Author Topic: What arm muscles does winging workout most?  (Read 7800 times)

Wingadinga

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What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« on: January 09, 2021, 12:28:20 AM »
Anyone wing for too long and their arms start hurting?

obxDave

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2021, 03:11:38 AM »
In my case the legs and knees will get maxed out before my arms do. In the summer my max daily session might be 3 1/2 hours of riding with a few water breaks in between. Maybe 2 hours max without a break. In a full wetsuit/hood/gloves/booties cut those numbers in half!

Guess I’m one of those riders who never felt the need for a harness to reduce arm fatigue. I was a bit paranoid whether I’d have the strength/stamina since I was starting this sport at 61, so I started doing some wimpy arm/upper body daily quick workouts. I think that helped a lot in addition to my regular swimming/biking routine. Probably also helped that I lost 30# of waistline baggage before I started winging.

On technique, I will always sacrifice a bit of top speed or maxed out upwind angle in order to ride slightly more “depowered” for saving arm (and leg!) strength. Always lots of foot switching to give both arms equal time in the forward position. Never ever ride for long stretches in one stance (I turn constantly). Keep both  arms fairly stretched on all points of sail, meaning most of the work in the core and legs.  And lastly for me at least, that clunky Duotone boom is always less fatiguing than handles, but I think I’m more the exception with the boom thing. Just personal preference.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 03:27:21 AM by obxDave »

Fuzzy Boy

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2021, 06:53:55 AM »
I have really crappy shoulders now.  Many past rotator injuries.  I can paddle okay with them and was wondering if I ditched the paddle for a wing if it would make it worse. Anyone feel a lot of shoulder pull from extended wing foiling?  Anyone with bad shoulders have to stop wing foiling after they started?  Thanks.
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Chan

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2021, 08:34:07 AM »
I agree with obxDave, the arm muscle it works out most is the leg  :).  Of all the active sports, I've found winging to offer the greatest benefit to overall muscle and joint strength and flexibility.  I liken it to Pilates on water.  I'm exhausted after several hours, but I feel great the next morning.  No residual muscle or joint pain.  The first few weeks struggling with kneestarts can be a bit hard on the knees
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 08:40:54 AM by Chan »

PonoBill

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2021, 10:51:36 AM »
That's exactly what I've been thinking but didn't want to jinx it. I'm dead after a winging session, though I always feel fine right up until I start falling all over the place. I can barely put my stuff away. I have a recurring thought that if I just left it, no one would take it. that might be taking the "hey, it's Hood River" thing a little far though my pump shows up in the lost and found bin a few times a month.

For the rest of the day and the next morning, my knee feels great--unless I spend too much time sitting.

Between the harness and my fake boom, it does nothing to my shoulders (total junk) or arms, in fact, I was watching my biceps and triceps deflate. Paddling more and wingfoiling less (crap wind most days) on this SoCal trip has taken a few wrinkles out of my arms.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 10:56:30 AM by PonoBill »
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clay

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2021, 11:07:55 AM »
Yes on stiff grunty big wings.  I felt super beat up after a couple days on one.

No on the Fone swings. 

I liken it to the catch of giant blades on paddles, like the 105 hard catch paddles beat up my shoudlers and elbows, but a 70-80 with a flexy shaft feels great and I can paddle all week...
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 11:16:51 AM by clay »
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WingNut Ohana

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2021, 08:12:41 PM »
I have a flare up of tennis elbow after three straight days of winging. Legs are tired for doing the walk of shame.

Caribsurf

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2021, 09:18:40 PM »
I imagine I am working out my legs and arms although I rarely get tired or sore from a session as long as I have the right size wing.  I always sailed with  a harness windsurfing, but so far with winging, I have not felt the need for one as neither my arms or shoulders  got that tired regardless of the wind strength.

On a session where I rarely wipe out, I can wing forever.  If conditions have me falling and flailing, I tire after about 45 minutes. Climbing back on the board after a wipeout takes a lot out of me, but as I improve, there are many fewer wipeouts and I can wing a lot longer.

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Alysum

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2021, 03:06:49 AM »
Winging for the past 6 months has built up my forearms, biceps, back muscles and burnt a lot of my belly fat  8)

However I've also developed rotator cuff pain on both shoulders  :'( would love to hear experiences on how to build up those and reduce it.

Dwight (DW)

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2021, 03:54:47 AM »
I could ride forever without a harness. Was surprised this was so. Arms never got tired.  Eventually tendons in the elbow became inflamed. That forced me to try a harness to let the tendons heal.

Now with a harness, the legs burn out. Riding with a harness transfers loading to legs and allows me to handle more load in the wing. I ride with higher loading more often, because it’s fun.


RobM

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2021, 09:42:35 AM »
I'm similar to ObxDave, 60 yrs and I do daily quick upper body workout so I can wing for hours with no harness.  I do quick dumbbell workouts - 5 sets of 10 reps of:  bicep curls; shoulder press (military press); and lateral raises.  Takes no more than 10 minutes and has made arm/shoulder strength a non-issue and I can wing for 3+ hours (with short breaks).  I originally started this for winging, I think it really helps and it has become side benefit of just generally being much stronger/fitter. I absolutely loath gym work, but with the short 10 minute work out and goal being fit to wing, it works for me!
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surfcowboy

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2021, 08:23:18 PM »
54, I get a bicep pump due to my bad form, I’m sure. The better you get, the less effort it takes for sure. I still get a little sore in my upper mid back but again that’s when I’m slogging a lot in low wind and can’t get on foil. Foiling takes no pull.

Knees were beat like Chan said at first from lots of knee starts. Now I’m not there long enough to worry.

My hands and forearms get the worst of it like DW. I’m starting to stretch more and I ice them after but long term that’s probably the hardest part.

juandesooka

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2021, 08:42:06 AM »
Learning stage was intense ... so fatigued after an hour I could barely hang on ... nice thing about winging is its easy to rest on the beach in between go's (versus kiting where it's a big hassle to land and relaunch). But after a while, seems you build up some strength and learn how to economize movement, not so much an issue as long as doing it consistently. 

When overpowered, eg 6m above 18kt, I find it can be quite painful on my lat muscle on the sheeting in arm.  The big ozone is a beast and I think it actually pushes the limit of power I can physically handle.  I have found a harness really helps for long reaches,  hook in, lean back, just use arms to steer.  Then unhook when into the turning or wave riding.  But leads to some more challenging wipeouts too.


Mario_Wings

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2021, 03:51:06 PM »

I can relate to what you all are saying.

I am only about 3 and a half months into winging but have noticed that my body is coping better with the increased stresses as my technique has improved. Kitefoiling seems low load bearing by comparison due to harness use.

The only part that concerns me a bit is my hands, slight swelling of the main finger joints. Admittedly, this is after a number of sessions in a row and may come down to overuse of an older body. I have not found any way of preventing it from happening but it does not really bother me when I am on the water. I try not to do really long hauls upwind.

At this stage, I do not use straps or a harness.


blueplanetsurf

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Re: What arm muscles does winging workout most?
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2021, 02:07:48 PM »
Here are some exercises I use to reduce shoulder and elbow pain:
https://youtu.be/RAZKed5QfJ4
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