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Toeside Air 360 - Strapless

The Toeside Air 360 combines a Toeside Ollie with a bit more than 180 degrees of rotation in the air, and 180 degrees of sliding.

To start, steer the kite up and back for some decent lift. Popping off is similar to a normal Toeside Ollie:
Remember to bring the windward rail higher after take-off for better control in the air. As with a normal Ollie, bend your front knee quickly.

To initiate the rotation use your back foot and back hand. After take-off use your back foot to pushe the tail up and forward.

Once you’ve completed the initial 90 degrees, start to push the nose down with your front foot. Doing this, you will land on the nose of your board with more weight shifted onto the front foot. Spinning further than 180 degrees before the fins touch the water will help a lot in sliding round and completing a full rotation. Shifting the weight onto your heels will also help to initiate the slide.

Before you start to slide into the second half of the full rotation, grab the bar with your other hand. When the board has finished the full 360 degree turn, push the bar up so your upper body can finish the remaining rotation freely.

Let´s have a look at the the kite steering: Like a normal Ollie, you don´t need a lot of lift, but nevertheless you will still need to steer the kite all the way up to 12 o´clock as this will help to rotate vertically around your center lines. To regain speed steer the kite down at the end of the move.

Let´s remember the key elements:

Use your backhand and back leg to initiate the rotation.
Push the bar all the way up to rotate freely
Land nose first on your front foot
Edge the board at the beginning of your slide and flatten it once the rotation is finished

Ride Upwind - Strapless

In this clip, we will give you some short tips for how to go upwind on your strapless kiteboard.

When you ride upwind, your kite will travel towards the edge of the wind window which means that it will generate less power. This will cause you to lose board speed which is normal when edging upwind.

To keep your board planing the right weight distribution is important: stepping your back foot forward will bring your bodyweight to the center of your board. This will improve the planning abilities when going upwind. The second benefit of stepping forward is that you can use the whole edge of your board to resist against the force of your kite.

It is also important to find a balance when edging . Too much weight on your heels will slow you down. So just try to edge as much as you need to keep your board on the desired upwind course. Remember you also have your fins which assist you when going upwind.

It is also important when kiting upwind to have the right amount of power in your kite. Try to pull the bar just as much as you need, as too much power in your kite will generate extra downwind drag. Flying the kite at around 45 ° will also help you when going upwind.

And finally look where you want to go - look at a fixed object in the distance and try to reach it.

So let´s remember the key elements:

Step forward to bring your weight to the center of your board and use more of the rail to go upwind
Edge the board as much as needed to resist the kite. A flat board has better planing abilities than an edged one.
Pull the bar as much as needed as too much power will pull you down wind.
Finally look where you want to kite to

Switch to Toeside - Strapless

Switching to toeside is a fundamental move for many basic and advanced tricks.

Start by flying the kite up to around 11 or 1 o´clock. This way the kite will pull you up and help with balance while you switch over your feet. Maintaining planing speed through the switch will also help with balance.

Next, shift your weight onto your front foot.

Let go with your front hand and rotate your upper body forward. At the same time, bring your back foot up to meet your front foot. Lifting the heel of your front foot and tucking your back foot underneath it will help with balance, as will positioning it on the centerline of the board.

Finally, shift your weight onto the toes of your new front foot, placing your new back foot on the tail.

Let´s remember the key elements:

Fly the kite high
Shift your weight onto your front foot
Place your front foot on the centerline for balance.
Shift your weight onto the toes of the new front foot and bring your new back foot to the tail.

Front - Strapless

If you want to dive deeper into strapless freestyle the “front” has to be on your list.

Taking a closer look at kite control during the trick:

The kite steering is similar to most strapless jumps. Bring the kite back and up to generate lift and then back down again to regain speed after the landing. It is important not to send the kite beyond 12 O’clock. This will lift you up and away from your board.

Let's have a look at the move in detail:

For the first half of the trick you need to initiate the rotation. Step your back foot to the tail of the board. With a wide stance, pop the board upwards with your back foot similar to a backside air. You need to pop as much as you can in order to generate enough height. Pull down on the bar with your front hand to generate extra lift. When you leave the water, initiate the rotation with your back hand, head, and back foot. Immediately use your shoulders to start twisting your upper body in the direction you want to spin. Kick the tail of your board up into the wind. Throw your back arm out to stabilize your body and accelerate the rotation. It is important not to lean your body too far off axis. The initial urge is to lean over horizontal. This makes it very difficult to get back over your board for the landing. You need to rotate vertical over your board and use your feet to keep the board pointed into the wind.
With the bar still sheeted in with your front hand, try to pull it across your body to your front shoulder. Look over your back shoulder and continue the spin.

For the second half of the trick, you should have rotational momentum with height. Quickly sheet out on the bar and rotate around your center line to complete the spin. Pull back in on the bar for landing. After you get the tail of the board around 180 degrees it should naturally fall around under you. Focus on re-engaging the fins to get the board facing in the direction of your momentum. Try to land flat and pointing downwind. Don’t try to land on your rail.

Now let’s take a closer look at keeping the board stuck to your feet:

While popping the board up you need to bend your front knee and lift the bottom of the board up into the wind. Immediately after takeoff you shift the weight to your toes which will bring the windward rail up. With the weight on your toes, kick the tail upwards transferring weight to your front foot and steering the nose down. Bend your back knee and rotate around your back hip - Remember to not go too off axis!. Use your back toes to lift the tail and keep the bottom of the board facing into the wind. The wind is what keeps the board pressed firmly to your feet. After you get the tail rotated around try to flatten the board off. Bring the board from your toes back into the ball of your foot. Now focus on bringing the tail down to the water first to engage the fins. Land centered on your board and facing downwind.

Handstand 360 - Strapless

The Handstand 360 is a real crowd pleaser.
The motion of the kite is similar to a transition, with it moving from 1 to 11 o’clock, or 11 to 1 o’clock at medium speed.

To start, carve slightly upwind letting go of your front hand, and gently steer the kite up to generate moderate lift.

With the kite almost at 12 o'clock, shift your weight from your heels to your toes in order to lift the windward rail. With your body weight hanging down through the lines, throw your feet into the wind and grab the windward rail of your board.

Rather than jumping off the board in an uncontrolled way, wait until the kite naturally lift you up. Jumping of the board would pop the board out in an uncontrolled way - so rather wait until the kite lifts you up.

While rotating, direct the board downwind and spot your landing.

If you need to regain speed after the Handstand 360, try adding in a Kiteloop. To do this, just before landing, pull down your backhand to initiate the Kiteloop.

With practice, try to invert the rotation for added style.

If you decide to loop the kite for more speed, you can choose to finish the move as a transition or just ride out.

Let´s remember the key elements:

fly the kite up to generate moderate lift
flatten the board
Hang your weight in the lines and throw your feet into wind.
grab the board with your front hand and direct it under your body

Backroll - Strapless

The Backroll is a good place to start if you want to learn strapless rotations.

The motion with the kite is similar to a transition, with medium speed from 1 to 11 or 11 to 1 o´clock. To regain speed it helps to add a kiteloop at the end.

Let's have a look at the Back Roll in detail:

Start with good speed and the hands placed close to the center of your bar. Send your kite up and make a tight carving turn upwind.

With the kite nearly at 12 o´clock, pull down on the bar and kick down with the heel of your back foot to initiate the take off. At the same time bend your knees fast so the nose of the board can rise up.

Once in the air, your back foot should be used to push the tail of the board in the desired direction. By bending the front knee, you direct the nose down and under your hips.

The key to this move is to make sure that the bottom of your board always faces into the wind. This way the board is pushed to your feet which gives good control.

Once in the air, bend the hips and try to keep your body in an upright position.

