Windsurfing Tip – Thumbs On Top can make a big difference: Learning windsurfing and unlocking new moves can be challenging. Something as little as putting your thumbs on top can have a big impact on how you hold your rig. Knowing how you hold your boom during different moves can help you sail more comfortably.
Follow Sam’s brilliant windsurfing tips and see how placing your thumbs on top can affect your sailing:
How Your Thumb Position Affects Your Sailing Position:
When you place your thumbs underneath you will load up your forearms. You will be more likely to grab the boom tight and pull it towards you. This will make it more challenging to get going as you will drive up your shoulders and stop being able to use your head for maneuvers like getting into the foot straps.
To sail comfortably you need to keep the rig forward and away from you.
When you are pulling the rig towards yourself while you are in the harness it will up your hips and pull you out the harness. For moves like a beach start or water start, the ‘pulling position’ with your thumbs beneath will stop you from sending the rig upright and forward.
As soon as you put your thumbs on top of the boom, rather than pulling you will start pushing the boom away from you. This will give you the space you need to move. Drive your weight into the harness and get your foot in the front foot strap. When you are no longer gripping the boom hard and pulling the rig towards yourself, your shoulders will also drop and this will help you to use your head.
Having your thumbs on top of the boom will also make it a lot easier to slide your hand up and down the boom. Being able to slide your hands up and down the boom with ease is extremely important for all our windsurfing moves.
Thumbs on Top Check List:
- Loading up your forearms and they’re the first thing to get tired?
- Unable to move your backhand as easily as you’d like to?
- Are you coming off the water with a sore back and sore shoulders?
- Make sure to double-check that you’ve got those thumbs on top.
Looking for a new board to suit your style, Starboard has a wide range of windsurfing boards so you can be sure to find the perfect board for you, no matter your weight, skills or discipline.
Check out our 2020 Range and find the perfect board for you.
You can find more information about Sam Ross and his work as a windsurfing coach here.
Video by Light Box Film.
