Kitesurfing on holiday: a how-to

First thing’s first, as an extreme sport, kitesurfing is a full body workout. Like its equally intense and high-energy cousins - snowboarding, windsurfing, surfing and wakeboarding – you will definitely feel the burn as you learn and become more familiar with the basic kitesurfing techniques.

When kitesurfing, you’ll use pretty much all of your muscles out on the water. Your arms and abdomen are used to harness the kite, your thighs and bum by dropping into a semi-squat, your back by leaning against the kite’s pressure, and even your neck by leaning out and looking ahead of you. Like we said – Full. Body. Workout.

Needing quite specific conditions – windy and sunny - the surf forecast can be quite sporadic, and the sport really depends on the perfect conditions for learning to kitesurf. That’s why we only offer kitesurfing at two of our beachclubs. But when the breeze is just right, book a session and off you go. The breeze is normally best in the mornings, so get up early to start your kitesurfing journey. Remember: the wind is your power, so you must always respect it.

On your kitesurfing holiday, you’ll start with a small basic foil with two standard lines, which will give you a feel for the pull of the wind and see how your kite responds. You’ll begin by flying your kite whilst on the sand. Here you will get used to the feel of the kite, getting to grips with the pull of the wind and the motion it creates. This exercise is crucial, so that when you get onto the surface of the water, you’re able to control your kite and your direction.

It’s also the best time to become accustomed to rigging up your kite to your board, which is a lot more advanced when you use a power-kite, complete with various inflatable sections in case you need to re-launch out of the water. To get the most out of your kitesurfing sessions, make sure that you are clear about all the aspects of your kit, knowing your four lines and your control bar. It’s good to know your “chicken loop” and “foot straps” from your “harness”!

Next you’ll be taught how to launch and land your kite. When you are capable of keeping the kite in the air for longer than five minutes, you can graduate to a proper water-kite (or power-kite). With your kit you will learn to perfect the “body dragging” technique, which means that you’ll discover how to surf the water without your kiteboard – this sounds bonkers, but completely necessary to understand what to do when you come off your board. Finally, as a kitesurfing beginner, you’ll experience the real thing – using your board and kite in harmony to skim across the sparkling shores. There is no other feeling like it.

When it comes to kitesurfing, in order to progress, you need to learn how to do a water start, a few turns and possibly a jump. Now these are some brilliant skills to add to your repertoire, so listen carefully to your instructor at all times.

You don’t need to be a gymnast to be a “kiter”. However, being limber and agile does help! We suggest a little warm-up before each session. Kitesurfing on holiday for beginners can seem intense and laborious. However, once you are confident with the fundamentals of kitesurfing, it’s time for the fun part…to get wet!

Benefiting from the power of your kite and using your lines to control your kite, you will soon find yourself taking some figure of eight power loops and learning how to turn on your kiteboard. Whilst you’re bouncing across the water, be conscious of the fact that this thrilling ride may be stopped short if the wind dies down or you hit a wave. Alas, it’s always a good chance to practice the re-launch of your kite from the water’s surface, which will be the hardest part of your day, but definitely the most rewarding when you pop back up on your board with your kite in the air.

Face plants will be a regular occurrence when you are strapped into your board, so don’t despair, it’s all part of the process. During your kitesurfing lesson you will need to remember multiple techniques to control your kite, as well as manage your board underfoot. Using the weight of your back leg and the pull of your body weight to propel you and your board forward, you need to ensure that the kite comes back through the powerful zone, using the wind. This isn’t as easy as it looks in person, or even on YouTube, but it’s worth practicing.

Whether you’re kitesurfing in Sardinia or kitesurfing in Greece, you will want to try a jump. Learning new independent tricks depends on good weather conditions and relies on your board confidence. That said, executing your first jump will be your best memory from your kitesurfing beginner sessions.

Here’s how you to start with a small jump; • raise your kite slowly • at 12 (imagine a clock) pull in your bar to launch • as you land, steer the kite back to its original position • continue riding

It’s all about kite control. To jump, you don’t need to ride quickly or find a massive gust of wind, you just need to always lean back and keep your upwind edge, remembering to keep your hands close together.

Like any activity, practice makes perfect. So, where better to start kitesurfing than on your holiday with those you love?! Booking on to one of our local kitesurfing classes in Sardinia or Fuerteventura will be one of the best choices you make all week. We’ll hook you up with top-class and expert kitesurfing instructors who have a wealth of experience and all the patience.

Ready? Browse our kitesurfing holiday deals!