Interesting statement from on of my favorite blogs:

The best way to graduate from beginner is to get in way over your head. Nothing makes you better faster.

Now these guys are a software development company so in that contents it makes alot of sense, but for kitesurfing its way to gung-ho but it does bring up a great point for kitesurfing beginners – maybe the statement should be changed to:

The best way to graduate from beginner is to commit yourself fully. Nothing makes you better faster.

If you really want to learn to kitesurf then its needs to be your top priority, in particully at the novice stage. Time on the water is all that matters and the right conditions can be few and far between, so when the wind is right you need to drop everything and get out there.

Here’s a exert from an interview we did with Steph Bridge, owner of Edge Watersports, an instructor with years of experience and one of the top kite racers in the world. She explains it well:

So if you are looking to start kitesurfing, or struggling to get over those early stages then its time to commit yourself fully. Best tip – warn your friends and family that all arrangements are subject to wind conditions, you’ll get some strange looks but they can’t complain that you didn’t warn them…

Showing common mistakes that can be encountered when learning new tricks and techniques is a Progression trademark. It helps you visualise and understand what you may be doing wrong, helping you identify those small tweaks to your riding that can make that big difference.

Here is a quick overview of the main common mistakes for waterstarts:

1. Twisting in the water - you need to steady your kite at 12 by moving hands into centre and sheeting in, balance your foot pressure on both sides or take board off and start again

2. Not getting enough pull - you need to be more aggresive with the kite, steering your kite into the central power zone not at edge of the window, steer the kite slightly back one way first before you dip it fast down the other side of the window

3. Falling in backwards after first getting up - need to adjust stance as you may be leaning back too much, not directing the board downwind to get enough speed, legs may be too straight so your body can’t rock up easily

4. Getting pulled over the front - Too much weight over front foot so burying the board, need to keep back leg bent under your body and front leg only slightly straighter to direct board downwind, you may also not be continuing to fly the kite back up in figure of 8 leaving you with no power

You can see each of these common mistakes, in full, on the New Progression Beginner DVD, which now has extended common mistake for all chapters – click here for more information and to buy your copy.