The Health Benefits of Wind Tunnels

Wind tunnels like the one in Eloy, Arizona are excellent cross training tools for nearly all sports.  The added health benefits of balance and body coordination are unparalleled in any other sport.  In order to reduce injury in sports many athletes participate in additional activities that strengthen supporting muscles and develop coordination that creates a secondary foundation for success.

Vertical Wind Tunnels provide an opportunity for fitness workouts that involve either no or very low impact.  The continual jarring of high impact workouts leads to sports related injuries that can negatively affect the overall performance of an athlete.  The vertical wind tunnel provides a venue for athletes to work on body coordination and an understanding of their center of gravity that cannot be found anywhere else.  Skydiving is a close second; however, there is a higher degree of danger associated with skydiving when the canopy opens as well as upon landing.  In addition, skydiving cannot replicate the sustained workout that is available inside a vertical wind tunnel.

For years many amateur and professional athletes have chosen activities outside of their sport to enhance their physical ability.  A classic example is the use of ballet that emphasizes strength, balance and grace.  The degree of fitness to be a skilled ballet dancer is unquestionable, yet it still does not make one as aware of the center of gravity as much as can be determined within a vertical wind tunnel.  Although vertical wind tunnels are often considered indoor skydiving there are some marked differences between the two sports.  For one the potential for death to occur inside a wind tunnel is far less than actual skydiving.  Therefore, the health risks associated with skydiving is mitigated through the use of a wind tunnel.

The intensity of a 15 minute workout in a wind tunnel is far more fun and in many ways more effective for a complete athlete than going to the gym to lift weights.  Additionally, the physical fitness necessary to fly in a controlled fashion is a full body workout.  The stress on the body is more even and helps to eliminate the risk of injury.

As you progress from flying on your belly, to flying on your back, to flying upside down more muscle groups are engaged causing greater overall strength and fitness.  Some day local gyms will pick-up on this phenomenon and we may see this sport truly take off.

Tags: arizona, fitness, health, sports, wind tunnel

This entry was posted on Friday, May 1st, 2009 at 2:40 pm and is filed under Wind Tunnel Cross Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.