Kitesurf Lesson Mistakes & Tips For Avoiding Them

Summary

This video script highlights common mistakes in kitesurfing lessons and offers solutions for improvement. It emphasizes the importance of depowering the kite by pushing the bar away, maintaining a light grip, and practicing proper steering techniques. The script also addresses issues like stalling, bodydragging, and launching, stressing the need for controlled practice and safety. It advises against long glory runs and recommends shorter, frequent practice sessions to enhance skills and safety. The video aims to help beginners avoid these pitfalls and progress effectively in their kitesurfing journey.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Avoid holding the bar too tightly; a light grip is crucial for quick reactions and safety.
• 🛡️ Always push the bar away to depower the kite; pulling in tightens the kite and can lead to being dragged.
• 🎯 Practice with a trainer kite to develop good habits, especially with arm positioning and grip.
• 🔄 Use gentle steering inputs to control the kite; avoid using a steering wheel motion or dragging the bar side to side.
• 🌪️ Be aware of the high power zone downwind; steer gently to stay in the low power zone for better control.
• ⏱️ Understand the delay in kite response, especially in light wind; adjust your steering inputs accordingly.
• 🛑 To stop, steer up slowly and ease the bar out; avoid pulling the bar in forcefully which can power up the kite.
• 🔄 Regularly practice parking the kite while distracted to improve your ability to control it without constant visual focus.
• 🌊 Focus on kite control during waterstarts; board skills will improve once kite control is second nature.
• 🚀 Prioritize shorter, controlled runs over long, uncontrolled rides to maximize learning efficiency and safety.

Q & A

What is the first safety step in kitesurfing when facing a fast moving kite?

The first safety step is to push the bar away, which depowers the kite.

Why do some students tend to pull in the bar instead of pushing it away during a panic situation?

Students with a tight grip on the bar are more likely to hold onto it when panicked, as panic or nervousness causes people to tense up and bring their arms in.

How can a good instructor help students overcome the tendency to hold onto the bar?

A good instructor will provide safety gear, help keep the student calm, teach in a safe location, and use undersized kites for training.

What is the correct way to steer a kite in kitesurfing?

A kite is steered by gently pulling a steering line towards you to apply tension, and pushing it away to remove tension.

What common steering mistake can lead to ineffective kite control?

Using a steering wheel motion or trying to drag the whole bar to the side are common mistakes that do not effectively bring the steering lines in or out.

Why is it important to understand the wind window in kitesurfing?

Understanding the wind window helps you keep the kite in the low power zone, allowing for gentle steering inputs and better control.

What should students do to avoid stalling the kite during a waterstart?

Students should apply tension in the upper steering line only, ensuring the lower line is slack to avoid directing the kite downwards.

How can practicing parking the kite while distracted improve kitesurfing skills?

Practicing while distracted helps students develop the ability to control the kite without constantly watching it, preparing them for real-life distractions like waves.

What is the recommended method for stopping while kitesurfing?

To stop, steer up slowly towards 12 o'clock and then ease the bar out, allowing for a controlled stop.

Why is it beneficial to do lots of shorter runs instead of one long run during kitesurfing lessons?

Shorter runs allow for more practice and refinement of skills like waterstarting and stopping, and they are safer and more efficient, reducing the time spent relaunching and walking back.

What is the ideal angle for beginners to park their kite while riding?

For beginners, a 45-degree angle is a forgiving position to park the kite, making it easier to control speed and recover from falls.

Outlines

00:00

🏄‍♂️ Kitesurfing Mistakes and Solutions

This paragraph discusses common mistakes made during kitesurfing lessons, emphasizing the importance of depowering the kite by pushing the bar away. It highlights the issue of students gripping the bar too tightly, which can lead to panic and incorrect kite control. The paragraph also addresses the proper way to steer a kite, avoiding steering wheel motions and dragging the bar, and explains the concept of the wind window and the low power zone. It advises on the use of trainer kites and the development of good habits for effective kite control.

