One of the first questions every beginner kitesurfer wants to know is “HOW TO LEARN TO KITESURF?” What is the method? Is there a safe and quick way? Here, at KITESURFING ACADEMY, we developed and successfully tested a strategic plan of 5 steps with very tactical phases and transitions.
Here is HOW TO LEARN TO KITESURF in 5 steps:
- Step 1: Learn the THEORY of the wind, kitesurfing gear, and safety – 1 week to 1 month
- Step 2: Practice with a TRAINER KITE for kitesurfers – 1 to 2 weeks
- Step 3: Practice with a REAL KITESURFING KITE – 1 to 3 Days
- Step 4: Practice BOARD RIDING techniques – 1 to 3 days
- Step 5: Putting KITE + BOARD together, and start riding – 1 day to a life-long passion
When you learn to kitesurf, the duration of each step will be shorter if you have been exposed to the given activity in the past directly or if you did something that is similar or comparable to it. The order of these steps is not strict and you can rearrange them, as long as you arrive at step 5 after completing all four previous steps. Now let’s look into each of these five steps deeply.
Step 1: Learn the THEORY of kitesurfing.
Talking about the theory of kitesurfing we recognize six (6) modules:
- Kitesurfing equipment and gear
- Theory of the wind and weather
- Safety procedures
- Signals in kitesurfing
- Traffic rules in kitesurfing
- Learning the quirks of your kitesurfing location
Kitesurfing Equipment and Gear.
Kitesurfing is one of the most complex sports on the planet. It is, technically, a combination of two sports: riding a board and flying a kite. While a twin-tip board is rather trivial and has only a few parts, the kite and the harness have a lot of components and you should learn their names and what they do, how to use them, and when to use them. In addition to learning the technical terms, you should learn our kitesurfing slang, and the best way to do this is to hang out among kitesurfers on a beach.
In this module you will learn where is the gas and where are the breaks in kitesurfing. How to speed up and how to slow down. Which direction do we ride in, how to make turns, and how to come back on the beach to the point where you started from? Where the rider is moving in a relation to the wind direction? Why is the rider leaning away from the kite? How to inflate your kite and how much air you should put in the leading edge, just to name a few.
Kitesurfing is a relatively new sport and our gear is evolving at a very rapid pace and virtually every year we are learning something new. This is why when you are watching YouTube videos about HOW TO LEARN TO KITESURF make sure that they are still relevant and up to date.
Theory of the Wind and Weather
Not every wind is good for kitesurfing. We have our favorite range of wind speed, which is from 10 to 25 knots. Anything outside this range could be challenging. And when it comes to beginner kitesurfers the recommended range is even smaller. Wind direction is also important, as not every direction is equally safe for kiteboarders. You should be familiar with some basic concepts, like WIND WINDOW and WIND GRADIENT
Another very useful skill every kitesurfer has or should have rather, is the ability to read WEATHER FORECAST. This helps a lot when you are deciding what kind of kitesurfing equipment to take to the beach, which beach should you go to if there are options, and whether to go kitesurf or to stay home in the first place.
Questions like
– “what if it rains?”
– “what if there is lightning?”
– “what if there is a storm passing by?”
– “what is the wave height and frequency?”
– “is the tide up or down”?”
should be addressed in this section.
Safety Procedures for Kitesurfers
There is a list of common scenarios when things do not go as planned. Some of them are more common than others, and when they happen you should know what to do. You should be prepared. You should not start trying to figure out what needs to be done, instead, you should know exactly what to do. So, prepare yourself by learning kitesurfing safety features in advance, before heading out to the water.
Here are some of the typical situations you should prepare yourself for. How do you RE-LAUNCH your kite when it falls from the sky? What do you when one of the kite-lines snaps? What are the steps of SELF-RESCUE? How many safety features every kitesurfing kite has and how to engage them on your kite? Is there a sequence or can you fire them at will?
Signals in Kitesurfing
Chances are you will be learning to kitesurf and ride alongside other kiteboarders, and you will need to communicate with them at some point. And it is challenging to hear each other from afar on a windy day, this is why we use a set of signals and hand gestures to interact without using our voices. And because there are no lights or blinkers in kitesurfing, we use GESTURES, a silent sign language, if you will.
Here are some examples of messages kiteboarders can signal to one another using our sign language:
– “I need assistance landing my kite”
– “I am ready to launch, release my kite”
– “Abort launching procedure, put my kite down”
You should get familiar with these and be on the lookout, it won’t be long before someone will ask you for assistance.
Traffic Rules in Kitesurfing
At some point, hopefully in a near future, you will start riding and you will be choosing your path by pointing your board and by leaning away from your kite. You will be moving pretty fast, maybe 10…30 miles per hour. You will have a large footprint because your kite will be some 25 meters (yards) away from you. There will be other riders with exactly the same setup as yours. And since there are no traffic lights, no markings on the water, and no kitesurfing police, you will need to know who has THE RIGHT OF WAY, when and where to make U-turns, and some other traffic rules on the water and on land. It is best to learn these in advance, before you find yourself colliding with another rider or tangling up your kite-lines with someone else’s.
Learning the Quirks of Your Kitesurfing Location
On Land
Every location is different and every kitesurfing beach has an area that is safe to launch and land your kite on, yet most importantly, there will be “NO GO” zones with different OBSTACLES, like trees, boulders, powerlines, bushes with thorns, regular beachgoers, to name a few. Especially focus on the UNDERWATER OBSTACLES, like shipwrecks and reefs, that will emerge or come close to the surface when the tide goes down.
In the Air
There may be some spots where the wind gets extra turbulent. WIND SHADOWS is another phenomenon you should be aware of as it’s difficult to relaunch if you end up dropping your kite there. Your job will be to find out where it will be unsafe to kitesurf and why.
The best way to go about this is to refer to the LOCAL KNOWLEGE. So, talk to other kitesurfers, park rangers, if there are any. And remember to visually inspect the area before you head out on the water. You should always keep the map of the beach and your position on it in your head for safety reasons.
On the Water
One more aspect you should be aware of – TIDAL WAVES. Some areas, like Nova Scotia, are faced with water level fluctuation of over 50 feet. That’s a lot of water movement! Not only the coastal line is affected and many obstacles can surface when the tide is low, but it also creates massive CURRENTS, and it’s good to know where the water is moving depending on the time of the day. Study those as well.
To learn the theory of kitesurfing you do not really need to hire a kitesurfing instructor. They are expensive and charge by the hour in most cases. A great source of information for you to learn from could be YouTube. Our program “KITESURFING 101” is one great resource as well. We arranged over 10 hours of info in a sequence that is easy to learn and it will save you time on search because we cover everything you need to know to start riding safely and quickly. HERE is the link.
Step 2: Practice with a TRAINER KITE for KITESURFERS
What you’ll need
TRAINER KITE is a smaller version of a big kite with fewer adjustments and controls to make this learning step easier for a new kitesurfer. The main agenda of this step for you is to learn how to steer the kite. You should be able to park your kite in one spot and keep it there as long as you want. Be able to drive the kite from point A to point B over a specific trajectory. Make a circle in the sky with your kite. Then backward. Make a figure 8 and backward.
By the way, your hands may get tired from holding on to the CONTROL BAR, especially on a windy day. So, be mindful about this, take breaks. Do you need muscles to KITESURF? HERE is more on this topic. The good news is that you will not depend on the grip of your hands flying the big kite in later steps. Most of the power will be transferred from the kite to you via harness – spreader bar – chicken loop link.
What you’ll focus on
You will be developing muscle memory during this step, so, it will take some time to master this. Merely understanding how the kite flies is not enough. You should invest some time into building your kite steering skills. There is no way you can overdo this step. Usually, new kitesurfers cut this step short, rushing up to play with the big kites, so, be mindful about this practice.
How long is this step
How much time should you spend with the trainer kite? Usually between 1 and 5 sessions. Based on the mechanics of our neuroplasticity, it’s better to have five 1-hour sessions one day apart from one another, rather than to have one 5-hour long session. A sure sign that you are ready to move to the next step is when you can fly your trainer kite without looking at it. As soon as you can tell where your kite is positioned in the air using just visceral feedback from the control bar, you are ready for the next step.
Insider’s tip
You really do not need a kitesurfing instructor for this step, since trainer kites are relatively small and way safer than the big kites, you can practice this step on your own. Just do not go out in a storm and pick a spot that is free of obstacles and of other people.
Here is one more detail I want to share with you. Once you mastered your kite handling skills and you graduate into large kites, chances are you will never need that trainer kite anymore. This is why our advice is to borrow this trainer kite from someone for a week or two, or buy it and then sell it on eBay. Otherwise, it will be collecting dust once you start riding.
Step 3: Practice with a REAL KITESURFING KITE
What you’ll need
This step should be done on the water, preferably under a supervision of a KITESURFING INSTRUCTOR. You will not need your board for this step, but bring the harness. In this step, you will apply your kite control skills that you gained from flying your trainer kite. A few additional controls will be available on the large kite, like depower by sliding your control bar away, for instance.
You will be exposed to the full range of power, so, please be mindful of the possibility to unleash it fully. And this is exactly why this step should be taken on the water which can serve as a soft cushion in case your kite pulls you aggressively.
Prepare yourself for the fact that the response time of the big kite will be longer. In other words, the larger the kite the slower it moves.
Insider’s tip
Be very mindful picking the wind conditions and the size of your kite for this first session. It is easier to go with a smaller kite size if different options are available, since you will not be riding at this point yet but rather practicing kite handling skills.
What you’ll focus on
You will start with setting up your big kite. This will be radically different from the trainer kite setup. Also, the launching procedure will be dramatically different as well, this is why this step better be performed under the supervision of a KITESURFING INSTRUCTOR.
You will work on adjusting your kite steering habit to the slower-moving kite. You will learn the turning radius of the large kite. Also, you will practice BODY-DRAGGING upwind and downwind, which is one of the essential skills in kitesurfing, and you will need it more than anything else going forward. This body dragging technique is essential when you lose your board. When this happens, the board gets left behind, upwind from you, while you will be pulled downwind by your kite. So, naturally, you’d want to retrieve your board and for this, you will need to be able to body-drag upwind.
You may also practice the SELF-RESCUE technique in this step. This is the case when you lose control of your kite either because one of the kite-lines snapped, or the canopy got damaged. You’ll need to reel the lines, get a hold of your kite, and use it as a raft to get to the shore.
How long is this step
This step usually takes one day for a beginner kitesurfer. You may even cut it short if you feel comfortable with all the exercises, and turn it into half a day. Yet we had a few students that wanted to practice for two days, just to build an extra layer of confidence.
Step 4: Practice BOARD RIDING
What you’ll need
Leave your kite and harness behind for this exercise. Yes, you are reading this correctly. You will only need a twin-tip board for this step, that is if you choose to practice on the water. Snowboarding is a lesser alternative but still better than no practice at all. Even skateboarding experience can be considered as a credit for this step. You will need to adjust your balance a bit when riding on the water.
Insider’s tip
This step is usually being overlooked by most of the kitesurfing schools because some additional expensive equipment is required to practice board alone. This is why this step is usually not offered, not advertised, and not even mentioned by 97% of kitesurfing schools. This is why you may have to take initiative and find a place to practice this outside of the kitesurfing community, on a lake.
What you’ll focus on
You will mainly be focusing on keeping your balance while riding your board in this step. You’ll start by working on deep start, riding flats, switching to and from your goofy foot, loading the line on both sides, popping, progressive edge, riding heel side and toe side, just to name a few.
How long is this step
One session is usually enough to set your board balance, yet if time permits you are more than welcome to indulge for the entire weekend. There is no way to overdo this exercise. Just become comfortable balancing the board and you will be ready for the next step.
Step 5: Putting KITE + BOARD together, and start riding
What you’ll need
Bring EVERYTHING. At least the three things that are absolutely necessary here: the kite, the board, and the harness. Any additional accessories like a wetsuit, sunglasses, gloves, sunscreen, rash-guard, booties are totally up to your personal preference. And sure thing, hands down, we strongly recommend bringing a KITESURFING INSTRUCTOR with you for this step. No questions. The instructor is a must. Oh, and do bring some drinking water to keep yourself hydrated.
What you’ll focus on
This is a milestone in your kitesurfing journey. This is when the rubber meets the road. If everything goes well, this will be the time when you go for your first ride. Prepare yourself to be overwhelmed and super excited. Your main agenda in this step will be to keep it together, the kite control combined with board riding, with your balance, with wind conditions, and other riders.
Insider’s tip
You will be overwhelmed. Your adrenaline will go through the roof (most likely). There will be a lot of new sensations in your body yet you will get used to it all, just give it enough time and practice. Don’t be shy to celebrate your successes in this step. This will be the beginning of your life-long passion.
How long is this step
If you completed all four previous steps without skipping any, then you may as well start riding very quickly in this step. As quickly as in one day or even in a few hours. Often times our students become super excited when they start riding, they lose the track of time, and we have to pull them out of the water when we see that they are getting tired. Be mindful of your energy level and take breaks.
More Insider Tips
About the Sequence
The order of steps that I listed at the top of this post is not really set in stone and it can be changed, adjusted, and modified, as long as you arrive at STEP 5 with all previous steps completed. For example, you may absolutely start with the BOARD RIDING step, then learn a bit about the WIND THEORY, then practice with a TRAINER KITE, next will be the BIG KITE, and then STEP 5.
Kitesurfing Boot Camps
What happens at kitesurfing boot camps is they teach and train up to three (3) topics in parallel. They can teach you the WIND THEORY in the morning, then in the early afternoon, when thermal winds are picking up, they can train you on KITE CONTROL, and later on the same day, they can put you into a BOARD RIDING class. This layering can really maximize the use of your calendar time and gives you the most rapid progression.
Riding on the FIRST DAY
In the final notes of this post, I’d like to demystify something for you. Often times I hear a bragging statement “I started riding on my first day of training with a kitesurfing instructor!”. Is this possible? The answer is YES. This could be the case if you completed steps 1, 2, and 4, and then you hired a KITESURFING INSTRUCTOR to complete steps 3 and 5. We had a number of students here, at KITESURFING ACADEMY who followed these guidelines and proudly started riding on the first day of training.
This could be YOUR recipe, and your story as well. Now that you have it, follow the steps, get out there, have fun, and be safe!
And I’ll see you on the water someday!
Best!
G.O.
A disclaimer – How to Learn Kitesurfing
This post is not intended to teach you how to kitesurf and is not a substitute for proper guided training. This post outlines the major steps of the learning process and in actuality, the entire training may take several months.
