The Blind Judge 3 is a continuation of the Blind Judge. Rather than landing facing away from the kite, you’ll land facing the kite. The Blind Judge 3 is a 360 degree rotation with a backside handlepass.
Progression Step 1
Unhooked Raleys. Click the link if you’re working on perfecting your unhooked raleys. Before progressing towards a blind judge, you want to make sure you generate enough pop to complete the rotation. Focus on your kite position, keep your kite at 11 or 1 throughout the trick. If your timing is right, at the top of your raley you should feel the kite “slack” or drift downwind which will make it easier for you to get the handlepass.
Progression Step 2
Raley to Blind. Before going for the Blind Judge, get comfortable with raley to blinds. You will not need as much height on the raley to blind, which makes it safer to try. There’s two key points for this trick. The first key point is to pull the bar down towards your front hip. Pulling the bar towards your front hip will make it easy to complete the pass, will keep you balanced while in the air and will help you create slack. The second key point is to commit to the rotation. The rotation is a simple 180 degree turn, make sure you rotate around.
Progression Step 3
Blind Judge. You’ll have to pop higher to get the handlepass in the air or rotate faster. There’s two key points to making this trick easier. The first key point is focusing on the handlepass. To make the handlepass easier keep your elbows closer together for more leverage and really make an effort to pull that bar in towards your front hip. The second key point is the rotation. To rotate faster, throw your head in the direction you want to go. As you throw your head, you also want to bend your front leg. Bending your front leg will make the rotation and handlepass easier for this trick.
Blind Judge 3: Key Points
By now you’re comfortable doing Blind Judges and want to get that extra 180 degree rotation for the Blind Judge 3. Two things to focus on is the handlepass and the rotation. Another way to think about getting the handlepass earlier on in the trick is to throw your hip towards the bar as you pull the bar down for the pass. Throwing your hip will help get the pass sooner and quicken your rotation speed. For the rotation, bend your front knee in. Bending your front knee will help get that extra 180 making the Blind Judge a Blind Judge 3.
Still having trouble with this trick? Write to us where you’re stuck and we can critique your progression
