I've done my first video with strapless board and I need your comments regarding my technique. I know this doesn't substitute proper lesson, but I want to understand what I'm doing wrong.

I'm still working on switch skill, it drives me mad that I can't simply change legs while riding. Also any advices on how to pass ocean break will be welcomed.

We all ride in bumpy conditions, so relevant speed is the key to your ability. Thats why cross-offshore 20 knots, makes it look so easy. Practice gybes, chicken gybes etc on flat water also, it will help when you add the waves into the equation.

ok said...

first step is to remove the goggles and gloves so u dont look like a gimp.

and the nappy!

toddws said...

ok said...

first step is to remove the goggles and gloves so u dont look like a gimp.

and the nappy!

W*anker comments like these just make me wanna go out and buy a seat harness, a reel leash, a bucket hat and another Cab. Knowing he was so uncool, I'm sure the guy was having no fun until his glasses came off.

Hi Cisco,

Todds is spot on, you need to lose the seat harness. Have you ever seen any proficient rider in a seat when riding either waves or Freestyle? No! The reason is the kite twists you at the hips to face the kite.

When riding toeside, the seat makes it impossible to ride up into the wind and rapid changes like carving onto a wave face to toeside just isn't possible with any style in a seat. You can add a dyna bar but they are clunky and expensive and poorly emulate the freedom of even an average waist harness.

Keep your legs bent a little more, this allows you to absorb chop and keep even pressure on the board with both front and back feet. It also lowers your body and therefore Centre of Gravity making you more stable and able to add power to your moves.

Learn to gybe as well as ride toeside. Do a downwinder on flat water and gybe every 100m back and forth the whole way down. This may not sound like fun, but training to learn new things never is, but you'll get the skill quickly. Do another downwinder staying on the one tack for half of the DW'er doing 100m toeside and 100m heelside. Carve at each turn. When you get to the halfway point, switch stance and repeat.

The way to get good at the uncomfortable difficult stuff is through repetition.

Keep it up!

DM

toppleover said...

Ciscoexpert said...

Thanks for your comments.

Should I attach leg rope for waves or not?

I just let mine drag behind me

All jokes aside, a mate (advanced rider) last season somehow had his board go thru his lines with leg rope attached, kite started looping in the impact zone etc, he finally got the leggy off & ditched the kite. He told me he thought he was going to drown as the leg rope became twisted & difficult to remove.

If your still learning & falling off a bit in the surf, best to leave the leg rope at home.

PS Balmoral Boards ha ha

Try switching feet just as you at coming out of the gybe with the kite on an upstroke. As the board is tracking through the turn is it is more stable.

Ciscoexpert said...

Also any advices on how to pass ocean break will be welcomed.

Usually a bit of speed helps to get over whitewash. Sometimes you need to go slow though (eg to avoid launching off the crest of the wave) and in these situations the kite should be heading towards 12 as you go up/over, then dive the kite for speed once past the wave crest. Fast or slow, bending at the knees is crucial. If it's big you lose some upwind ground where you need to bear off downwind to avoid getting beaten, and sometimes it's better to turn around and momentarily head back towards shore rather than take on 6 feet of whitewater.