Profiling

Physical Profiling and Fitness for Sailing –

Introduction:

The British Sailing Team Sport Science and Sport Medicine (SSSM) Team have been reviewing Youth and Junior profiling data from the last 5 years in conjunction with the results and recommendations from a PhD research project conducted by Dr Jones. Following presentation and review to management, the decision has been made to evolve the support provided to Youth and Junior sailors to maximise our impact on the critical success factor ‘to develop mentally and physically robust sailors that do not breakdown’.

Therefore profiling will not be conducted at Junior level and will be conducted once a year at Youth level to monitor the progression of sailors and interventions proposed. Profiling resource will be redirected into strategic interventions at targeted and prominent time points along the pathway. At Junior level, the proposal is to focus on ‘game play’ activity and practical educational workshops for sailors, coaches and parents. The aim is to encourage participation in a range of sports and activities to support the development of the sailor through the pathway. At Youth level, interventions will be targeted at specific groups and time points in a sailor’s development, as well as a greater emphasis placed on educating sailors and coaches on how to train and develop physical attributes.

We feel this is an exciting opportunity to develop our support of the pathway creating opportunities for sailors to excel and progress.

Profiling for windsurfers is currently being reviewed due to the different physical demands required in order to be successful. We intend to give further details on profiling and fitness resources and workshops in due course. 

Fitness of sailors is essential to success:

The physical demands placed upon sailors to be successful across a range of classes requires them to be physically fit. This is not only for the classes they may be sailing at this point, but is also about preparing them for the next boat and the demands that training and competing at this level require. The SSSM Team are producing guidance for sailors at each level of the pathway, and how to be physically prepared for the sport. This will be delivered by:         

Guidance from the squad coaches

Workshops and Interactions with coaches, sailors and parents         

Resources, being made available through coaches and the RYA websites.

Physical Profiling:

Physiological profiling must be completed by all sailors once a year. The profiling session is important in a sailor’s development as it provides an opportunity for them to understand their physical strengths whilst highlighting areas where they need to improve. Profiling will enable sailors to track their physical development against the training they are completing.

Why do we do it?:

Sailors should strive towards trying their hardest in all tests as this will give them the best indication into how fit they are and if their training is working. Sailors’ performances will be measured against benchmarks for each test and will be age and gender specific. Benchmarks will considered the minimum level of physical performance for a UK squad sailor to progress through the pathway. The outcome of the tests, will enable the sailors to tailor their specific training program to optimise fitness by utilising the RYA support resources.

This is achieved by through the following:

Reduce fatigue – Increase effectiveness of time on the water

Improve recovery - Accelerate learning

Reduce decline in cognitive function over time

Enable a more productive learning environment to maximise skill development

Display positive behaviours in physical development to enable smoother transition to the greater demands of the Olympic classes or into new classes that have different physical demands

Physical profiling & selection:

It is a requirement of the RYA UK Youth selection policy that all sailors attend profiling once per year to be selected and to maintain their place within the programme quarterly. The profile tests and benchmarks are designed to measure a sailor’s fitness to be physically successful in sailing.  The fitness of the sailors will form an important element of selection for the RYA UK Youth Squad

What happens if I cannot attend profiling test?:

If a sailor is unable to attend the selected profiling weekend then they should write (email) their HPM to inform them of why they cannot attend the chosen dates. There will be one additional session running on the day prior to the RYA Youth Nationals. This is only for sailors who informed their HPM and made the required arrangements to do so.

Sign Up:

Sign up for the February 2019 Physical Profiling is now closed. 

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