If you need to balance yourself, let go of the bar with your front hand.
As you approach the landing, start to pull in with your back hand. Sometimes it helps to add a kiteloop after landing to regain speed. Landing with the nose of the board first will ensure a smooth landing.
If you’re having problems keeping the board on your feet, try grabbing the board with the front hand directly after take off. Stay upright with your body and try grabbing the front section close to the nose.

Let´s remember the key elements:

fly the kite up
to initiate take off push down on the heel of your back foot and bend your front leg
push down on the tail with your back foot and bend your front leg to direct the nose of the board up.
try not to rotate too off axis as this will make it hard to get back over the board
land on the nose first and and in a kiteloop to regain speed.

Backside Air - Strapless

If you know how to do an Ollie and a jump on a twintip board, this will help you a lot when learning your first backside air.

The kite stearing is very similar to a jump on a twintip board. Before takeoff you steer the kite up to around 12 o´clock and for landing you send it back down again. For your first backside airs, try to steer the kite less aggressively than with twintip jump and no further back than 12 o´clock. This will make it easier to keep the board on your feet!

Let´s have a look at the backside air in detail.

Step back to the tail of the board and carve a small turn upwind.

Popping the board out of the water is key for the backside air, so while pushing the tail of your board into the water, shift the weight from the heels to the toes - this will lift the windward rail of the board which is essential for most jumps with your strapless board.

When the windward rail is higher, the wind presses the board to your feet.

The second thing that helps you to not lose contact with your board is the fact that the nose of the board is facing into the wind and is higher than the tail - to get into this position it's important to quickly bend your front knee during takeoff
After takeoff use the toes of your back foot to pull the tail of your board up and into the wind. Directing the tail upwind will bring the nose down and downwind - this is exactly what you want: carve upwind for takeoff , turn during the jump, and land downwind

And finally for the landing, try to shift your body weight slightly onto your front foot.

Let´s remember the key elements:

step back to the tail and make a small carving turn upwind
With the kite nearly at 12 o´clock, pop the board out and shift the weight from the heels to the toes of your back foot to get the windward rail higher
also pull down on the bar on takeoff
after take off bend your front knee and use the toes of your back foot to direct the tail of your board up and against the wind.
before landing, let go the bar half way
turn downwind and shift your weight to the front foot for landing

Ollie - Strapless

The Ollie is your first step into the world of strapless jumps.

There’s not a lot of movement with the kite except sending it ‘up’ before takeoff, and redirecting it back ‘down’ for the landing.
The main focus is on the board and your feet.
Start by carving a small turn upwind and kicking the heels of your back foot into the water. Now comes one of the key points: while kicking the tail of your board into the water, shift the weight from the heels, to the toes - this will lift the windward rail of the board which is essential for most jumps with your strapless board.

When the windward rail is higher, the wind presses the board to your feet.

The second thing that helps to not lose contact with the board is the fact that the nose of the board is facing into the wind and higher than the tail - to get into this position it's important to quickly bend your front knee during takeoff.

After takeoff, use the toes of your back foot to pull the tail of your board up and into the wind. Directing the tail upwind will turn the nose downwind - this is exactly what you want: carve upwind for takeoff, turn during the jump, and land downwind.

And finally for the landing, try to shift your body weight slightly onto your front foot.

Let´s remember the key elements:

During takeoff shift the weight from the heels to the toes of your back foot to get the windward rail higher
After takeoff, use the toes of your back foot to direct the tail of your board up and against the wind.
Turn downwind and shift your weight to the front foot for landing

Backroll tack - Strapless

The Backroll Tack is a cool and very smooth transition if done well.

The kite steering is similar to most transitions, moving between 11 and 1 o’clock, or 1 and 11 o’clock. Correct timing is key for this move, so let’s have a look in more detail.

Slowly start by flying the kite up and back. Once the kite is above you, lift your back foot and bring your back hip forward.

Whilst rotating your upper body, push the nose of your board into its new direction.

