BayAreaKiteboarding.com

so after a year of watching my friend get motivated, buy a trainer kite and take lessons, I finally got motivated to take my first lesson this week after seeing some kiteboarders under the Golden Gate (pictures ~400k each):

http://www.maxnanao.com/gg_kite/DSC02132.jpg
http://www.maxnanao.com/gg_kite/DSC02136.jpg
http://www.maxnanao.com/gg_kite/DSC02116.jpg

the only problem is gonna be to fit this new addiction in with my already life consuming climbing addiction!

I'm planning on logging about a week of flying the trainer kite every day before scheduling a "real" land lesson (probably with KWS)... does anyone have specific exercises that I can work on?

big thanks to whoever those guys/gals were under the bridge for the motivation!

Wow, that first photo is a keeper! Ought to be published. I've stolen it for a desktop photo.

BTW, I'm looking at another lesson, probably from KWS, pretty soon. Perhaps we can double up and make it more fun. I'm on the peninsula.

Awsom picture!

As for workout, don't worry about it. If you do some other sport on a regular basis, you are good to go. The lesson is not going to stress your body too much. Maybe just little exhaustion. Itís a lesson after all, most of the time you will be floating in the water and swimming to the board.

Nice photos!

Here are some things to do with your trainer:

Run to the right and left while flying the kite (simulates riding, sort of).
Fly the kite with one hand.
Keep the kite in neutral with one hand while hopping on one leg and reachign behind your back with the other hand.(simulates reaching for your board in the water if you're starting with a board leash)
Tie a string around the middle of the bar and hook it to your belt buckle; then practice keeping the kite in neutral with one hand.
Sit on the ground and dive the kite hard. When the kite is halfway to the ground, jump up onto your feet and redirect the kite upwards. (Simulates water starting)
Send your kite into a deathloop and crash it, then go pick it up and walk 1/2 a mile trailing your lines behind you. (Simulates the walk of shame back up the beach after your first few downwinders.) :)

That is me in the 1st 2 pics here is a link to the data(fun w/ GPS) from that session.
http://chr.isbrown.com/last_session/

I will disagree with elli here. I recommend you stretch your arms especially the tendons around your elbow.

When jumping up and down don't forget to bark like a dog. But please, if you are not wearing a leash, don't crap on the lawn!

thanks guys!

I'll try all of those exercises today at crissy (well away from anything damageable of course). Walk of shame = piece of cake

and my tendons are already about as nuked as they can get from bouldering, so I'm not worried about that


al-kite-a .. dont you get spooked by the giant supertankers sailing by? That was a big one that went by shortly before the picture (this was Sunday i think)

Here are a few more exercises to try. (I've added walk of shame to my list :) )
- Practice tracing the clouds or buildings in the back ground.
- Pick a spot in the wind window and move it / stop it there.
- Lay on your side and simulate body dragging (hand 20 degrees from angle of lines).
- Try to "feel" the power of the kite as it moves through the window and "instinctively" know where the kite is by the force on the bar
- Be sure you can fly with either hand without looking at the kite, perhaps while reading a book and chatting on the cell phone.
- If you have a board practice putting it on while sitting. If not try a snow board or even some old sneakers.

If you can not seamlessly fly a trainer kite while standing on dry land its unlikely you will be able to seamlessly fly a larger more powerful kite while floating in the open bay. Learn how to fly a kite on land then it will be easy to learn to kite board on the water. If you take your lesson from Kite Wind Surf you will have a full time board delivery service available from the the jet ski support - but it is only valuable if you are practicing kite flying not kite relaunching! It's all about flying the kite- and there is no way you can practice that skill to much beforehand.

For a bit more perspective read this article titled "A Water Lesson".
https://www.bayareakiteboarding.com/vie ... php?t=1393

And don't forget to practice all this stuff in clear view of (though not too close to) lots of people, so you can get used to getting laughed at while screwing up. :mrgreen: