Jul

Crash and Burn or Crash and Learn?

Tala

kiteboarding, kitesurf, kitesurfing, kitesurfing world tour, learning to kitesurf

A good friend of mine, also a professional kitesurfer, once told me when I was starting out “while one person hesitates because she feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becomes superior”.

I never forget these words when I am out on the water; progression in kitesurfing comes from not being scared to try!

Every crash takes you one step closer to learning that trick you’ve been attempting. It’s true that crashing is not pleasant. Still, I believe that with every crash you spot that little mistake to avoid next time.

When I am out on the water I focus on learning one trick at a time. I will try let’s say ten times, and with every crash I feel like I am one step closer to landing the trick that at first seems impossible.

You have to be willing to push yourself but to also know your own limits. Riders should go out and try the tricks most appropriate for their skill level. You cannot expect to learn one manoeuvre before first having the basics, and getting ahead of yourself is how injuries start happening.

An important phase in learning a new move is understanding it step-by-step, but most of all it’s committing 100%. When I’m training, I’m focused on what the trick looks like before I even attempt to try it, only then do I commit to it.

Tricks and clever moves aside, the most important thing when kitesurfing is to always have fun and to be safe on the water.