This all really depends on how diligent you are at practicing things. Everything from skateboarding to playing a musical instrument requires a ton of practice, and kitesurfing is no different.
If you’re good about getting in needed practice times and paying close attention to notes and videos, then you might never have to take a formal lesson. On the other hand, at least getting a few under your belt when you’re a beginner can be good because it helps reduce the chances of you picking up some really bad habits along the way.
As soon as you’ve learned something the wrong way, it’s going to take a ton of effort to unlearn it. Anyone trying to kiteboard without an instructor wants to check a whole bunch of sources before they practice a technique a certain way.
If you have a buddy that kitesurfs, then you might be able to bounce ideas off of each other when you’re starting out.
How Easy is it to Teach Yourself?
When I first started out, I didn’t think to keep track of how long it took certain skills to develop. I was too excited to get out on the waves, and honestly I think that I thought my skills were far better than what they really were.
Having that kind of mentality can actually hold you back, though. Judging by what I’ve seen people say online, it can take anywhere from around 15-20 hours of practice to get the basics down whether you’re studying all by yourself or taking lessons from an instructor.
That’s really not all that long. If you had a three day weekend and went kitesurfing for five hours a day, then you’d have a pretty good basis by the time you were ready to go back to work.
Best of all, it wouldn’t really feel like practice because I’m sure you can certainly think of worse ways to spend a few hours each day!
What Basic Skills do You Need to Learn?
Putting together your kit and taking the proper stance is the first thing you’ll want to learn. This, along with balance, is how you’d start any boardsport really.
Once you have that down, you’ll probably want to practice some self-rescue techniques for times when you end up out on the water and the wind suddenly dies off.
Having taken a look at some syllabus documents from pro kiteboarding schools, it seems that everyone agrees that body tragging and control bar techniques are also always included with beginner packages.
For what it’s worth, that does seem like the logical progression after you’ve learned to rig your kite and board. Quite a few people seem caught up with this whole idea of progression, however.
If it takes you longer to master certain skills when you’re starting out, then that’s actually cool! All it really means is that you’re going to get to spend some more times out on the waves, so don’t let anyone tell you that you need to be moving faster than you are.
What are the Pros and Cons of Kiteboarding Lessons?
While these are some of the more common advantages and complaints I’ve come across, keep in mind that everyone’s different so your experience might vary especially if you’re a more independent type who always likes to try new things on your own.
Pros
- Less of a chance of picking up bad habits
- Could be safer than learning all by yourself
- You may learn faster if the instructor teaches one-on-one
- Instructors could teach you things you’d never learn anywhere else
- A teacher can be there to correct you when you’re doing something wrong
- Good instructors will help you master self-rescue techniques so you won’t get stuck out on the water
Cons
- Could get quite expensive
- May not cover enough material in a single lesson
- Personality conflicts can be a problem, especially in group sessions
- Some instructors only teach larger groups, so you might not get personalized lesson plans
- You might feel rushed if the lesson is shorter than a couple of hours
How to Find a Good Kiteboarding School or Instructor
Those lucky enough to live in a beach community might have a whole list of local phone numbers that point to kiteboarding schools. If this is the case, then look for someone who seems really sincere.
You can usually tell if a particular instructor would make a good match for you just by chatting with them a bit. Don’t let yourself get swayed by slick advertising, though, which is a problem in popular tourist destinations.
Those who live inland should check out the local lake and river scenes, because there are often local instructors who may also specialize in other boardsports like windsurfing and offer combined packages.
How to Teach Yourself Kiteboarding
You’ll want to get yourself a good training kite and board before you try any of these steps, because you’ll learn a lot more with equipment that you don’t have to fight with.
- Practice putting together your rig
- Put your board in the water and get your footing while lying back
- Dive the kite into the power zone to catch a board start
- Throw the bar until you get through a safety release drill on your own
- Get a good grip on the control bar as well as a feel for kite power
- Relaunch your kite while you’re in the water
- Edge the board until the kite is at the start of the wind window
- Take your first downwind tour, when you’re ready
- Keep some power on your kite while you jump from small wave heights
- Slide until you’re able to turn and change direction
While it can take a long time to master those ten skills, you’ll be in a great position to continue boarding once you have. Check out this video from Flukes on how to prepare before you start practicing: