well i've been lifting and running and jumping on the trampoline. i should have my indo mini pro pretty soon. i was wondering if anyone had any good off the water training suggestions.

madden 2008, hand strength program. ha

Snowboarding, legs, cardio, and if you have a good snow park it really improves your rail skills.

off season? what's that?

unfortunately i am in iowa and our 11,000 acre lake freezes. but i do make a week long snowboarding trip to colorado every winter not that that week will make a huge difference but there isn't much offered locally. and i have already actually gotten in plenty of the new '08 madden.

Vince, just wait until you come up to ride the frozen stuff, Alex has a special cliff drop run planed just for you. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/uhoh.gif" border=0>

Im so freaking fat right now. Im hevier then I have ever been. If I don't stop and correct the way I eat, all I'm gonna be good for is a laugh and balast.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/uhoh.gif" border=0>

ill up my runs from about 25-25 miles a week to 30ish miles a week. ill continue to do my sit ups pull ups and push ups. i do these all year

ya i hear you in iowa, its pretty flat for the most part and taken up by corn/bean fields. I just indo out of my mind, lift, and use the tramp.

There is a "wakeboarding workout" on this site, I've been doing that for about a month and mountain biking.

I rockclimb in the off season even though the off season here just means that we ride 2 times a week instead of 4.

where is the wakeboard workout on the site?

<a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/Articles/2001/WakeboardingWorkout1.asp" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/Articles/2001/WakeboardingWorkout1.asp</a>

tramp and indo forsure.

Just wakeboard more in the off season.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>

That article is pretty decent, I would follow that, except for the stretching... only stretch if you are overly tight in certain areas. Here is a more simplified workout that I would perscribe for a wakeboarding athlete: <BR> <BR>Day 1: Power clean, back squat <BR> <BR>Day 2: Bench, shoulder press, incline bench, rotator cuff care <BR> <BR>Day 3: Pull-ups, Romanian deadlift, cable rows, curls <BR> <BR>Day 4: Power snatch, front squat

i didnt know there was an off season? i thought thats what dry suits where for! but to awnser the question, besides wakeboarding, i surf almost every day, the gym for wieghts when the weather sucks, and ride my dirt bike as hard and offten as i can. i also climb at the indoor gym and if the snow gods are with us, well hiking the wave and dropping the cornis is a great leg workout.

Yes all i need is a dry suit and the optional ice plow on the front of my tige and i'd be set for the off season.

backyard football<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>

Randy, I hope you have good hospitals up there. I have a feeling I'm gonna need one.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/blush.gif" border=0>

spencer where do you ride?

"only stretch if you are overly tight in certain areas" <BR> <BR>Ahhh...most be nice to still be young.

skateboarding....it teaches you alot of balance and you learn to control the board without being strapped in so once you are in bindings, its alot easier.

okoboji iowa.

Get a lazy susan, put a skateboard deck on top of it. then, take a very short ski rope, run it through a pulley, and attach wieght at the end. practice spinning. <BR> <BR>Hey who needs a wetsuit, get a bunch of hefty garbage bags, some duct tape, and some kahones. hello year long season<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/smile.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by hawk7 on November 02, 2007)

Skubz - do some research. Static stretching has been PROVEN in multiple studies to decrease athletic performance. Like I said, if it is a problem, stretch it, if it is not, leave it alone. This applies to all athletes, not just young ones.

"only stretch if you are overly tight in certain areas" <BR> <BR>Again, it must be nice to be young. When you get older, everything is tight, that was my point. <BR> <BR>"PROVEN in multiple studies" <BR> <BR>Now I'm convinced, but only because you capitalized proven.

If stretching decreases athletic perfomance, then I guess every pro sports team in every sport on the planet needs to change their pre-game routines!

There is no off season, just different sports seasons. <BR>I ride my MTB everyday and lift three times a week, year round.