Once the rotation of the board is complete, place your new front foot in its new position. Step back with your back foot, flatten off the board and push the nose downwind with your front foot.

The kite steering should be smooth and slow from 1 to 11 or 11 to 1 o´clock. Once your feet are set in their new position steer the kite down to regain power and speed.

Let´s remember the key elements:

slowly fly the kite up and back
start the rotation when the kite is above you
place your front foot in its new position and push the nose of the board downwind
fly the kite down to regain power and speed





Toeside Air Reverse - Strapless

The Toeside Air Reverse is a good exercise for aerials in the waves, but it´s also a cool flat water trick on its own.

To start, let go your back hand and fly the kite up for some decent lift. Popping off is similar to a small Toeside Air or Ollie: quickly bend your front knee and pull your toes up to get the windward rail higher.

Your back hand and and leg initiate the momentum for the rotation.

The most important key element is that your back foot leads the tail up and forward. Once you’ve completed the initial 90 degree rotation, your front foot starts to push the nose down and back under your body. Doing this you will land nose first with more weight on your front foot.

In your first attempts the board will most likely slide back on its own directly after landing.

If you want to keep on riding fins first, try to rotate the full 180 degrees or even a bit more. After landing, push your new front foot downwind whilst simultaneously pulling your new back foot back under your body.

To slide back to Toeside, initiate a small carve upwind and then shift your weight forward. Doing this the fins will touch the water and speed up the slide.

Let´s remember the key elements:

Initiate the rotation with your free back hand and back leg
Your back foot pushes the tail up and forwards
After 90 degrees, your front foot should start to push the nose of the board back and down under your body





Toeside Tack - Strapless

The toeside tack is a really fun way to change direction with your strapless kiteboard.

The motion with your kite is similar to most tacks or transitions: slowly briniging the kite from 1 to 11 or from 11 to 1 o´clock.

Let´s have a closer look:

Start on a slight downwind course.

While steering the kite up switch to toeside and with your new back foot step far back on the tail.

The first key point is to wait until your kite has reached 12 o´clock or just a bit further and then initiate a tight carving turn upwind.

The second key point is to push the bar all the way up and support the rotation with your back hand.

When you finished the tack pull the bar and steer the kite down to regain speed.

Let´s remember the key elements:

switch to toeside and slowly steer the kite up
with the kite a 12 o´clock or just a bit further initiate a tight caring turn upwind
push the bar all the way up and support the rotation with your back hand
flatten the board and steer the kite down to regain speed

Ollie 180 - Strapless

When you Ollie 180, you need to rotate slightly more than 180 degrees in the air, using the additional momentum to slide out and complete a full 360 rotation.

To start, steer the kite up and back for some decent lift. Popping off is similar to a normal Ollie:
Remember to shift your weight onto your toes during take-off which will bring the heelside rail higher for better control. Like in a normal Ollie, bend your front knee quickly.

Now let´s have a look what’s important for this move: Use your back foot and back hand to initiate the rotation. After take-off , use your back foot to push the tail of the board up and forwards.

Once you’ve completed the initial 90 degrees, start to push the nose down with your front foot. Doing this, you will land on the nose of your board with more weight shifted onto the front foot. Spinning further than 180 degrees before the fins touch the water will help a lot in sliding round t and completing a full rotation. Shifting the weight onto your heels will also help to initiate the slide.

One of the key points is that you push the bar all the way up after take-off .Like in most strapless rotations, this will help to rotate vertically and not get off-axis during the rotation.

Let´s have a look at the kite steering: Like a normal Ollie,you don´t need a lot of lift, but nevertheless you will still need to steer the kite all the way up to 12 o´clock as this will help to rotate vertically around your center lines. To regain speed steer the kite down at the end of the move.

Let´s remember the key elements:

Use your back hand and back leg to initiate the rotation.
Push the bar all the way up to rotate freely
Land nose first on your front foot
Edge the board at the beginning of your slide and flatten it once the rotation is finished





Board off 360 - Strapless

If you’re confident doing a Backside Air with a Grab, then the Board Off 360 is for you.

