Meet Andrew…
BODYTEC Steenberg studio owner Andrew Collins is also a competitive sailor.
At only eleven Andrew began sailing dinghies, and he says he’s never looked back. “As I grew older I moved to bigger dinghies and then on to sailing keelboats,” he says. Sailing is great fun, but it is also challenging, he explains. “There is so much to learn from how to handle the boat, to how to read the wind, navigating along our coast, how to make the boat go fast, racing tactics and keeping all my crew safe. The art of using the natural energy of the wind and the waves to propel your yacht across an ocean is pure and is very far away from the hectic pace of our everyday lives,” he says.
It may look like a relaxing pastime, but there’s a lot more to it than sitting back and watching the sun dip behind the horizon. It’s tough work, says Andrew. “I have herniated discs in my lower back, so core strength is very important to me, especially on a yacht where you are pulling ropes and grinding winches. BODYTEC® EMS training is by far the simplest and fastest way to keep my core strong,” he says.
Andrew launched his Steenberg studio in 2012, shortly after BODYTEC® launched in South Africa, and being his own boss enables him to spend time indulging his passion for sailing too. “The camaraderie amongst sailors is superb. We race hard against each other out on the sea or dam, but when we are back at the club we enjoy the friendship that comes from a mutual love of our sport and the water, wind and waves,” he says. His toughest race, he recalls, The Double Cape Race. “The course takes you around Cape Point twice and you spend at least one night, if not two, at sea. Some of the worst conditions I have ever experienced at sea have been during this race… six-metre waves and gale force winds in the pitch dark.”
While Andrew has been sailing for over 30 years, he recommends anyone with an interest in sailing should “Just dive in and start sailing”. He says he recently took the son of a BODYTEC® client sailing to fulfill a lifelong dream. It proved to be unforgettable. “He loved it and will be back on board soon,” says Andrew. Most yacht clubs have training programmes, so it is as simple as contacting your closest club and they will help you learn to sail, he explains. “You will never regret it as it is a sport you can enjoy for the rest of your life!”
To book a trial session at BODYTEC Steenberg email [email protected]
