Comments on: The Learning Plateau and how to climb off (Part II) http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/ Elite Windsurfing Training, Racing, Tactics, Design by Professional Windsurfer Sean O'Brien Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:20:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tiago Dargent Monteiro http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-25149 Tiago Dargent Monteiro Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:49:23 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-25149 Hi Jan, Thanks for this great post. I consider myself to be at advanced level already but it's still good to recap on these small (big!) details once in while. I'm back in competition on FW championships after almost a year retirement to compete only on Slalom series here in Portugal. I decided that I needed to focus more on Slalom and invest more on TOW (Time-On-Water). The results came out and the effort was compensated. But then I went and decided to invest a bit more on my personall body fitness and gain some more muscle strengh. Nothing too serious, only maintenance exercises and weight lifting around 15 to 20 Kg. That, with some reading of these articles, and some fin tuning that I've done on my FW fins, and also the effort to do some posters for windsurfing posters (Portimão Iberian Trophy 2010) told me that I should get in into FW back again. And the truth is that I have evolved a lot! Out of 28 competitors, I ended a 4 day event with varied conditions on Portimão with winds from 7 kn to 22kn+, all using one single sail and one fin, my personalised F-161 original Drake fin. One or two things that are really important that I have to add to this article for all those on any "learning plateau": 1 - Have one, or two, middle straps ("chicken straps"). These will help you to start planning faster as you pump the board and sail; and will keep you in control on the downwind runs with gusty and rough conditions. Plus, I have been trying this tecnique as I'm a bit lightweight (75Kg) - put your back foot in the middle at the same time the sail is rotating on the final part of the gybe. This will give you control when the sail tend to push you forward for a catapult and plus it will help you get the board going downwind as well as you have to get - or keep - speed out of the gybe. 2 - Confidence! You really have to have a lot of confidence in your gear and in yourself! I reckon "confidence in yourself" works about 80% on the result of a race. You can have you top professional gear. If your not confident enough it will backfire on you. The other 20% are left for the confidence in your rig and well tuned sail and board. When you have these, all that's left from you is just that - concentrate on the race course and technique. Regards, Tiago Monteiro P 666 Hi Jan,

Thanks for this great post. I consider myself to be at advanced level already but it’s still good to recap on these small (big!) details once in while.

I’m back in competition on FW championships after almost a year retirement to compete only on Slalom series here in Portugal. I decided that I needed to focus more on Slalom and invest more on TOW (Time-On-Water). The results came out and the effort was compensated.

But then I went and decided to invest a bit more on my personall body fitness and gain some more muscle strengh. Nothing too serious, only maintenance exercises and weight lifting around 15 to 20 Kg.

That, with some reading of these articles, and some fin tuning that I’ve done on my FW fins, and also the effort to do some posters for windsurfing posters (Portimão Iberian Trophy 2010) told me that I should get in into FW back again.

And the truth is that I have evolved a lot! Out of 28 competitors, I ended a 4 day event with varied conditions on Portimão with winds from 7 kn to 22kn+, all using one single sail and one fin, my personalised F-161 original Drake fin.

One or two things that are really important that I have to add to this article for all those on any “learning plateau”:

1 – Have one, or two, middle straps (“chicken straps”). These will help you to start planning faster as you pump the board and sail; and will keep you in control on the downwind runs with gusty and rough conditions. Plus, I have been trying this tecnique as I’m a bit lightweight (75Kg) – put your back foot in the middle at the same time the sail is rotating on the final part of the gybe. This will give you control when the sail tend to push you forward for a catapult and plus it will help you get the board going downwind as well as you have to get – or keep – speed out of the gybe.

2 – Confidence! You really have to have a lot of confidence in your gear and in yourself! I reckon “confidence in yourself” works about 80% on the result of a race. You can have you top professional gear. If your not confident enough it will backfire on you. The other 20% are left for the confidence in your rig and well tuned sail and board. When you have these, all that’s left from you is just that – concentrate on the race course and technique.

Regards,

Tiago Monteiro P 666

]]> By: To The Leeward Mark: Advanced Tactics | CarbonSugar.com http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-144 To The Leeward Mark: Advanced Tactics | CarbonSugar.com Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:07:31 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-144 [...] you’ve practiced enough, you should be able to gybe and keep on the plane all the way through on to the next tack. [...] [...] you’ve practiced enough, you should be able to gybe and keep on the plane all the way through on to the next tack. [...]

]]> By: CarbonSugar.com : To The Leeward Mark: Advanced Tactics http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-135 CarbonSugar.com : To The Leeward Mark: Advanced Tactics Mon, 19 May 2008 11:45:17 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-135 [...] you’ve practiced enough, you should be able to gybe and keep on the plane all the way through on to the next tack. [...] [...] you’ve practiced enough, you should be able to gybe and keep on the plane all the way through on to the next tack. [...]

]]> By: Sean OBrien http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-143 Sean OBrien Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:28:28 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-143 @ Bruce - ok, your prayers are going to be answered very soon. Yesterday I was at a friends house with an old computer running IE6 and I viewed this website and ... well, jesus! I couldn't read a darn thing on it! haha. So I'm planning to rebuild the site in the next week with a light background with dark text. I also found a cool 'print' plugin whereby you can just click it and it will format the page into a print-friendly view; just need to figure out how to integrate it. So that will hopefully make life easier for everyone. Stay tuned ;) @ Bruce – ok, your prayers are going to be answered very soon.

Yesterday I was at a friends house with an old computer running IE6 and I viewed this website and … well, jesus! I couldn’t read a darn thing on it! haha.

So I’m planning to rebuild the site in the next week with a light background with dark text.

I also found a cool ‘print’ plugin whereby you can just click it and it will format the page into a print-friendly view; just need to figure out how to integrate it. So that will hopefully make life easier for everyone.

Stay tuned ;)

]]> By: Bruce Healey http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-142 Bruce Healey Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:23:47 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-142 Sorry Sean, I worked out with Nathan H's help that all I had to do was copy & paste into WP program & could print the article. Easier to read also. great job, keep it coming. Sorry Sean,

I worked out with Nathan H’s help that all I had to do was copy & paste into WP program & could print the article. Easier to read also. great job, keep it coming.

]]> By: Sean OBrien http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-141 Sean OBrien Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:20:44 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-141 @ Andreas - Cheers! I will try to get in contact with Micah... I went to one of his clinics in 2004 when he came to New Zealand to do the FW Nationals. He ran a similar scenario; heaps of video footage and feedback on the video in the clubhouse at the end of each day. It was very helpful and everyone enjoyed it. I've been to a few pro clinics in my early days and this was by far the most in depth and beneficial. At the time, we wanted to get Micah to come to Australia to do a similar thing (he was already 9/10's of the way there by going to NZ) but the North dealer at the time in Aus didn't want a bar of it. Pity. I guess if you've seen some of the sites I've built recently, you'll notice I quite like a light text on dark background theme. I admit its not everyone's taste, but I find it a reprieve from all the white websites out there. Getting my inspiration from www.lightondark.com // :) I plan to update this website's layout sometime in the near future however as there's a lot more I wanted to do with it (got too busy writing the articles, haha) so I'll look into the contrast and clarity issues. Cheers! @ Andreas – Cheers! I will try to get in contact with Micah…

I went to one of his clinics in 2004 when he came to New Zealand to do the FW Nationals. He ran a similar scenario; heaps of video footage and feedback on the video in the clubhouse at the end of each day. It was very helpful and everyone enjoyed it. I’ve been to a few pro clinics in my early days and this was by far the most in depth and beneficial.

At the time, we wanted to get Micah to come to Australia to do a similar thing (he was already 9/10’s of the way there by going to NZ) but the North dealer at the time in Aus didn’t want a bar of it. Pity.

I guess if you’ve seen some of the sites I’ve built recently, you’ll notice I quite like a light text on dark background theme. I admit its not everyone’s taste, but I find it a reprieve from all the white websites out there. Getting my inspiration from http://www.lightondark.com // :)

I plan to update this website’s layout sometime in the near future however as there’s a lot more I wanted to do with it (got too busy writing the articles, haha) so I’ll look into the contrast and clarity issues. Cheers!

]]> By: Andreas http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-136 Andreas Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:08:50 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-136 Sean & Jan, nice job on the writeup. Micah had that photo sequence you're talking about in a handout he used for a clinic in SF in 04. If you asked him, he might give permission to use that sequence (even though it's not current, and the gear is from his former sponsors). Also, Sam Ireland had some great jibing sequences in his Pro Secrets video. While his website isn't up anymore, the video is still for sale (through sideoff.com, I believe), so he might be willing to let you put up a sequence or two in Flash embeds if you bundle it with a 'buy the video' link - the video is definitely worthwhile for anyone wanting to get better on their big gear. BTW, during that clinic Micah did in 04 (just before the US Nationals), he and his coach spent inordinate amounts of time taking video of the participants doing practice starts, as well as tons of tacks and jibes. Pierre's point (delivered in inimitable French accent and cutting clarity) was that w/o solid starts and good transitions, you'll never get a chance to be a player in a race. One of the most memorable drills was the whole group beating upwind into the potato patch just outside the Golden Gate (very lumpy water out there), then pairing up and doing a partner jibing drill all the way down to the city front - when your partner jibes, you jibe right on his ass no matter what, and whoever leads jibes as soon as they get back into their straps and harness on the new side. Excellent conditioning, for sure. As for font/background colors - I run an IS/IT department, and the consensus around here (and everywhere else I've worked where people spend long days staring at screens) is that dark type on light backgrounds is easiest on the eyes. Purely anecdotal, of course, and perhaps just a matter of conditioning (lifetimes spent reading dark print on white paper), but it seems to work for me. I sort of flinch every time I have deal with white on dark, and I tend to spend a fair amount of time fixing preferences so that things like terminal windows, etc. are dark on white. =Andreas http://g-42.blogspot.com Sean & Jan,
nice job on the writeup. Micah had that photo sequence you’re talking about in a handout he used for a clinic in SF in 04. If you asked him, he might give permission to use that sequence (even though it’s not current, and the gear is from his former sponsors). Also, Sam Ireland had some great jibing sequences in his Pro Secrets video. While his website isn’t up anymore, the video is still for sale (through sideoff.com, I believe), so he might be willing to let you put up a sequence or two in Flash embeds if you bundle it with a ‘buy the video’ link – the video is definitely worthwhile for anyone wanting to get better on their big gear.

BTW, during that clinic Micah did in 04 (just before the US Nationals), he and his coach spent inordinate amounts of time taking video of the participants doing practice starts, as well as tons of tacks and jibes. Pierre’s point (delivered in inimitable French accent and cutting clarity) was that w/o solid starts and good transitions, you’ll never get a chance to be a player in a race.

One of the most memorable drills was the whole group beating upwind into the potato patch just outside the Golden Gate (very lumpy water out there), then pairing up and doing a partner jibing drill all the way down to the city front – when your partner jibes, you jibe right on his ass no matter what, and whoever leads jibes as soon as they get back into their straps and harness on the new side. Excellent conditioning, for sure.

As for font/background colors – I run an IS/IT department, and the consensus around here (and everywhere else I’ve worked where people spend long days staring at screens) is that dark type on light backgrounds is easiest on the eyes. Purely anecdotal, of course, and perhaps just a matter of conditioning (lifetimes spent reading dark print on white paper), but it seems to work for me. I sort of flinch every time I have deal with white on dark, and I tend to spend a fair amount of time fixing preferences so that things like terminal windows, etc. are dark on white.

=Andreas

http://g-42.blogspot.com

]]> By: Sean OBrien http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-140 Sean OBrien Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:52:15 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-140 @ Bruce - ahhh, there's always one! Ok, I'll look into the text contrast. Lighter would be better I assume? I always found reading light text on dark backgrounds easier on the eyes, but I admit the text in the dot points is pretty dark also, so it could probably be more contrasting... It will have to be after the weekend however, cause there's a big weekend of windsurfing on the cards (with our first weekend with less than 30 knots in nearly 3 months; perfect for FW tuning). @ Bruce – ahhh, there’s always one!

Ok, I’ll look into the text contrast. Lighter would be better I assume? I always found reading light text on dark backgrounds easier on the eyes, but I admit the text in the dot points is pretty dark also, so it could probably be more contrasting…

It will have to be after the weekend however, cause there’s a big weekend of windsurfing on the cards (with our first weekend with less than 30 knots in nearly 3 months; perfect for FW tuning).

]]> By: Sean OBrien http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-139 Sean OBrien Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:47:19 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-139 @ Jan - no problems! Great to have some more input from others towards articles as it helps to build the knowledge base (and still lets me have some time to go windsurfing!). I had this really cool sequence of photos of me gybing a FW board which would've really helped with this article, however I seem to have lost the photos :( Does anyone remember Micah Buzianis (www.buzianis.com) having a gybe sequence collage of photos on his website somewhere? His current video is nice, but gybing a slalom board is different to wide-style boards. I'm sure this collage of gybing existed, but its not on his website at present; if anyone knows the one I'm talking about, let me know where I could find it... @ Jan – no problems!

Great to have some more input from others towards articles as it helps to build the knowledge base (and still lets me have some time to go windsurfing!).

I had this really cool sequence of photos of me gybing a FW board which would’ve really helped with this article, however I seem to have lost the photos :(

Does anyone remember Micah Buzianis (www.buzianis.com) having a gybe sequence collage of photos on his website somewhere? His current video is nice, but gybing a slalom board is different to wide-style boards. I’m sure this collage of gybing existed, but its not on his website at present; if anyone knows the one I’m talking about, let me know where I could find it…

]]> By: BRUCE HEALEY http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-138 BRUCE HEALEY Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:42:00 +0000 http://www.carbonsugar.com/technique/the-learning-plateau-and-how-to-climb-off-part-ii/#comment-138 SEAN, GREAT STUFF. BUT MY AGEING EYES CAN BARELY READ THE WHITE PRINT AGAINST THE BLACK BACKGROUND IN THE BULLET POINTS. ALSO IT IS A BUGGER TO PRINT STUFF WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND & I NEED TO READ THIS EVERY NIGHT BEFORE BED. HOW ABOUT A BIGGER CONTRAST. KEEP IT UP PLEASE. SEAN,

GREAT STUFF. BUT MY AGEING EYES CAN BARELY READ THE WHITE PRINT AGAINST THE BLACK BACKGROUND IN THE BULLET POINTS. ALSO IT IS A BUGGER TO PRINT STUFF WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND & I NEED TO READ THIS EVERY NIGHT BEFORE BED. HOW ABOUT A BIGGER CONTRAST.

KEEP IT UP PLEASE.

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