop you need to get the rig forward and into windward. Having the front hand by the harness lines will again make that a lot easier to do. When my front arm is straight but it’s too far forward it won’t allow me to get the rig as far forward and to windward as if it was by my harness lines.
Manoeuvres like Getting Going again will be made easier by having the front hand by your harness lines.
*Notice, the only time in windsurfing you don’t want your front hand position to be by the harness lines is when you’re doing a rig flip.
Check out this interview we made with Sam about his new Windsurf Clip Series.
You can find more information about Sam Ross and his work as a windsurfing coach here.
