How to learn kitesurfing? First steps in kitesurfing

However, there are also many people who still haven't dared take the first step, whether through lack of knowledge or fear of trying it.

That's why below you'll understand the first steps in kiting, and we hope that by the end of this post you'll be able to learn kitesurfing or at least have enough of a foundation to get into the water with confidence. Let's go! Below we explain some tricks so you can learn kitesurfing easily and safely.

As with all sports, kitesurfing requires a lot of practice, and if you're in good physical shape, so much the better! You need to be prepared for anything unexpected that may come up at sea. That's why here you can find tips for kitesurfing safely.

But let's go step by step: what's the most important thing you need to know to learn kitesurfing?

Basic concepts for learning kitesurfing

First of all, you need to know exactly what kitesurfing involves and what we can and can't do on the water. Unlike surfing, kitesurfing is a sport of travelling across the water in which the wind drives a traction kite attached to the body by a harness so we can move over the waves, but we won't tell you the whole history of kitesurfing because I assume you already know it. Every wave is unique and so we mustn't underestimate them. It's a sport that will help you improve your reflexes, flexibility and concentration at all times.

Although kitesurfing isn't an exclusive sport, it isn't recommended for people with a serious respiratory deficiency or cardiovascular problems, and it's likewise not recommended for people with diabetes or with shoulder and/or knee injuries.

It's worth stressing that any incident at sea (losing control of the kite, hitting an obstacle or other people in the water…) could be very dangerous. In this case, you should always carry a knife to cut the kite or the lines so you can free yourself and avoid possible more serious injuries.

To this end, before going into the water to practise or learn kitesurfing, it's a good idea to ask about and learn the safety rules of the area where we're going to kite, because there may be no-go zones.

Just as we need to be very sure which areas you can and can't kitesurf in, it's also essential to check the area before launching and, very importantly, to make sure your gear and equipment are in good condition. Otherwise, don't go into the water.

How to prepare the kite

Before going into the water you need to check your kitesurf gear. It's also important that someone helps you launch the kite, so it's essential that you don't hold the bar with both hands before everything is ready. Nor should you pull on the bar when launching. Always apply little tension and raise the kite slowly, since otherwise a gust of wind could drag you, and whenever you can, keep the kite pointing upwards at all times.

If you apply too much tension while raising it, the kite will go up too fast, and that's not a good idea.

To understand all this better, you need to master the wind window.

How to learn kitesurfing in the water

To start riding, your kite should always be pointing near 12 o'clock (read up on what the wind window is to understand this explanation) and then send the kite in the direction you want to go.

Make sure you send it close enough to the high-power zone so it gets you going properly. The faster you steer the kite, the further into the power zone you can go. Once you've sent it, turn it before 45º relative to your position to stop it crashing, and push the bar up to steer the kite.

Push yourself forward to get up on the board and steer the kite back up again to stop it crashing. A common mistake is tensing your arms when trying to control the direction your kite is going to go.

Once you're moving and have the kite in position, focus on getting up on your board. Start with your knees bent and your abs tight, since this will bring you closer to your board. As the kite pulls, after this it will be very easy to push your head and shoulders forward and you'll get up on the board easily. When you rise out of the water, straighten your front leg and put more weight on your back foot, bending your back leg.

You should also know that in strong winds it's very dangerous to launch the kite while it's downwind of you. Be patient and let the kite drift and settle properly before launching.

If the kite gets stuck, you can pull the centre lines up past the bar and tug on them. However, if the wind is light, you may need to try relaunching the kite downwind to have more success.

With onshore wind, you shouldn't come out of the water without keeping your distance from the shore, since the wind could drag you, causing unwanted falls. So, to avoid this, what you need to do is find a safe area that keeps its distance from the shore and other obstacles.

To land the kite, never pull the bar very hard: it could make things difficult for you and, if you're getting help, for the person helping you. To make things easier, let go of the bar once the person helping us has hold of the kite and walk towards them to release the kite's pressure. In the water, you should also try to have the kite end up with its trailing edge or back edge in the water.

These are the most basic tips you need to know if you want to learn to kitesurf so, once you've learned the lesson, what are you waiting for to start kitesurfing? The sea is waiting for you!