05:03

🕒 Delayed Steering Responses

The second paragraph focuses on the delay in kite response to steering inputs, especially in light wind conditions. It advises students to apply steering tension and then ease off once the kite starts moving, to avoid oversteering and stalling the kite. The paragraph also discusses the common mistake of applying too much steering tension, which can slow down the kite and lead to backstalling. It suggests a better method for climbing the kite and emphasizes the importance of practicing parking the kite while distracted, to improve overall control.

10:07

🚫 Avoiding Common Kitesurfing Errors

This paragraph addresses various errors in kitesurfing, such as incorrect stopping techniques, the temptation for beginners to go on long runs, and the importance of practicing waterstarts and kite control. It advises against focusing solely on board skills and emphasizes the need for power dives to become second nature. The paragraph also touches on the dangers of low kite positioning for beginners and the risks associated with kite launching, suggesting that beginners should focus on mastering these skills during lessons.

15:10

👋 Handling Kites with Care

The final paragraph deals with the handling of kites, particularly the common issue of students trying to flip the kite over with force, which can lead to unnecessary complications. It suggests a gentler approach to flipping the kite, lifting the leading edge and moving to one wing tip to avoid pressing the kite into the ground. The paragraph concludes by encouraging viewers to avoid common mistakes and provides links for further theory and tricks to enhance their kitesurfing skills.

Keywords

💡Depower

Depower refers to the action of reducing the power of the kite by pushing the bar away. This is a fundamental safety step in kitesurfing, as it allows the kiter to control the kite's speed and direction, preventing it from pulling too hard. In the video, it's mentioned as the first step to resolve issues like a kite steering up too quickly.

💡Bar

The bar is the control mechanism used in kitesurfing to steer and manage the kite's power. It is connected to the kite via lines and is held by the kiter. The video emphasizes the importance of knowing when to pull or push the bar, as incorrect use can lead to loss of control or accidents.

💡Tight Grip

A tight grip on the bar is a common mistake among beginners, as it can lead to panic and the inability to release the bar when necessary. The video suggests that a light grip is more conducive to releasing the bar in stressful situations, which is crucial for safety and control.

💡Trainer Kite

A trainer kite is a smaller version of a kite used for practice, especially by beginners. It helps learners develop the necessary skills and muscle memory without the risks associated with a full-sized kite. The video mentions that practicing with a trainer kite can build good habits, such as maintaining a soft grip and proper steering techniques.

💡Steering Line

Steering lines are the lines attached to the kite that control its direction. By pulling or pushing these lines, the kiter can steer the kite. The video corrects common mistakes in steering, such as using a steering wheel motion or dragging the bar, which are ineffective and can lead to loss of control.

💡High Power Zone

The high power zone refers to the area downwind where the kite moves quickly and pulls hard. This zone is dangerous because it increases the risk of accidents. The video advises keeping the kite away from this zone by steering gently and maintaining control in the low power zone.

💡Low Power Zone

The low power zone is the area upwind where the kite moves slowly and pulls less. Staying in this zone allows for better control and safety. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding and maintaining the kite in this zone through gentle steering inputs.

💡Backstalling

Backstalling occurs when too much steering tension is applied, causing the kite to lose lift and drop back with the wind. This is a common mistake when trying to steer the kite upwards, especially in light wind conditions. The video suggests applying minimal tension to prevent backstalling and allow the kite to climb freely.

💡Bodydrag

Bodydragging is a technique where the kiter lies on the water and drags their body behind the kite without being on the board. This practice helps develop kite control skills. However, the video points out that students often struggle to maintain kite control while bodydragging, especially when distracted or in choppy water conditions.

💡Waterstart

A waterstart is the process of getting up and riding the board after being in the water. The video highlights that many students struggle with this due to a lack of confidence in their kite control skills, which can lead to the kite diving and pulling the rider off the board.

💡Glory Run

A glory run refers to a long, often risky ride on the preferred side, which can lead to a crash. The video advises against this, as it wastes valuable lesson time and can result in injuries or equipment damage. Instead, it recommends practicing shorter runs on both sides to improve skills and safety.

