We spend countless hours talking about horsepower, acceleration, handling and performance upgrades. We invest in modifications to make our personal watercraft faster, stronger and more capable.
But what about the person holding the handlebars?
Professional stand-up jet ski racer and fitness coach Kyla Keech believes the rider deserves just as much attention as the machine. Beginning next week, she’ll be joining The Watercraft Journal with a monthly fitness column focused on helping riders build strength, improve endurance, recover faster and get more enjoyment out of their time on the water.
Before her first column arrives, we wanted to introduce readers to Kyla, the racer behind Jet Pump Fit, and explore how her love of motorsports led to a career helping other riders improve their performance.
From desert racing to stand-up skis
Kyla’s racing career didn’t begin on the water. As a teenager, she competed in off-road trucks and buggies, encouraged by her father, who introduced her to motorsports.
“He would just throw me in different race cars and I would go race them, and it was super fun,” she recalled.
Her introduction to stand-up jet skis came around age 15 in Parker, Arizona, where family friends were riding an old Kawasaki 440. While the other youngsters struggled to get off their knees, Kyla managed to stand up, make turns and discover something she thoroughly enjoyed.
Several years later, she returned to the water with the same family friend, who put her aboard a 550.
This time, the suggestion that she might actually be good at the sport stuck. She began putting more effort into riding and eventually entered her first race, also in Parker.
It wasn’t exactly a storybook debut.
“I did absolutely terrible, absolutely terrible,” she laughed, remembering falling in nearly every corner.
But she was hooked. Rather than discouraging her, the experience made her determined to improve.
And although stand-up racing became her primary competitive pursuit, her enthusiasm for outdoor sports never disappeared. She also enjoys dirt bikes, snowboarding and skiing, describing herself with a healthy dose of humor as a mediocre participant in several different sports.
The machine doesn’t do all the work
To someone watching from shore, riding a jet ski might look relatively effortless. The engine provides the horsepower, after all.
Kyla says that perception changes quickly once someone climbs aboard a stand-up ski.
“It’s extremely physically demanding, and it’ll surprise you,” she said. “It’s like a nice mirror to see how in shape you really are.”
Older stand-up models, particularly the 440s and 550s that helped launch her racing career, can be especially challenging. Their small size and handling characteristics demand considerable balance, coordination and physical strength.
And the effects aren’t always limited to tired arms and legs.
Kyla points to lower-back fatigue and discomfort as particularly common complaints among riders, something she regularly addresses through her fitness coaching.
Her own desire to perform better aboard a 550 helped spark her interest in specialized physical training.
Today, through Jet Pump Fit, she works with riders to develop strength, endurance and nutritional habits suited to the demands of the sport.
For racers, she emphasizes three major components: nutrition, endurance and strength.
Unlike seated motorsports, stand-up racing requires competitors to absorb the forces of cornering with their legs and maintain control of a moving machine without the support of a seat.
Physical conditioning can even determine whether a racer holds a position after contact with another competitor.
Kyla described situations in which a rider might be knocked partially out of the tray and need the strength to pull themselves back aboard or regain their footing on one leg.
In those moments, physical preparation can make the difference between maintaining position and finishing at the back of the pack.
Not just for racers
But Kyla’s approach isn’t limited to competitors chasing podium finishes.
She believes recreational riders have just as much to gain from improving their fitness, even if their ambitions extend no further than enjoying a Saturday afternoon on the lake.
After all, there’s little enjoyment in spending more time recovering on shore than actually riding.
Better endurance, she explained, can mean longer sessions on the water and less exhaustion afterward. Strength and conditioning can also help riders manage the physical demands of the sport as they grow older.
Longevity is one of the central themes of her coaching philosophy.
“We want to be able to ride as long and as old as we possibly can,” she said.
And for riders who don’t have regular access to the water, she rejects the notion that the only way to improve is to spend more time riding.
Not everyone has Lake Havasu or Body Beach in their backyard. Off-water conditioning can help bridge that gap, allowing riders to make better use of the opportunities they do have.
Nor does she believe riders need to be professional athletes, have unlimited free time or commit to an intimidating training regimen to begin improving.
For people who feel they’re too old, too busy or simply not ready, her response is an invitation rather than a lecture.
“I’m here for them whenever they decide that this is something they want to work towards,” she said. “There’s always a seat at the table for them.”
A new addition to The Watercraft Journal
Beginning next week, Kyla will bring that philosophy to WCJ readers through a monthly column featuring fitness tips, workout ideas and nutrition guidance tailored to the personal watercraft community.
Her goal is to help readers develop practical habits that improve not only their riding performance but their everyday lives.
And she’s looking forward to connecting with the community beyond the pages of The Watercraft Journal.
Through Jet Pump Fit, she’s already built a community around the shared interests of personal watercraft and physical fitness. She encourages fellow riders to approach her at events, at Body Beach or even during an ordinary trip to the grocery store.
“I love talking to people,” she said.
So whether you’re a competitive racer hoping to shave seconds off your lap times, a weekend rider looking to stay on the water longer or someone who simply wants to feel a little better after a day aboard your ski, keep an eye out for Kyla’s first column next week.
Because sometimes the most important performance upgrade isn’t something you bolt onto your jet ski.
