At what point did you stop progressing?

I had to grow some balls and practice riding un-hooked. Now im learning unhooked tricks

I'm there now too. I'm not a trickster. I've tried and tried to enjoy rotations and the like. It just isn't me. I much prefer boosting high and long and riding waves going out in gnarly conditions.

That problem with that is that I have boosted as high and as long as I dare and ridden in as extreme conditions as I dare... So I can't progress any further without delving into tricks for standard kitesurfing.

So the answer for me has been a different style. Next up for me is hydrofoil. Learn that, then take it into the waves, then bigger waves and also boosting in big waves on the hydrofoil. That progression will last me several years.

I have also plundered landboarding and kite buggying to my limits also.

On a side note. When the conditions are gnarly I am always stoked. 30 knots with a decent swell is fantastic and since it doesn't happen all the time i'm not sick of it.

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eppo said..

Underoath what style do you actually ride with?

I really like to mix things up a bit.

Surfboard- strapless, freestyle and a bit of wake.

I want to progress in the wake department. I can nail the basics- unhooked darkslids to back rolls, S bends, unhooked front rolls, unhooked raileys/ railey down loops, f16's- these are the same tricks I have been able to nail for the past year, year and a half. I'm feel like im stuck in time and I'm not getting younger.

Handle passes are giving me grief. On the weekend I was hitting kickers and just not getting everything right, when I try to 313, it just turns to mush. I think issue is between the ears.

I'll happily through down double kite loops off kickers in 30+ knots, no hesitation. But the thought of turning/passing is my achilles heel. I get so pissed off.

I really want to be nailing back/front mobes, 313s, kiteloops to handle passes that kind of thing.

I'd say the body is very much still willing. I haven't been injured apart from bone brakes and bruising.

Out of interest Russ - how old are you?

My old man gave up squash at around ~35, too many injuries. I'm 32.....

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Underoath said..

eppo said..

Underoath what style do you actually ride with?

I really like to mix things up a bit.

Surfboard- strapless, freestyle and a bit of wake.

I want to progress in the wake department. I can nail the basics- unhooked darkslids to back rolls, S bends, unhooked front rolls, unhooked raileys/ railey down loops, f16's- these are the same tricks I have been able to nail for the past year, year and a half. I'm feel like im stuck in time and I'm not getting younger.

Handle passes are giving me grief. On the weekend I was hitting kickers and just not getting everything right, when I try to 313, it just turns to mush. I think issue is between the ears.

I'll happily through down double kite loops off kickers in 30+ knots, no hesitation. But the thought of turning/passing is my achilles heel. I get so pissed off.

I really want to be nailing back/front mobes, 313s, kiteloops to handle passes that kind of thing.

Is Russ kraut getting close? Either way impressive list of riding styles and abilities there man, even in the unhooked class.

we are not professional riders, we are not paid to risk our bodies to a point where it can jeopardise our need to work and participate in the real world. These pros...they are living the dream right...but at a cost. Even Mark Jacobs, (my second fav rider) has paid the price recently. There is always a risk reward scenario for the recreational rider.

From looking above, it seems the next stage in your unhooked department will require an approach that sits a fair way over to the risk side of the spectrum, before the risk becomes manageable. Is it worth the reward? Are you being realistic given your personal circumstances In your life.

Then in again maybe you can find some specific tutorage in this area to reduce the learning risk.

Reckon that freestyle strapless stuff could be very rewarding with much less risk on the body Involved.

...also another way to look at it...are all your tricks so far, done with grace and precision. Have you really mastered them to the point you make it look easy, effortless, seemingly have all the time in the world. are your tricks done with focussed flow?

Can you combine the tricks for an awesome combination..moving from one to another...(hard for unhooked stuff i suppose)?

And....are you being bloody hard on yourself? I repeat, your list of riding credentials is already very impressive.

Now, is it time now to perfect these movements and move into that zen state of relaxed control?

...and am I just rambling absolute bullsh1t


ps getting professional guidance, I was totally serious about that regarding unhooked stuff. Why we don't have more organised coaching is beyond me.

