Srima, Croatia, 23.09.2013.

It was the first day after equinox - the first day of autumn. The air temperature was around 25 degrees C, and the see temperature just few degrees less. Maestral is usually summer wind, but this time it came like a gift for the beginning of somewhat colder season.

The channel between the mainland and island Prvić was free from see traffic - just here and there some motor boat would spoil the harmony of nature .

Such days are really enjoyable! On the video you can see some two minutes of this joy. Wind was 15 to 20 knots, just enough for RRD X-Fire 114 and Loft Blade 7,8.

Heat and Cold

by Domagoj Primužak

previous article from the same series: High Intensity Interval Training 1

Very useful windsurfing backpack
with plastic container for 1,5 liter of fluid.
It's easy to carry, doesn't interfere
with your movement and you can drink
easily without going out (even
on-board).

By observing weather conditions during windsurfing sessions, it is easy to realize they are very unpredictable. If you are windsurfer and you have just arrived to the spot, the only thing you are up to is whether is windy or not. If it is, quickly rig up the gear and strait in the water.

The last thing you would realize would be ambient temperature, no matter is it 40 deg C in a summer afternoon, or 12 deg C and water with 10 dec C that feels more like -10 in strong winter wind.

Here we get in to potential risk that can affect health, concentration and increase possibility for injuries


The influence of the heat

Body temperature is very constant - 37C; skin temperature however is a 4C lower. This temperature difference ensures very good heat transfer between body and the environment.

In higher outside temperature, the heat release from body is restricted and thus more difficult. The blood vessels increase in diameter to allow blood to get close to the skin quicker and cool down. As a result, blood pressure drops and less blood gets into the muscles and as such, muscles lack oxygen and food. In addition, body releases significant amount of fluid through sweating. So if we do not drink enough water, body gets into the stress that slows muscle activity, causes head ache, muscle spasm and decrease concentration.

As prevention, drinking lots of water is a best option

According to my experience the adequate hydration rate would be one liter of fluid per hour in summer time if windsurfing with moderate to high intensity.

Half a liter would be pure water as body absorbs water the quickest way; another half a liter would be isotonic drink contains electrolytes, glutamine and glucose.

Instead of expensive isotonic drinks (which are well balanced with necessery ingredients) you can make something domestic. For example, the chepaest is: one liter of water, 6 spoons of sugar and 6 spoons of salt. Or: half a liter of some good fruit juice, half a liter of water and couple of spoons of salt.

Body UV protection is of great importance as well. Licra is prefect (so, no naked muscule showing off!) to protect the body from UV. Some hat would be welcome, too.


The influence of the cold

If exposed to cold, body reacts by squeezing blood vessels close to the skin in order to decrease the blood flow and thus prevent body from cooling down. This causes drop in skin temperature. However, body temperature is then more constant and easier to maintain.

The most difficult weather condition is strong wind and cold in the same time.

The prevention would be proper winter ware before, during and particularly after the windsurfing session.

Windsurfing in cold weather condition, if not properly protected from cold is followed by lack of body power and particularly in extremities, body shaking, significant decrease in endurance as well as body coordination. Injuries are more probable, and of course, in the case of breaking the mast or some other part of the equipment during cold weather, our life can be in danger. Proper winter suit, gloves, hat and floating jacket can save our life.

So when we get to windsurfing spot, we should also pay attention to weather conditions like cold in the winter or heat in the summer and prepare accordingly to fully enjoy windsurfing for all day rather then got a cold or something more dangerous, and thus spoiling the joy we have been waiting for so long time.

Next article from the same series: High Intensity Interval Training 1

Šimuni, island Pag, Croatia

Although I am all the time wandering around Croatia, it is always amazing how some places can take your breath away! One of this places is the island Pag in the middle part of Croatian Adriatic see. The Island extends from the Pag Bridge to the southeast to Lun community to the northwest. Spreading over the 60 km is a real nature’s treasure with an abundance of spectacular landscapes. I must admit, in earlier days, Pag was somehow strange to me, but with time I get to love and adore his moon-like looks! From south side, Pag is connected to the Mainland with impressive bridge. But if you come from northern parts of Adriatic, you can take a ferry all way down from Rijeka; or much shorter line from Prizna.

Regarding windsurfing, the best place (at least for me) is Košljun bay. However, there is one place worth seeing, windsurfing and maybe stay there for some time as a base for exploring the island and more. That place is Camping Village Šimuni.

The best wind is bora, blowing over the rocky shore. The downside is that it is always quite gusty. The upside is that you have at least 5 miles long stripe to enjoy. The lounching spot is from the Camping place. If you are not staying there, during high season you will have to ask politely on the entrance to let you in (they probably will), but during low season, in spring and autumn, there will be no problem at all.

Well, Camping Šimuni is also well know for yearly organizing one hour slalom race. This is an excellent opportunity for all racers, speeders and free riders to gather and wait for the wind in joyous atmosphere! :-) Of course, the wind comes eventually, but it is not sure that it will be there during the two weekend days organizers choose for the regatta. But, actually, it does not matter. There is always some fun on the beach and unavoidable party in the evening!