Highlights

Pushing the bar away is the first safety step in kitesurfing, which depowers the kite.

Students with a tight grip are more likely to panic and pull in the bar, leading to problems.

Good instructors help students overcome panic by providing safety gear and teaching in safe locations.

Learning to fly a trainer kite with arms out and a soft grip builds good habits for steering in kitesurfing.

Steering a kite involves pulling a steering line towards you or pushing it away to remove tension.

Avoid using a steering wheel motion as it doesn't effectively control the kite.

Steering too hard can move the kite into the high power zone, increasing the risk of accidents.

Understanding the wind window is crucial for effective kite control.

Applying too much steering tension can slow down the kite and lead to backstalling.

Parking the kite requires practice, especially while distracted or with obscured vision.

Students often focus too much on the board and forget kite control, leading to diving and falling.

Power dives should be second nature to allow for simultaneous board control.

Stopping is achieved by steering up slowly and then easing the bar out, not by pulling the bar in forcefully.

Short runs on both sides are more beneficial for learning and safety than long glory runs.

Riding with the kite low to the water can cause crashes for beginners due to reduced control.

Launching a kite is a complex and risky skill for beginners, requiring focused practice.

Learning to pilot with one hand allows for easy use of the chicken loop eject in case of issues.

Attempting to self-teach kitesurfing without proper guidance can lead to kite damage and safety risks.

Handling a kite requires gentle effort, as kites are lightweight and can be flipped without much force.

Transcripts

There are many common mistakes that can  hold you back during kitesurf lessons. 

I’m going to explain some of these to help  you squeeze the most out of your lessons. 

So many problems in kitesurfing are  solved simply by pushing the bar away. 

This depowers the kite.  It’s the first safety step. 

In this case the kite was steering up too quickly,  and a fast moving kite will pull hard, so the  

kiter pushed the bar away resolving the problem. If, in that same situation, the kiter had pulled  

in the bar they would’ve powered up the  kite, steered it more and got dragged by it. 

This happens all the time, when panicked students  pull in the bar instead of letting it go. 

There are a few reasons this happens so much. Students that learn to pilot a kite  

with a tight grip are far more likely  to refuse to let go of the bar. 

Whereas students that learn to pilot  a kite with a light grip find it much  

easier to release the bar when panicked or  unsure of what’s happening with their kite. 

Panic or nervousness itself is a  common cause of holding onto the bar. 

It’s natural to tense and bring  in your arms when nervous. 

A good instructor should help  you overcome that easily. 

They will hook you up with safety gear,  help keep you calm, teach you in a safe  

location and train you on undersized kite  than can’t really pull you much anyway. 

Some lessons start with a 2- or  3-line trainer kite like this instead. 

Some people even practice  with these outside of lessons. 

If you learn to fly a trainer kite with  arms tucked in and a tight grip, however,  

then you are much more likely to keep that habit. You are then far more likely to bring  

in the bar when panicked or confused. Whereas if you fly a trainer kite with  

your arms out and a soft grip, this builds good  habits and you are more likely to push the bar  

away when needed. A kite  

is steered by gently pulling a steering  line towards you, or in away from the kite. 

You are using the line to pull in the wing tip. Then to stop steering, that steering  

line is pushed away to remove tension. You’re pushing out towards the kite’s wing tip. 

So you pull in, away from  the kite, to apply tension. 

And you push out, towards the  kite, to stop applying tension. 

Many students, however, have other ideas. 

Frequently you see students  using a steering wheel motion. 

This doesn’t help with controlling a kite, since  you are not bringing the steering lines in or out. 

You’re just rotating the bottom  position of those steering lines. 

In fact it’s possible to fully rotate  the bar without affecting steering. 

Another common steering mistake is  trying to drag the whole bar to the side. 

