TECHNIQUE MINOR CHANGES,SIGNIFICANT GAINS - MOVE ON UP WITH JEM HALL

Super 6: Jem Hall suggests 6 subtle technique changes, which pack a punch and can provide significant benefits to your sailing.

- Jem Hall 

This month we take a look again at how making a few subtle, but precise changes to your technique can yield some massive benefits. The added bonus is that these small changes will not only assist your progression, but they will also challenge you and refresh how you view your technique. I will provide a Super 6 of actions to work on and provide the tips, and / or benefits, where relevant. You can further boost your gains by reading the changes I previously implored you to embrace from my Jan/Feb '23 article.

• Jump before you gybe: Why? I hear you ask... well, because jumping is fun and it is also safer to know how to jump before your board inadvertently leaves the water in strong winds, bumpy water or waves, so you don't land in a heap, or even more importantly, hurt yourself.

Furthermore, gybing is hard, and it takes time to learn. So, if you are planing, and your board isn't too big, then you might as well: "Jump, jump, jump.". Get into it by learning the pop from an over the board position. More info and tips can be found in my March '17 article called 'Jump the Bump.'

• Pull down on the boom: This is a huge, huge tip! I would say that over the last 3 years of coaching I have really understood just how powerful 'pulling down on the boom' is and along with 'bending your back leg', these actions often yield the biggest dividends. Firstly, in order to pull down on the boom you have to be low and outboard, which is already a great place to be. Then the actual action of pulling down on the boom will help you appreciate just how much physicality, and focus, it requires to do so. This will then inspire you to up your fitness and strength game. Pulling down, as opposed to in, uses so many different muscles!