I would tell myself to start kiteboarding at an earlier age and make sure my partner is into it too 😊

Wear a impact vest, something to help you float for those long swims when your kite won’t relaunch.

The thing that allowed me to progress the most when I was a beginner (for at least four seasons!) was taking lessons from GOOD instructors. Working on my own I progressed slowly, but taking a lesson or two gives a real boost. I recommend using a variety of different instructors as you progress. Each one will teach you something new, and they dont always agree on everything.

Watch as many videos like this so you can avoid the pitfalls and get motivated to try the sport. It’s working for me, I’m one lesson in.

For beginners who dont live at perfect spots (as in my case near a crazy gusty lake), one major thing that finally got me through the beginner phase was to have a pure kiting vacation, e.g. Egypt, Brazil, Dom Rep etc. After 2-3 weeks in perfect kiting conditions there I finally gained initial skills & enough confidence to enjoy my home spot as well. A pure kiting vacation seems like a no-brainer for learning the sport, however looking back I feel I waited too long with this.

Thanks so much for this video which is special to me as I “had” a high fear factor when I started in May - as you know your site helped me on my continuing journey and this video would have definitely helped me back then and still does today. It felt like each of the “my kite life” kiters was personally talking to me and I was thinking, yes, yes, makes sense. So here is my list 1) It is ok to take one step at a time - choose one new skill to focus on per session (s) e.g. shoulders back, front leg straight, look where you want to go, standard transition - try not to let the other skilled kiters make you feel like you are not good enough (they also want you to improve so you don’t hit them by mistake LOL), it is tough when we have a competitive nature, focus on this being fun (you can love sailing without being a yacht racer) and you are anyway in an awesome place - anyway. I mean even self-rescue on the water is much better than being in a boring meeting or on couch any day. 2) Maximize water board time. I was getting approx 10-min real riding out of 3 hours (kite down drifting & mostly walks of shame - great workout :-) ) in summer 2020 on 144cm board light winds. Then when my 165cm (the door) finally arrived in September I started getting 1-.2 hours riding sessions and learned upwind.!. Now I use either my 144cm or 155cm on light wind days 3) Test all sorts of conditions (in my skill level with others around) with one major exception - I can’t kite (or anything) on little sleep, I have tried and make potentially dangerous mistakes - have reluctantly learned to skip session when exhausted and tell myself it is ok (happens 1 out 10) - be alert and have energy 4) Continuously review safety (bar out, quick release, kite release (never used), cut-away knive (never used), self-rescue (few times), distance to other kiters... and have a plan B (still have fun but frame my progression and skills in controlled environment) 5) I have learned to always launch (even self-launch) with one hand on quick-release until kite at 12 o’clock. 6) It is ok to have healthy managed fear 7) no matter how hard you fall keep moving forward is also my motto - actually it is “The Man in the Arena” by Theodore Roosevelt. 8) Good kite community friends (incl. digital communities) that provide encouragement/energy. I am actually really really good at buying high quality equipment so no issues on that front :-). I know this is a book not a comment but I love this subject. Thanks Toronto Kite team, I am happy to be a patreon. PS. I am out of here this afternoon the winds are good today in Portugal. Hope you get out on the water.

(3) Be OK with advanced riders typically tend to be snobbish. When they see the noob is trying hard, they actually tend to change the attitude and willing to help at least with a piece of advice.

If you have patience, you will learn. When I started, it was bad. No money to buy new kites, no friends to call, full time job with 2 kids, husband didn't care because it had no motor. No experience with wind conditions, when I did my first lessons, in the Magdalen Islands, there was impossibly no wind...(like it's nuking there all the time). Learn how to use Windguru, is the best tip, for someone like me.

Let the bar out.

I agree with most answers! 😎 I would add that it is quite quick to be able to ride, but very long to build experience, master safely, get the appropriate material, get the good tips... It is far easier when you do it with friends who would help to avoid frequent mistakes... Your help with plenty of great vids is also a key asset! Thank you for that🤗

you deserve a ton more subscribers!

Great advice here!!! I loved the second one, "its not how high you jump, but how hard you crash and keep going, that's how winning is done!" 😆😁 excellent!

Find flat water if you can. Learning in onshore beachbreaks really slowed my progress. And also remember that folding up a wet kite at the end of a session means you’re learning, not failing!

I also found that lessons using "BB Talkin" systems were much more effective and time-efficient.

For me is most important when progressing fast, to try something new every session

Haven't tried kiting yet, but after decades of windsurfing and struggling with rubber wet/dry suits, my single best purchase was my Kokatat Gore-tex drysuit. It's very light and can be worn with any amount of insulation layers. It makes your whole season as comfortable as Summer. Love it!

As a beginner for me it really helped to body drag past the surf, it just meant I could practise getting up and going upwind without having to fight the breaking waves.

When you start jumping, keep footsraps lose enough that you can come out easily in a crash. Practice kicking the board off during the jump so it's automatic. I came down hard with one foot in and twisted it bad. That was five months ago and it's still bad! I hadn't anticipated that problem.

Stretch and warm-up before EVERY session, especially during the cold season. This will reduce the chance of pulling your muscles, whether when you are being pulled hard by your kite or when you fall into the water at high speed. Be safe! :)

Totally agree about patience. Have been struggling for about 3-4 seasons till I learned how to turn properly. Only from that point I started to enjoy kiting. So keep pushing yourself - it will pay off 1000 times. Kitesurfing is the best thing humanity had invented!

(1) It's harder than it looks like and easier than it feels. (2) Progressing fast means having more failures. Be encouraged with such failures rather than upset. (I still think of myself as of a sort of a noob, but now an advanced one :) )

Don't be afraid to crash! Even when the beach is full and you're surrounded by more advanced kites. As long as you're aware of your surroundings, I've found that crashing is the best way to test my limits and progress.

Persevere and enjoy the experience. Don't be too hard on yourself and realise that building the required skills and muscle memory takes time and lots of practice.

I would tell myself to learned earlier...best sport ever!!!!

Your videos are awesome and so are you! I'm still a beginner but my lessons have been in warm flat water, with radio equipped helmet and jetski support. Best way to shorten the learning curve!

specific advice for our beach (the Netherlands): The beach may seem the same everywhere, but wave height (and sometimes even direction) depends on the sandbanks under water. You can have an easier session if you walk half a kilometer.

0:49 Hahaha I see what you did there. One of my favorite speeches

I would learn enough upwind body drag to save all my lost boards.

Thanks for video! After I saw it I also ask myself what advice I would give to me in beginning time.... )))) So many things come to my mind instantly!))) And I would say to all riders both beginners and advanced: Safety first! Remember - good rider is an old rider, who didn't kill himself in race for dangerous personal achievement! God luck everyone who share our kite passion! Have a good wind and soft landing!

Great and valuable video, great people kiting over there

I also really liked the second point - Its not about how high you can jump but about how hard you can fall. I 100% agree that falling and crashing is the one of the most important aspects of learning how to kite and how to do tricks from beginner to advanced level. Even IKO teaches that a student should be come independent kiter through self-experience of which failing is a big aspect of how to learn. Crashing can also be fun and does not always have to be painful or even embarrassing (although it sometimes for sure is :) ). You cannot really progress especially in big air and freestyle if you are not crashing. The important part is to learn how to crash so that you do not hurt yourself. That means progress incrementally and learn the fundamentals. Do not try advanced tricks if you have not mastered the previous steps - no kiteloop late roll if you haven't got the hang of powered loops, roll, heliloop etc. My advice for beginners all in all is - ENJOY CRASHING AND DO IT SAFELY!!!

🤩🥰😎 thank you for these tips for beginners! I started to have lessons a few months ago and I find them so motivational! thank you! gracias gracias gracias from the Happy Island Aruba!

What an encouraging video for a beginner kiter it's so easy to get frustrated thanks for this☺️

I like your videos because they are so helpful! Let's support channel by thousands of likes and reposts!

There's so much but a few key things come to mind: * Safety! This sport can be very dangerous, but with knowledge and respect for conditions it can be quite safe. Kite trimming/depower, quick release, leash eject, kite sizing per conditions, etc.. Learn how they work, practice using them multiple times throughout learning. Periodically re-watch the videos out there on safety as well as you learn. Each time you revisit the videos something else will click. You really want to drill this in so if/when you need to self rescue, you can remain calm and efficient. * Break it down! The adage goes--walk before you run. This is critically true with kiting. Trying to combine too many steps or rush through to the water start is almost guaranteed to end in frustration and poor habits being formed. Worse yet it increases risk of injury to yourself and others. Take your time and really work on your fundamental kite skills. You'll progress faster that way, I guarantee it.

2:30 Okocim beer - good choice after kite session ^^

RELEASE THE BAR!!!

I just had to learn that the most important part of my gear is my bar and lines. It’s the single most important part for my safety. I bought all old gear which is in good condition. Yes, maybe the kite is not in perfect and the fabric is not perfect anymore, but during a start, one very small stainless steel ring on my line broke (I couldn’t believe it until I saw it) and I realized I’m putting so much of my safety into my bar and lines that it’s very important that even if all the other gear is a bit older, that I get a newer bar and good lines.

So here i am 46 years old, lost a ton of weight and was wondering if i am too old for kiting. Thank you so much for this video!

Go through as many instructors as you have to until you find one that is excellent at communicating and helping you learn. When I finally found an instructor that used a walkie-talkie system and could communicate to me instantly on what I was doing wrong I advanced much much faster. An Instructor yelling at you and you not being able to hear because of the wind of the noise in the water is absolutely useless.

if you drift away, blame it on the tide! (or better: check how the current runs, relative to the tide. Where I live (west of the Netherlands) the current is not strong, you may have to walk upwind 1 km after 1 hour.)

Another one I find important is: don’t overdue it. Even if you’re just out for a short time, leave it at that before you get too tired and end up hurting yourself.

If it looks like things are going to get out of control (or are already out of control) then LET GO OF THE BAR. The kite will generally fly much better without your input and likely gently float to the side or top of the wind window. Better than the alternative of a full powered kite loop. This advice is especially pertinent for people coming from a windsurfing background as the hard-won muscle memory in that discipline dictates hanging onto the boom at all costs to avoid getting wacked by an errant rig. Another thing is, in the event of a crash, try to avoid heading downwind towards the kite (so as to reduce the chances of an inverted kite and lines). The follow up is: In my experience, it is OK to kite back to the beach with inverted lines (ie: to sort them out). No need to pull the safety and self rescue.

My advice is to find a kite buddy, me and my mate had a lot of sessions just to get going up and down. I mean like 15 sessions (I’m 58 so that’s my excuse) . Even so, as we were on the same journey every time was brilliant fun however rubbish we were. launching and landing is safer as well.

Don’t kite alone! You need a kitebuddy, as a (local) guide, reference for suitable gear and as a rescue in emergency or simply retrieve your lost board. And please don’t forget to label your gear: Name and phone number on kite and board.

Like a beginner, i need to tell to my self. Just do it, dont wait for perfect conditions. Go to the beach and just practice arrived and landed if you can't ride the wind of the day

Check and adjust your line lengths ever 5 sessions, learn to loop your kite early

Do you first lessons/training on flat water, not at the beach. (at least at our beach, there are many breaking waves. But now I enjoy that)

When i started kiting i bought brand new gear bars , kites , everything , and with that learning curve i damaged the gear , so i would say buy a reasonable second hand setup untill your good enough for a new expensive setup

best advice in the vid: be patient. I'm a classic example: buddy lesson + self taught, only kiting a few days a year in the holidays at spots that are shallow flat water but with notoriously unpredictable wind, and occasionally gusty - I failed a lot, learned a lot but progression is/was slooooooow. If you are impatient and want fast progression better start saving for that dedicated kite surfing holiday at a good spot with professional teachers Notes to my former self: - good decisions: 1) get you own equipment early on. Used gear is perfectly OK (except for wetsuits) but must be chosen wisely. Filling up my quiver with kites that I want AND can afford took some time (patience, again!). But it allows to go kiting even when the rental shops are closed, and eases the decision not to go kiting when the condition just aren't right. And researching what kites I want gave me good insights into the sport. 2) get an anemometer and a list/app to help you pick the right kite size - Mistakes/bad decisions: 1) do not start too small. Bigger boards and sufficiently big kites help a lot in the beginning; don't be overly afraid to be overpowered 2) get a light-wind kite earlier. The price tag on the 21m foil kite was horrendous but it gave me so many relaxed extra hours on the water 3) think about the leashes. Maybe a front-attached leash is better. Do not use board leashes.

Dont be intimidated by other more advanced riders but think like you'll be like them some day in the future

I'd tell myself to use the quick release when noone is there to land me and that health is more important then keeping the kite intact.

My early kite self would need to know - Don't put off experimenting with different setups and learning new things! I know you haven't been kiting in 2 weeks, but you need to try that different board or those line extensions or trying to ride toeside or jump transitions. Break out of your comfort zone more frequently.

By the way... Stay way from obstacles (dams, stretchers etc...). When you decide that you must pull your safety release, you will be too late. (I think so... I never needed it).

As a beginner get a big board and use the biggest kite suitable for the wind conditions and your weight. The big board makes the waterstart, going upwind, and turning without sinking easy. And a big kite is slower turning so it is more stable and not getting away for you so easy. I will be saving up for a dry suit. And don't go kiting on ice in 17-20 m/s wind on a old 9 meter foil kite that you are not sure about the safety system on and self launching it... That destroyed my knee.

I'd say to myself: "find a proper place to learn and your learning process will be much faster." Shallow water, constant, onshore and moderate wind most of the year, warm climate would be on this list.

Find a good mentor. Persevere because for sure you will be discouraged at some point. But the reward is fantastic! Know your limit and respect the kite and the elements (dont overthrust yourself so you can crash really hard or injure yourself and be afraid forever). Always safety safety safety ( impact vest, proper gear, etc). Always talk to locals if you try a new spot. And remember that if you go on a spot and there is nobody, that's probably mean that the condition are not suitable or dangerous. 🤙

My BORING (but often not properly teached) advice to every beginner (and far too often a medior) kiter; Learn the correct rules (some basic rules below) and yes they are somewhat different from other water sports ;-) More advanced kiters will try to circle around you, but you can't rely on that so you might end up in a situation where you need to know what to do. A couple of basic rules every kite should know and practice: 1. Before a power start, a transition, a jump or any other movement; Look far left, far right and scan the air space above you (for kiters behind you). Clear? Go, move you kite. Your head movement also signals to other kiters you are going to move your kite! 2. Prevent collisions! No matter who's way it is! Crashes with others often cost you your gear and/or an injury. 3. As a left hand forward (going to the left) kiter you need to give way. You move, lower your kite and pass downwind. 4. As a right hand forward kiter you have right of way, but you need to keep your direction and steer your kite high. 5. Give way to kiters coming on and going out of the water, kiters riding on a wave, and all other water vehicles / users If something does go wrong; raise your hand and shout a "SORRY!!" Please be so kind to gently inform others about the (correct) rules too!

Starting out, travel to a good spot with steady winds not more than 16 knots and waist deep flat water and dedicate yourself for a week. Easier to learn on a big slow kite in low winds than on a small fast kite that whips around in high wind.

It just blows my mind how she and other youtubers just stand there effortlessly keeping their kite in one spot without even looking at it! Mine wants to go past me overhead and then the lines go slack and it will fall if I do that! I have to keep doing like figure 8s or just keep moving it. Any suggestions?!

MY advice: ask in a shop which kite is good for a beginner. (I bought my first kites second-hand from private persons, and they were good for their price, but not 100% suitable for a beginner.)

I really didn´t learn kiting from an instructor. I began flying kites in my childhood. I started from 2 line speed kites to bigger traction kites and 4 line powerkites. And since i was skateboarding and street blading a lot in my teen years it was not that hard to learn kiting. I started with kitelandboarding on a Flysurfer Speed 3 12m. After that i started with kitesurfing.. I made a perfect waterstart on my first try 😆..

Stretch and warmup before every session, especially during the colder season. This will reduce the chance of pulling your muscles, whether you are being pulled hard by your kite or when you fall into the water at a high speed. :) Be safe!!!

Always trust your instructor/mentor to what they say, never go solo (its always safer to kite with friends) don't be afraid to try new things.

(2) loved the rocky balboa reference haha

Dry suit? What's it? I have no idea what's kiteboarding bellow 20 degrees Celsius as we don't have winter in Brazil 🙏🙏🙏

Yes, the gear is expensive. But renting also and as soon as you have your own gear you will practice a lot more often which also will make it cheaper in the end. Of course this includes to maintain your gear properly.

It's easy to find used gear in excellent condition for half the price!

To nail the water start, go to a cable park first!

I would’ve told myself to try and be less scared, as there can’t go much wrong, due to safety systems etc.

Hi, can you do video about foil kite self landing styles?

buy a Shinn TT Board like The Bronq or the Monk, are the Best

How come, these kites seem to be all tubeless? Or at least the vast majority?

what were the opp bothering you for ? lifejackets?

Приветствую. Расскажите как сами начинали. Какие ошибки делали. Интересно вспомнить. :)

Is kitesurfing in your Country a Favorite Sport for old people? Looks like!😃 Greetings from the netherlands

Buy BIG-BIG-BIG board and you will progress faster :)

2:31 okocim 😄

Don't teach yourself like I did 😂😂😂🤦🙈😬

1-take lessons with a certified instructor, it will save you a lot of time 2-always use life vest 3-when starting buy used gear until you have some expirience don´t buy the last model because every body says is great 4-when learning dont go kiting if the conditions are not right between 10 and 15 knots is good for learning

any body can suggest kitesurfing Kit for beginner level ?

learn how to deal with deadloops

Why are you using handle pass leashes for your sonic? Doesn‘t make sense at all..

You need to committee and find a kite buddies

What is that røde mice ting on your neck

There’s got to be a good story behind @2:13

the most expensive and technologically advanced board/foil does NOT guarantee your progression

Fly the kite and worry less about the board.

Do not buy c kite as a first kite :)

Watch OUR KITE LIFE :)

Hello :) Got a question to the guy at 2:31 (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mM2dZL2rvMXWfZc.html) :) Is it OKOCIM beer? :) Where did you get it? :) Greetings from kite(foil)surfer from Poland, where the OKOCIM comes from :)

move to the right place of the world and stay

KKKKK That image made me remember you right away... and feel hate for the poor shark! KKKK kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bt6Zd5ealduXmYU.html

Great one :) But that russian accent advising get a bigger kite it is just such a cliche:DDD laughed a lot. also the worst advice ever :D The old folk telling about the big boards has the truth!

don't look at it as much as Ed bassmaster 🤷🏼‍♀️

buy good glasses, a normal suit and don't worry, no one cares how you ride - look at the horizon

Hi, I loved your KZfaq channel. I watched video but I am not sure if the location is near the Etobicoke marine. What places do you recommend here in GTA? I am✈️ to Cumbuco - Brazil in December to learn kitesurfing. I really hope next year I will be able to practice here in Toronto