I am not participating in races, but I always come, just to admire the spirit of windsurfing and to say hello to dear friends. That is what I have done also this year. During Saturday there was no wind - but the one hour slalom race was done in Sunday morning. You can see a lot of pictures HERE.

All in all, island Pag is definitely the excellent choice to combine exploring Croatia islands and to do some nice windsurfing!

High Intensity Interval Training 1

by Domagoj Primužak

previous article from the same series: Prepare Your Body For Windsurfing

Interval training can be performed in 1,000 ways. In the next few articles, I will present to you some variations of high intensity interval training suitable like a preparation for the efforts of advanced windsurfing practice.

Here is one of my favorite interval endurance training related to windsurfing as it attempts to simulate classic slalom ride.

For this exercise we need: a rope, truck tires, two 0,5kg dumbbells and stopwatch.

One round consists of 4 different exercises lasting a total of 7 minutes without interruption.

• we take a skipping rope and start to hop. First minute we jump in the easiest way (to slowly lift intensity). During second minute we jump at least 3x with left and then 3x with right leg in a row. In the last minute, we jump again the easy way.
• as soon as the clock marks 3 minutes we leave a rope and start working 12 Marines (push-up, squat, jump, squat, push-up). 12 Marines will last about 30 seconds and your heart will certainly jump into the red zone (simulation of jibe).
• after 12 Marines immediately we take weights of 0.5 kg and jump on the tire. For the next 3 minutes we do jumps on the truck tire while holding dumbbells.
• after 3 minutes again without the rest we start doing 12 Marines.

When first round is finished, we rest for 30 or 45 seconds (simulation of constant wind easy riding) and we begin a new round (si,mulation of gust, soeed run, or gybe).

The plan is to make 9-10 rounds. It is about 30 minutes in total.

With our fitness improvement, we will be able to make more and more rounds without any rest in between.


Next article from the same series: Heat and Cold

Prepare Your Body For Windsurfing

by Domagoj Primužak

When I decided to try to learn windsurfing in all the articles that I have managed to get, windsurfing was presented as a sport where you do not need too much power and it is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

This thesis is not that inaccurate, given the fact that most people see windsurfing as a sport that we do during the summer, on the not so strong breeze, by using large board and small sail.

From that perspective there is almost no effort, no unpredictable surprises and the only thing that will show afterwards are the blisters on my hands from the rope I used to pull the sail and lower back pain.

But if we talk about windsurfing as a sport that we do the most of the year, using technique that we mastered quite well and surfing in harsh conditions that are all but not pleasant and predictable, than we come to the stage where it is very important to be well prepared in order to windsurf safer and easier as long as possible.

If we analyze, in previous articles presented heart rate during windsurfing session, we can conclude that in the windsurfing sport we are often changing back and forth from aerobic conditions to anaerobic conditions.

Aerobic energy processes are those processes that are of longer duration, but with lower intensity and in that mode transport systems (respiratory and cardiovascular) manage to satisfy the need for oxygen, which is equal to its consumption. Aerobic zone, if we look from the point of heart rate, is approximately from 40 % to 70 % of maximum heart rate.

Anaerobic mode occurs when the demand for energy is greater than the one which can be provided by oxidation process, so the energy is provided from anaerobic sources of our body. For recreation this zone starts in rate around 80% of the max heart rate and upward.

Lactates, as a byproduct of anaerobic energy process, is a salt of lactic acid and are always present in our body. They are measured in mmol/l. During aerobic activities lactate concentration is from 2 mmol/l to 4 mmol/l. 4 mmol/l indicates the aerobic - anaerobic threshold and after that an athlete enters the zone of intense anaerobic activity.

Depending on the athlete and the physical activity the level of lactate can reach 30 mmol/l.

In windsurfing we see that the majority of time is spent in the area around the anaerobic threshold and that is between 75 % and 80%.

The anaerobic threshold is the last point when transport systems manage to deliver enough oxygen required to ensure aerobic energy processes. But very often we find ourselves in the zone of anaerobic regime (gybes, gusts, speed runs) or similar stresses.

Through focus training we can train our body to come back to aerobic zone in shortest possible time after each peak. In that way we avoid accumulation of lactic acid in our body which very soon can result in increased risk of potential injuries.

If we analyze the standard speed or slalom run (in this case Adrian’s heart rate) we can conclude that it consists of driving to one direction (heart rate between 60-80 %, depending on external conditions ), then turn (gybe) which ends over standard 100 % (obviously, his heart can beat more than standard formula for his age) and return to given direction or possible turn.

This leads us to the classic interval training.

Interval training can be performed in 1,000 ways. In the next articles, I will present to you some variations of high intensity interval training suitable like a preparation for the efforts of advanced windsurfing practice.

Next article from the same series: High Intensity Interval Training 1

Karin, Croatia, 02.09.2013.

You want to be there, doing just that, don't you? :-)

Peceful after windsurfing party on the beach...

Earlier, it was like this: