One of the most common questions is do you need to be strong to kiteboard? The simple answer is not at all! In fact, if you think that you need to be strong to kiteboard, you’ll hinder your ability to learn. Learning how to kiteboard is all about finesse. A light grip on the bar is all you need. The harness and modern day kite equipment does all the work for you.
Why Does Kiteboarding Not Require Strength
It all comes down to aerodynamics. When you’re learning to fly a kiteboarding kite, the idea is to keep the kite on the outside of the wind window. (This is if you take lessons from an IKO certified instructor. The instructor will help you keep the kite on the outside of the wind window.) The outside of the wind window is the neutral zone. When you’re on the right equipment you will feel safe and comfortable with the kite positioned here. In the neutral zones, wind passes above and below the kite. It does not hit the canopy of the kite which creates power.
Where Does The Kite Pull From?
Kiteboarding kites pull from the harness. There are two types of harnesses, a waist harness and a seat harness. You’ll experience some pressure but not much. A waist harness will sit on your lower back and a seat harness will be around your legs. The pressure from the kite would be like hanging a bar from a tree, hooking into the bar and gently leaning back. Maintain a relaxed grip for the control bar. The control bar balances your trim and helps you steer. You get the best feel with a relaxed grip.
Different Sized Kites
One important thing about learning how to kiteboard is being on the right sized kite! We have every sized kite to make sure our students feel comfortable no matter their weight or age.
Learning To Create Power
We follow a teaching process to safely, quickly and efficiently teach kiteboarding. We focus on the fundamentals that carry through to an expert level. These fundamentals to kite control will comfortably access the power of the kite. One of the first exercises to developing power with the kite are downwind body drags. We refer to them as power strokes because you use the kite to generate power.
You do not need to be strong to kiteboard! We’ve worked with students of all ages, weights, shapes and sizes. We have enough equipment to customize everything for just about any individual. Kiteboarding is our passion and we want to share it with you! If you want to get notified when we’re going to be on the water, sign up below:
