Irina Jenni: Swiss World-leading kite surfer and Development Consultant practices “5 Tibetans” an ancient yoga practice to remain fit

Namita Nayyar:

You advise and coach small and large companies and guide them through a cultural change in order to become more innovative, creative and efficient. Tell us more about the concept of power-relax-balance that you propagate?

Irina Jenni:

Born into the Y-generation, I find the definition of the common ‘Work-Life-Balance’ is misleading, because for me it implies that something bad (work) should be balanced with something good (life). To me it should be more a balance between power and relax.
That means, ‘work’ should give you short term power, because you like what you do and to be able to do it long term, you need to ‘relax’.
In my case, for example, it is extremely important not to regard sport or my work as a consultant as relaxation, although both give me an incredible amount of energy and fulfil me with pleasure. Only because I give enough space to relax can I ensure that I am able to do both in the long term with the appropriate commitment and space for fun.
This implies that you need to be very clear about on what you want to spend your power and then organize your day, your weeks, your life according to that and at the same time plan and allow yourself the necessary hours to rest and relax.

Namita Nayyar:

Kite surfing is an extreme sport where the kiter uses wind power with a large power kite to be pulled on a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. You are one of the world-leading Swiss kite surfers. What do you consider has been the catalyst to drive you from within, your competitive urge to move against all the odds to come out victorious and achieve such an accomplishment at the World platform?

Irina Jenni:

Pure satisfaction 😉. For me, kitesurfing is like medicine. When kitesurfing I activate my body and switch off everything else around me, I play with the energy that nature supplies me. The better I do this, the higher my kite performance. It took me some time to find out why I am always so happy and full of energy after a kitesurf session. The combination of fresh air, physical exertion and water allows my energy to flow freely and bring body, mind and soul into harmony. Because it is an extreme sport it releases endorphins which fill me up with extra power.

To be honest, I don’t feel any of the odds. If I would have the chance I would kitesurf even way more, always in the best places where wind and swell are coming together.

Namita Nayyar:

What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?

Irina Jenni:

First of all, the most important thing is a regular training.
My daily morning routine is the 5 Tibetans. It’s an ancient yoga practice that contains 5 stretching and strengthening exercises. For kite surfers it’s important to have a strong core, because that is how we balance out the power of the kite, to prevent a herniated disc. I have a daily core training routine that contains 14 exercises with a gymnastic ball and a trx. The rest of the training depends on the conditions, either I kite, run, cycle, sup, wake surf, bike or skip.
If you are about to start to do more sport, please be gentle, 2-3 trainings a week are enough and train yourself in listening to your body, it tells you always the truth.

Namita Nayyar:

Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?

Irina Jenni:

Yes. Basically, I follow a strict healthy diet, as I suffer from fructans and histamine intolerance. That has not always made it easy for me; the good thing about it is that I am an expert of food ingredients 😉. Therefore, I recommend eating fresh, unprocessed food that contains a lot more of everything you need.

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.