Some students think dragging the bar to the left  might pull the kite to the left, and dragging the  

bar to the right might pull the kite to the right. Yet again, this is not an effective way of  

bringing steering lines in from  the kite or out towards the kite. 

Accidentally steering too  hard is another common issue. 

If you steer slowly a kite moves  slowly and doesn’t pull much. 

If you steer hard a kite typically  moves quickly and pulls a lot. 

When you steer firmly that turns the kite  sharply and it can fly towards downwind. 

When a kite gets closer to downwind  it speeds up and pulls very hard. 

This is known as the high power zone. 

If steered gently, on the other hand, the kite  stays far away from this downwind high power zone. 

It flies in a wide arc, far from downwind. This is the low power zone. 

Here you have the first building  blocks of the wind window. 

If you don’t understand how the wind  window works check the links below. 

To keep a kite in the low power zone,  we use small gentle steering inputs. 

Students often get this wrong, however,  

because they don’t realise how little  force is required to turn the kite. 

The kite weighs so little it doesn’t take  much tension in a steering line to turn it. 

Something a bit more subtle that trips up students  

is the delay you get when steering  a kite, especially in light wind. 

If you apply steering tension  the leading edge turns or rotates  

and then the kite repositions in the wind window. There can be a few seconds delay in light wind. 

This delay sometimes catches students out. They apply some steering input. 

They see the kite hasn’t moved yet, so they  increase steering tension, and they do that  

just as the kite was starting to move anyway. Rather, during slow low-power piloting of  

your kite you can apply steering tension,  then as soon as you see the kite moving and  

responding to that steering tension,  ease off a bit and let the kite move. 

You can actually reposition the kite  using a few small steering inputs. 

This will make sure the kite creeps  slowly through the low power zone. 

An extremely common mistake, during lessons  and after, is stalling a kite like this. 

This happens a lot, for example, when raising  or relaunching a kite in light to medium wind. 

Let’s look at what leads to this mistake. A student might hold the bar fairly tightly. 

They try to bring in the upper steering  line, which should steer the kite upwards. 

In this case to the left. However, because of their locked grip,  

they also bring in the lower steering line a bit. Tension in the lower steering line,  

plus the weight of the kite itself,  prevent the kite from climbing. 

Seeing the kite fail to respond, students  often then bring in the bar further,  

increasing steering line tension, thinking that  that will give the kite the power to climb. 

However, in light wind, or when  the kite’s moving sluggishly,  

applying too much steering  tension will slow down the kite. 

If you bring in the steering lines enough, you  create so much drag the kite starts to drop  

back with the wind. Known as backstalling. 

Let’s look at a better method. 

Here the pilot applies tension  in the upper steering line  

ONLY, making sure the lower steering line is  slack so it’s not directing the kite downwards. 

The pilot applies just enough  tension to make the kite climb,  

and by applying minimal tension the kite has less  drag and can climb freely, even in light wind. 

You often see students parking their kite  around 45 degrees without too much difficulty. 

They then attempt to bodydrag  keeping the kite in that position. 

A soon as they lay in the  water, however, the kite moves. 

Either dropping to the water or climbing  up and across the other side of the window. 

This is simply a case of the student being able  to park the kite when watching it like a hawk  

but not being able to park  a kite while distracted. 

The solution is to practice  parking the kite, while distracted. 

You should also be able to control  the kite with obscured vision. 

Since you can easily get a wave  in the face while bodydragging. 

It’s common to see the kite  climb during a failed bodydrag. 

Since the student holds the bar a  bit more tightly when distracted  

and forgets they can ease the bar out  to let the kite drop with gravity. 

There are many mistakes in kitesurfing  lessons that stem from a student still  

having to focus fully on the kite. In this waterstart for example,  

the student might think they lack board skills,  

but in reality it’s mainly a kite control issue. They dive the kite. 

They are then meant to steer the kite  back up to avoid it diving too low. 

But because they start thinking about the board,  they forget about kite control completely. 

The kite dives low and pulls  them over the edge of the board. 

