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Kiteboard Jump Tech |
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Learning to jump is easy if
someone shows you how. Snowboarders and surfers may have some
crossover when learning the jump. There are several components of
the jump, the board steering, the body position, the sheeting of the
kite, and the timing. You may want to practice the body positions in
front of a mirror until you get a smooth , action down, try to
visualize the jump, and if possible pay close attention to others
jumping. Watching a video in slow motion can help, (if you know what
to look for). |
| In the blink of an eye:
When you watch a kiter
jump, it happens quickly and you may not see all the
actions that go into the jump. Even experienced
kiters cannot tell you exactly what they do, because
they just learned by muscle memory alone. An
instructor should be able to break down the move
into several parts, so that you can practice them
separately and then combine them for a jump.
Where to look:
Next time you watch someone jump,
watch their body position, and their butt and legs,
what do they do before and during the jump? There
are usually some kiters doing the same jump over and
over in the same place close to shore, so watch them
to see their position over several jumps. You can
watch a video too, and rewind several times. Then
look at their arms, and the bar, and when they sheet
in and out.
When to look:
Most people will tell you what they
do during a jump, but most people will not tell you
what they do a second or two before the jump. Watch
the few seconds before they jump, and watch what
happens pre-jump.
Look before you leap:
Before you jump you should make an extra effort to look behind you and upwind
for other kiters. You should have no one 30meters
upwind of you and clear space for 50meters downwind
of you. Before you turn, or jump or do any
maneuver, you always try to look in all 6
directions: Ahead, Behind, Left, Right, Above &
Below you. |
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Side
View |
Jumping a kiteboard is a combination of kite
control, board control, and body movements. Timing
and coordination are very important to get the
maximum jump in a given condition. When learning to
jump we should start to focus on the board steering
and the body movements. We can get bunny hops and
learn board control without needing to steer the
kite. In this diagram we show the board steering,
the body movements and a side view of the board
leaving the water. It is not necessary to have a
wave in order to jump, but it helps to have a
target. We have put in a small wave to show the
timing and trajectory of the board leaving the
water. |
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Scene1) In the first scene, we
are looking down on the board, and can see the board
going along at 90degrees to the wind, then steer
upwind just before the jump. in the air the board
will turn down wind, then you will land slightly
downwind of the track you were travelling on. Most
people will try to start a jump by riding upwind,
this is not correct, you steer upwind only in the
last two seconds or so. |
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Scene2) In the second scene
you can see the changing body position before and
during the jump, and landing. First the kiter is
riding normally in an upright position with the bar
sheeted in. Then in the pre-jump the kiter drops his
weight, bends the knees and starts to sheet out,
Then he is fully extended, with the knees bent and
his butt almost touching the water, Then to jump the
kiter sheets in sharply and straightens his legs to
direct his weight upwards. In the air he keeps
sheeting in and then lifts his legs. Then when he
starts to descend he will extend his back leg to
land tail first. When he touches down, he will bend
his knees to absorb the impact , and also sheet out
again to control speed and power. |
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Scene3) You
can see from the diagram when the board leaves the
water. After the kiter has sheeted in steered
upwind, and straightened his legs, then he can
experience the jump. Then is only half of the story,
because we always want to have a soft landing. See
how the board touches down tail-first. This action
will soften the landing. Then the kiter will steer
the board slightly downwind so he can land with some
speed. |
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Scene4) You
can see in this diagram the kite starts out at a low
angle, then the kiter brings the kite upward to
initiate the jump, as the kite passes 12 o'clock the
kiter is lifted up. Then at the apex of the jump the
kiter steers the kite forward again, and then he
finally brings the kite forward again to the normal
position for landing. |
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| Trouble Shooting: The right sized kite and
the right sized board are important for success, being "comfortably
overpowered" is best, if you are too overpowered you will not be
successful. Most people will go too fast and swing under the kite and
crash hard. When first jumping go at comfortable cruising speed,
because we want to mostly jump up, not forward. If you
swing under the kite and travel downwind under the kite, it is a
sign that you were edging too much upwind prior top the jump. Start
the next jump by going downwind more, then only turn the board
upwind at the last second. Kite gets behind you: if this
happens it means that you are pulling on your back hand too much. It
is best to learn to jump without sending the kite back too far. Try
putting your hands close to the center of the bar, hands close
together will prevent you from over-steering Check your hand
position, and maybe bring your front hand forward slightly.
Landing with too much speed: Maybe you are pulling the land hand
too much, put more emphasis on the back hand in the jump, and wait
for a second before steering the kite forwards to land. |
| This information is just the
basics of the basic kiteboarder jump. This information does not
replace proper training from a certified IKO Kiteboarding
Instructor. Always follow the ROW rules, and use common sense when
kiting in crowded areas, or with other water user's. Always keep a
lookout and avoid getting too close to other kiters. And wear the
proper safety gear. |
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All Images Copyright David Dorn
© 2010 |
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