If you find yourself through the day looking at pictures or videos about kiteboarding or searching for tips and tricks on how to improve your Kiteboarding skills, there is a big chance that Kiteboarding has already become a big part of your life and your waking hours are spent daydreaming about the winds, the shallow blue waters and the adrenalin packed fun; so no shame in that, we’re the same way and we’re glad to oblige on your daydreaming indulgence, you’ve arrived at the right place to discover how safe and super fun it is to practice.
Upwind Riding
Work on your upwind riding technique until you master the skill.
You can try turning your foot slightly away from the direction you are traveling in, forcing more pressure on yourself and the board. While doing this, keep your front leg straight, toes lifted up, using it to steer you upwind but be careful and don’t create too much angular momentum (forwards or backwards) or you’ll take a dive.
Toeside
The easiest way to progress in the beginning is learning how to ride toeside. It will be the foundation to transitions and jumps.
Pop
Before you start jumping, learning to pop will help you make your jumps higher and more controlled.
Most kiteboarders know that the easiest way to jump is simply to steer the kite and changing the angles of flight to the opposite side fast, however this is not the way you can go the highest.
Train your loaded pop without the kite movement (similar to an upwind turn but faster & harder) and landing downwind. After, do the same at a higher speed and at the end you add a steep kite movement to complete the maneuver; progressively, you’ll feel your body build up tension like a loaded spring, you’ll feel amazed at the feeling of harnessing the winds with such power.
Learn to overcome the waves
If you feel confident enough, it’s time to approach the different waves. Gradually approach the waves in a safe spot. Make sure that there are no obstacles downwind and avoid the point where the waves break, there should be enough side shore winds behind this break line to lead you. Ideally the waves should run smoothly and lean for a perfect kiteboarding session; these should be the type of waves required for when you begin kiteboarding to then progressively work yourself up to the more intense waves as you improve your skills. Eventually, you’ll be ready to use your entire body to absorb the shocks from the more choppy elevated waves, pull easy pops and master big jumps and body rolls.
Find the Right Spot!
When you are learning how to Kiteboard, it is super important to ask your instructor how to seek and choose the right spot for kiteboarding.
Always look for a safe spot not too far removed from the beach in case of an emergency, a place not too crowded, without obstacles downwind or with too shallow waters or with stones, etc. Safe spots are plentiful and easy to find here in Miami nevertheless be sure to always look before you leap as the expression goes.
You can check our Wind Addict Miami kiteboarding school with IKO certified instructors for more information.
Warning: Heavy choppy waters can easily throw you off balance and are unadvisable for kiteboarders of any level.
Learn How to Kiteboard Step by Step
You should always master the basics of this sport before trying to attempt the more elaborate maneuvers. A regular course will provide you with knowledge about the necessary gear and how to take care of it, a whiteboard lesson with general guidelines, possibly a video tutorial lesson, etc. so by the time you reach the waters, you’ll better understand what it means to hitch a ride on a steady side shore wind, how to body drag, how to steer the kite, how to recover the kite from the water and more. Take your time to learn the basics and soon enough you’ll learn how to do the downloops, pops, transition jumps, backroll transitions, darkslides and toeside rides.
Note: Be sure to select a good IKO certified school with certified instructors.
Don’t forget when you are learning how to Kiteboard, you’ll have to protect yourself from the sun
You will definitely want to have:
Sun Protection: A very high, long-lasting (!) sunscreen (SPF 50) for the body and face.
Sun Protection for your Face: Zinc Sticks for the sensitive parts of the face and lips. They don’t wash off that quickly in the water and are an absolute must if you’re traveling to warm, sunny spots and being on the water all day.
Head Protection: A cap to protect you from the sun (even though you’ll use a helmet in the beginning).
Sunglasses: Polarized sunglasses for the first lessons since you’ll be constantly looking up to the kite, against the sun. You can also take some of your old cheap sunglasses and-or buy floatable sunglass retainers because you might lose them during your first water attempts.
Sand Protection: Rent wetsuits or bring your own. A long rash guard and board shorts.