When I got bored of boosting and water flicking in my face on the twin tip I moved over to my surfboard, been riding that for 2 years now and I'm starting to get bored of it.

I bought a foil hoping that would ignite the spark again. It did for the first few session but now it's just mowing the lawn back and forth..... Just higher up.

The only time I feel I really progress is when the waves are pumping and the winds 20+. I have found exploring new places to kite helps me progress, as I'm excited to get out and find new little things to try at each beach. Anything without waves feels boring and it's a hassle to go out.

The search for the perfect wave duuuuude!!!

I was thinking about this recently - kiteboarding is a very trick oriented sport, to keep progressing you need to keep pushing yourself to learn new tricks and do them bigger better smoother- you need to keep yourself motivated and the progression is its own reward

Wave riding is a bit different- even if you stay at the same skill level there's always that chance that an epic wave is gonna come your way. That's why you see the crusty old boys still keen as ever out on their longboards- they haven't improved their ability for many years infact they have probably gotten worse over the years but the chance to get a really nice ride keeps them coming back for more.

When kiting waves there's always that chance of a new wave at a new spot or just really good waves at your local spot and that is enough to keep a lot of people stoked

Me personally I still have a long long way to go with both my surfboard and twin tip riding- I like to boost in strong winds- ride waves- down winders- light wind cruising- I am always pretty keen and I think having a good amount of variety helps

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eppo said...

Duff15 said..
I had to grow some balls and practice riding un-hooked. Now im learning unhooked tricks

Because I take it you mastered all the hooked in tricks....good for you man.

Underoath what style do you actually ride with?

Far from it. I was actually trying to learn to dark slide and just could never get it right no matter how many times i tried. I just wanted a new hype and found it.

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Brohan said..

eppo said..

What's there to do on a twin tip if spinning or unhooking doesn't interest you?

i'm the same. Spinning and unhooking doesn't interest me either.

What about getting a mutant and boost to the moon and ride waves at the same time?

I had a cracker session on saturday. A solid 30 knots and some clean shoulder high sets. I rode the waves for a while on the 6m. But really i can't be ****ed riding waves under headhigh. So i proceeded to rig the 8m and boost of those lips. Super Fun. Managed to gap a few wave and downloop land on some others and ride em back. That was way more fun than just riding the wave or just boosting.

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Underoath said..
The secret to a darkslide is traveling at max speed, then looping your kite. You want heaps of energy in your kite.

In the process of passing 11, lean forward draggin your toes. Once at 12, loop hard. this will flick you back into the air.

Yeah I'm sort of stuck at the down looping , just need to grow some balls and pull it around.

you know underoath if you want to take it to the next level you know where it's at bro

Build a rail and hit that. Hours of fun and no impact on your body.

Or if I get bored, I pull out the wakeskate

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Underoath said...

Plummet said..

i'm the same. Spinning and unhooking doesn't interest me either.

With all due respect. That unhooking/spinning/passing is probably the hardest aspect/ most technical part of kiting on a twin tip.

Sure, its not for everyone, but It's easy to write some activity simply because it's difficult and challenging.

Plummet, if you were 20 again, or you had no current body limitations, do you think you would give it a bigger crack, in becoming competent in wake-style discipline?

Boosting to the moon will always be fun too Plummet

No. If I was in my 20's id be chasing mega loops in 40 knots. But would still have not interest in tricks. The same is true for my mountain biking. I really love smashing a Dh track with big jumps and drops but am not interested in tricks at the jump park.

Ps I was mountain biking in my 20's. I raced dh.

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strydz said...
Getting old sucks but It's all in your mind, Find someone who can help with advanced lessons and find good people to ride with that push you to ride harder.

Your quite right. You still need to push yourself and break through mental barriers as you age. They may be different barriers in your 50s to your 20s but you still have to have a crack at them.
I've been a life long snow skier and would consider myself pretty competent but still go seeking advice and an hour or 2 guidance whenever I ski. After initial lessons never done that kiting. Totally different sport culture. Which is ok!

Then work on grabbing the back of the board and doing a backroll out of the darkslide. Darkslides are wicked fun on a bigger kite with 27m lines...long slow drawn out slides That seem to go forever.,..