Virtual coaching

[01007653]

Began my virtual coaching adventure back in July. I AM A HUGE CONVERT for this. Any coaching I had done previously had been in person and I felt that way I could get instant feedback and make corrections - but because of weather, schedules and the fact I live 300 miles away from anyone who coaches foiling only managed this once a year at best.

The initially the thought of virtual coaching didn't resonate with me, I couldn't make the connection between being told something off the water and applying it in real life - I was wrong! Being able to take footage on the water and analyse it at a later date has been loads more effective.

When I am trying stuff I thought my body was doing one thing, when in reality it was doing something completely different (I thought my front knee was bending when in fact it was poker straight).

Rob picks out the key elements I am getting wrong to each trick, this makes it easy and I am then able to apply them at the next session. Every single session I am making steady progress. It previously took me two years to get my gybes and foot changes sorted but in the space of two months I learnt how to:

- LFF Tack Heel to Toe
- LFF Tack Toe to Heel
- LFF 360
- LFF Toeside 360
- RFF Tack Heel to Toe
- RFF Tack Toe to Heel
- RFF 360
- RFF Toeside 360
- Ride Strapless
- Beginning Lazy susan and Strapless boardoff jumps

P.s I don't get sessions on the water every day. I live where the prevailing wind is the wrong direction added to a massive tidal range means sessions are few and far between.

Can't rate Rob @ progression (www.progression.me/) highly enough with the virtual coaching - recommend anyone struggling to get the best out of their foiling to give it a try.

[leeuwen]

It is a shame a camera setup in the lines is a bit of a pain to do and there is some risks in regards to tangled lines and functioning safety (although with foiling/smaller kites its arguably less of an issue because you have lower forces in general)

I love the videos Rob makes!
Can't wait for some more foiling content to show up in the progression app.

[01007653]

I've been using the ugo line mount. Now I've got the camera settings right it's worked like a dream. Used the cheap chinese version in the past and I was worried about line tangles with that but the ugo seems to do the job nicely.

[tkaraszewski]

The US Sailing guys (SoCal race guys) were trying something like this using a 360 camera hooked up to an Oculus headset, so that coaches could watch 360 video of athletes during races, and just look around as if they were there. Not only is it a cool way to be able to see everything, it avoids having to do a bunch of reframing of the 360 video. I'd love to try it.

[Aberdovy kiter]

I use a 360 cam on a tripod set up in the shallows and when trying new moves i just fly back and forth past cam, it's amazing the difference it's made..