Start by carving the board upwind and fly the kite up to generate decent lift. When the kite is above you it’s time to pop off.

The harder you pop, the easier it will be to grab the board, so kick down hard with your back foot and pull your front knee up and in. Try to avoid leaning down and forward to reach the board as this will disrupt your balance. Wait for it to come up to you, this will make the grab much easier.

Aim to grab the board slightly behind the middle as this will make the spin more fluid.

To complete this move it´s important to lean back and bend your knees and hips. This will give you more freedom and space to maneuver the board infront of your body.

Use your front arm to initiate the spin. You can stabilise the rotation with the toes of your front foot.
Grab the other rail after the board has rotated 180 degrees and add some momentum for the rest of the spin.

As you approach your landing stabilize the board with your feet.

Land downwind and steer the kite down to regain power and speed.

Let´s remember the key elements:

Pop the board high so you can grab it easily
Grab the board slightly behind the middle for easy spinning
Bend your knees and hips and use your front foot to stabilize the board through the rotation.





Toeside Air - Strapless

The Toeside Air Reverse is a good exercise for aerials in the waves, but it´s also a cool flat water trick on its own.

To start, let go your back hand and fly the kite up for some decent lift. Popping off is similar to a small Toeside Air or Ollie: quickly bend your front knee and pull your toes up to get the windward rail higher.

Your back hand and and leg initiate the momentum for the rotation.

The most important key element is that your back foot leads the tail up and forward. Once you’ve completed the initial 90 degree rotation, your front foot starts to push the nose down and back under your body. Doing this you will land nose first with more weight on your front foot.

In your first attempts the board will most likely slide back on its own directly after landing.

If you want to keep on riding fins first, try to rotate the full 180 degrees or even a bit more. After landing, push your new front foot downwind whilst simultaneously pulling your new back foot back under your body.

To slide back to Toeside, initiate a small carve upwind and then shift your weight forward. Doing this the fins will touch the water and speed up the slide.

Let´s remember the key elements:

Initiate the rotation with your free back hand and back leg
Your back foot pushes the tail up and forwards
After 90 degrees, your front foot should start to push the nose of the board back and down under your body





Barefoot Slide - Strapless

The Barefoot Slide is a stylish move where knowledge of board off tricks and precise steering of the kite is required.

The key is to fly the kite so it delivers enough constant lift to keep your body floating just above the surface of the water.

The movement of the kite is slow and similar to a transition. Flying from 11 to one o´clock or from one to eleven o´clock - depending on which direction you are riding. A kiteloop at the end gives you enough extra airtime to help you get the board under you feet and regain speed.

As already mentioned the kite movement is quite slow.Fast kite steering will generate too much power and lift you up and away from the board. Fine adjustments by pulling the bar down will help to keep your body floating a constant distance from the waters surface.

Let's have a closer look:

Slowly start to steer the kite from 1 or 11 o´clock up and back to generate moderate lift. When you feel the kite starting to pull you up, pop the board out similair to a small Ollie.

To get your feet off the board bend both knees very quickly and lift your feet up or in other words: Don’t pop too much, just let the kite pull you up.

It helps to lean forward with your upper body to grab the board more easily.

Now it´s time to feel like Jesus walking on water: extend your feet and slide over the waters surface. Flat water will make this move easier than choppy water.

When the kite has reached 1 or 11 o´clock get the board back under your feet.

Finally pull with your backhand to add a kiteloop and regain speed.

Let´s remember the key elements:

The kite movement between 11 and 1 o´clock is slow to generate constant & moderate lift
Quickly lift your feet off the board and grab the rail after a tiny Ollie
Keep on steering the Kite while sliding
Pull down on the bar for some extra lift from your kite
when your kite has reached 11 or 1 o´clock get your board back under your feet and add a kiteloop to maintain speed and ride away.