What do I know, I only have a master's in exercise physiology and manage a sports performance business... <BR> <BR>Take my advice or leave it, I was just trying to lend my expertise and knowledge.

i've been playin competitive sports all of my life....never stretched....just warm your body up properly by jogging or walking, work your way up to being "warm" and you won't ever need to stretch...and if you must stretch then do some (can't think of the word but it's opposite of static, some help here Cade)

I've heard this as well Cade. <BR> <BR>If I'm testing out on a 40 yard dash, vert jump, bench, squat, or anything else i will hardly stretch at all. <BR> <BR>I can't say much for pro sports as I have not been to many games to watch their pregame or prepractice routines. But I know for college, many teams are starting to do more "Active Stretching" (lunge walks, high step, side skip, etc...). And if you need special stretching done...you do it on your own.

i've had the chance to sit and talk with a lot of major league strength and conditioning guys and they all do "warm ups" instead of static stretching...static stretchin before your warm is no good for the muscles...so to answer your question JAY i'm gonna go ahead and say yes professional athletes are not stretching in the traditional sense...

Actually, I don't stretch before I ride. When I do stretch I warm up with a light jog for 10-15 minutes. Everyone of you who has responded are in your 20's. Get a desk job and get to your late 30's and then try to tell me their is abosultely no benefit to having a stretching program.

Skubz - I never said there was absolutely no benefit to having a static stretching program; I said there was absolutely no ATHLETIC (again capitalizing for emphasis) benefit to static stretching. <BR> <BR>If you are overly tight, stretch, remember that is what I said in my original post. I just didn't agree with the article making a blanket statement about it since it is a common misconception that has been pounded into everyone's heads since grade school. <BR> <BR>Everyone else - thanks for the backup guys. You are completely right, a dynamic warmup is what nearly every collegiate and professional team uses to get core body temp up and muscles and connective tissues ready to compete.

im really un-flexible. <BR>how do i increase flexibility if i static stretching is bad?

i wouldnt consider myself un-flexible. i'm just not as flexible as i'd like to be. with that said. enlighten me Cade. i'm interested in what you have to say.

I do nothing at all in the off-season, has not failed me yet

You are all going to laugh at me for this one, but my wife has talked me into going with her to the cardio kick boxing class at the gym once a week. It's kind of like tae-bo in fast forward with lots of squatting, jumping lunges, etc.. Laugh all you want, if you don't cheat on the movements then these classes are a serious work out, I'm always completely baked at the end. If you're bored with your routine and need a change then give one of these classes a shot, it's not a waste of time, and 95% of the class is in-shape women (though you'll be working too hard to notice).

Cade, I don't want to get into a pissing match about this, but I think you miss the point. Since this is a wakeboarding site and people are asking for what to do on the off-season, your suggestion was to not stretch. All I was trying to say was this was not the best advice, in my opinion. Flexibility has much more to do with our sport than pure strength. The ability to get yourself into tweaked out positions requires flexibility. This flexibility is something you lose as you get older unless you incorporate stretching. Most people will not take the time to stretch and weight train seperately, so incorporating them together is the best plan, in my opinion.

As the wellness director at two gyms/fitness centers and ACE certified Personal Trainer I have to say that you are all partially right. First, stretching is absolutely necessary for everyone no matter what your age. I cannot emphasize that enough. It will increase your abilities to contort into all the different positions that wakeboarding demands. Secondly, and most importantly, it WILL reduce the risk of injuries by a great deal. Remember you're not just stretching your muscles you are also stretching your tendons/ligaments. Athletes who are extremely flexible reduce the risk of ACL/PCL and MCL/LCL pulls/tears by almost 50%. (I only mention those because they're the most common injuries for board sport athletes. As far as stretching immediately before a workout/set it is not as high of a priority. A light aerobic workout is the best thing you can do. This doesn't mean you shouldn't do a little stretching. It is always recommended that you stretch a little right before the cardio and then stretch again about 5-7 minutes into it.

Skubz - I think my qualifications in this field speak for themself; if people want to take your advice and stretch all day, I really couldn't care less. I'm done arguing with you. <BR> <BR>JR and David - I would suggest performing a 10 minute dynamic warmup before your workouts. Just google "dynamic warmup" and you will find all sorts of exercises such as walking toe touches, punter kicks, hurldler runs, lunges, 180 degree squats etc. These will train your body to be flexible while moving, just like when wakeboarding. When in wakeboarding are you holding a stretched position for 10-15 seconds? And if you can, what kind of boat are you behind because I want one! <BR> <BR>That said, Matt also has a great point - It's not always about strength. That's why I put the power clean and snatch into the workout I posted earlier. Incorporate other full-body movements that incorporate full range of motion and power.

Nick - do some more research bud. None of that has ever been proven. I can forward you the NSCA articles if you want. Everything that has come out in the last few years says exactly the opposite of what you are saying. <BR> <BR>Remember athletes do not require the same things as the general population.

Would you consider the majority of people on this websit athletes or general public? And, are you telling me flexibility isn't important?

Wakeboarding is a sport, and the majority of people on this site I am assuming wakeboard regularly, and are therefore athletes. <BR> <BR>I never said flexibility is not important! Please refer to my original post. I addressed the fact that static stretching has been proven to be detrimental to athletic performance and that I would advise against it.

Obviously there are different points of view on the pre-workout regiment. Do you recommend stretching on a regular basis throughout the week? I don't want to argue with you Cade. As I'm sure you're well aware of there are a million different philosophies (most of which have some sort of support) on exercise in general. I have met people who recommend opposite things for the same person. I'm looking to learn from you, not piss you off. Honest.

I agree Nick. Cade, can you hook us up with some links, etc? <BR> <BR>I guess my main question regarding any plan is: How can the general plan apply to everyone? I have seen some riders who NEVER stretch, snag a nuke like its no big. Then others who work at trying to grab a nuke never get it. Are you saying that the same warm up plan should apply to both of these body types? If so, I believe my friend would be even farther away from grabbing nuke.

I'd suggest making a tramp board if you have a trampoline [spelling it out to avoid confusion<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>]. I made one and I'm prepared to start ridin with some extra style next season, helps simulate swing weight and more accurate air awareness, also you can add some grabs to your flips/spins. made a pretty cool one with a pair of old skate shoes <BR>an old skate deck <BR>some wood <BR>wall screws <BR>and some Caulk/sealer/a lot of liquid glue/putty/ whatever it was. <BR> <BR>took me a while to make one that doesn't break. was like britney spears trying to comprehend trigonometry.

gurutrampboards.com

I'll work on some links for you guys tomorrow afternoon, today is kinda busy at work. Hopefully I can find some wakeboarding-specific warmups or something similar.

Here's one article that I like because It gives a dynamic warmup example and explains the reasoning behind it. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3830/is_a_dynamic_warmup_better_than_a_static.html" target="_blank">http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3830/is_a_dynamic_warmup_better_than_a_static.html</a> <BR> <BR>I am not sure of the exact study where they got the data, but I have seen many with similar results in the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) and ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) journals. <BR> <BR>I'll try to find more tomorrow.

....okay I didn't read all the posts.....but have been exercising for almost 30 years....have worked in the fitness industry and have a a degree or 2 (ya its 2)in sports fitness. <BR> <BR> <BR>my off season training consists of riding a bike 4 times a week and lifting weights 2-3 times but my reps are 20 and up to build (or at my age maintain) more for muscular endurance required in wakeboarding. <BR> <BR>I also jump on a mini tramp 3 times a week for 15 min. <BR> <BR>Finally I mimic wakeboarding with a stretch rope and hANDLE and practice handle passes etc....sometimes I hook the handle up to weights and lean back heel and toeside against resistance. <BR> <BR>....oh and I do stretch but only after having warmed up on a bike and raised my body and joint temps....makes everything goes smoother without risk of pulling something.I never really stretched when I was younger but now I find if I dont my hams and quads arent as flexible....gettin old! <BR> <BR>....if I were to do a warmup before boarding it would be dynamic first then some stretches after....but I dont do either......usually my first 5 minutes riding I just warmup on the board. <BR> <BR> <BR>...oh and do the indo board too (man I got too much time on my hands)<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/wink.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by absoluteboarder on November 08, 2007) <BR> <BR>(Message edited by absoluteboarder on November 08, 2007)

Stretching muscles is only detrimental to Maximum Peak Performance.