You are meant to dive the kite, and then steer the  kite back up while also getting onto the board. 

If you want any hope of controlling  the kite’s power dive correctly,  

while also thinking about getting on the board,  your power dives must be almost second nature. 

You need those power dives in the bag. You should be able to do them while  

having a conversation, you should be able  to do them without looking at the kite. 

Only then can you really  work on your board control. 

Students often make mistakes with trying to stop. 

It’s common to see students  attempting to slow down like this. 

The student throws their whole weight back,  digs in their heels and pulls the bar. 

It’s like they’re trying  to pull the kite to a halt. 

This makes things worse, as it powers up  the fast moving kite, and then the board can  

easily fly off and hit the student. There is no need for this at all. 

Stopping is simple and is  done with basic kite control. 

You steer up slowly towards  12 then you ease the bar out. 

This is a controlled way to stop. 

Early on, after a few successful waterstarts,  

it can be tempting to go on a huge glory run  on your strong side like this and then crash. 

Sometimes the students get up and they give  a big woop to the instructor to celebrate. 

A long run on your preferred side  like this followed by a crash  

might feel like an achievement but  it’s poor use of your lesson time. 

You have to relaunch the kite and then walk  back the entire distance you rode, or sometimes  

the kite gets tangled during the crash and you  have to eject it and wait for the instructor. 

This one long glory run on your preferred  side can cost you 10 to 30 minutes. 

Rather, you can learn a lot more  in less time, and stay safer,  

by doing lots of shorter runs of both sides. This means you can refine and improve  

your waterstart, since you’re  practising it lots of times. 

You can learn to stop under control consistently. 

A short run with a controlled stop is a  bigger achievement than a long run and crash. 

As learning to stop is one of the  key skills that will keep you safe. 

By riding left and right you’re  also getting lots of practice  

on your weaker side which is essential. Also, you can do several runs back and forth  

with less walking required to  return to your starting point. 

Until you’re reliable at riding, I recommend  lots of shorter runs rather than one big one. 

Experienced kiters often ride  with their kite low to the water. 

This helps you ride faster and  helps you ride further upwind. 

But, when you see a beginner’s kite  drop this low, they almost always crash. 

A low kite can make it harder to  slow down and control your speed. 

Also if you catch a toeside edge, the low  kite will propel you over that edge violently. 

With the kite higher it’s easier to slow  down, and more forgiving when you fall. 

For beginners 45 degrees is a forgiving  angle to park the kite when riding. 

Launching a kite is the most  dangerous skill for a new kiter. 

There are many easy mistakes to make. You might have made a mistake during set up. 

You might have misjudged the wind. There’s a long list of potential mistakes,  

and because you will be doing  this on land at some point,  

there are also objects to  hit or tangle your kite with. 

Because launching is one of the most risky  and complex skills for a beginner to learn,  

focus on this a lot during lessons  and try to become competent. 

If you need to focus more  on this than board skills. 

Also learn to pilot with one hand, this will mean  you can easily rest your other hand on the chicken  

loop eject, which will enable you to knock out  the kite if there’s an issue during launch. 

Sometimes people think they can save money  by learning to kitesurf with a friend. 

Unless that friend is a really  good kitesurfer and a good teacher,  

this can actually cost you more money. You can easily break a kite during poorly  

taught lessons which costs more than lessons. Also you can hurt yourself of course,  

and during poorly taught lessons you can  hurt other beach users which can end up  

getting kitesurfing banned in your local area. You sometimes see new kiters having issues  

handling a kite. Something a bit like this is common. 

The student is trying to flip  the kite over with force. 

But they are actually just rotating  the wing tips into the ground. 

Remember a kite weighs very little so it’s  always possible to handle it without much effort. 

Here, for example, the kiter  could lift the leading edge,  

move to one wing tip and then the kite would  easily flip over without pressing into the ground. 

I hope this video helps you  avoid some common mistakes. 

For more theory to support you during lessons,  

or fun tricks to learn after  lessons, look at the links below.