Grabbing the surfboard when riding strapless

[boris]

Hey.

I just found this page and it’s awesome because it is just the kind of page that I was looking for!
I’m kiting strapless on a surfboard in waves - of course in waves, but I also started doing freestyle on the surfboard, and this is actually what led me to this page because I was searching for an answer to the question I ask below.

Can any of you please tell me how to grab my surfboard when I’m jumping, so that I hold the board in my hand (away from the feet) while doing for example a jump transition?
I’m not sure about the right technique to get the board up and into my hands.

Thanks a lot!
Boris

[Lonny]

Hey Boris,

Welcome to LTS. Thanks for joining us here. Glad you found us!

To get your surfboard into your hands takes a little practice, but can be done pretty consistently once you get it down. I find it easiest to grab the board with my front hand and keep your back hand on the bar - especially for a transition. Before you start to try to grab your board you should have your ollies down so that you can get the board out of the water consistently. I will assume that you are doing that already. So here it is:

1) Slow down by heading up just a bit (push upwind with foot pressure)
2) As you head up bring your kite to just overhead (neutral) or just a bit behind your back shoulder. Each kite is different but you need to find that sweet spot where it is not pulling on you and gives you a bit of lift.
3) Remove your front hand from your bar and slide your back hand all the way till its right on your chicken loop.
4) Ollie the board into your front hand and try to grab the rail when it reaches your hand. Do not try to pop the board too hard because it will often fly away or come out awkwardly in the air with too much pop. You just need enough pop to get it to reach your hand.
5) Once you have the board in your hand dive your kite back towards the new direction behind you and as you generate speed in the new direction drop your surboard going the new direction.
6) Show off a bit, and feel some pride in what you just accomplished riding away with a little strapless steeze!

Hope that helps, and let me know how we might be able to help you further. Lets see some pictures of you nailing it once you have it!

[boris]

Hey Lonny.

Thanks for your help, now I Just need some wind so I can go practice.
I will hopefully soon send some pic with my board in my hands

[bat]

My next session will be based on these 6 points...

Lonny, will you recommend to train it a bit overpowered at the begining, so it could help to learn without having a lot of speed ?

Thx.

[Lonny]

My next session will be based on these 6 points...

Lonny, will you recommend to train it a bit overpowered at the begining, so it could help to learn without having a lot of speed ?

Thx.

Hey Bat,

Great! Hope you find the tips useful, and you will be grabbing in no time.

As far as your question goes, I would go out powered, but not over powered. You need to be able to have enough speed to successfully, ollie the board to your hand, which will require some speed, but more importantly good technique. A good ollie is key because once you can do that well getting the board into your hands is just a matter of timing and a bit of luck.

I look forward to seeing your moves soon!

[bat]

Ok thanks

[bat]

Hy guys !

After all this time (and no wind in the caribbean..) I can finally grab this stupid board
The thing is that I really don't know what to do with it when it's i my hand ...

I can grab it almost all the time and I tried like 30 times yesterday to land something on it but no way !
I've tried to land the same direction starting the ollie at 12 or even 11 to keep the speed but no... I also tried to grab with less speed and try to land into a transition to the other direction (which seems to be easier... almost done) but I don't get it too. Basicaly I have not enough speed to land or no more lift...

I'm like 1.50m the higher... and I try mostly on flat water.
I think I miss a timing thing with the kite to land properly, so if anyone have an advice on the "landing part", specially what to do with the kite

That would be great !

[JonModica]

Hy guys !

After all this time (and no wind in the caribbean..) I can finally grab this stupid board
The thing is that I really don't know what to do with it when it's i my hand ...

I can grab it almost all the time and I tried like 30 times yesterday to land something on it but no way !
I've tried to land the same direction starting the ollie at 12 or even 11 to keep the speed but no... I also tried to grab with less speed and try to land into a transition to the other direction (which seems to be easier... almost done) but I don't get it too. Basicaly I have not enough speed to land or no more lift...

I'm like 1.50m the higher... and I try mostly on flat water.
I think I miss a timing thing with the kite to land properly, so if anyone have an advice on the "landing part", specially what to do with the kite

That would be great !

Hey Bat,
Please refer to my article below. The problem your having is one of the big reasons I DONT recommend you grab when learning to do airs.
http://jupiterkiteboarding.com/pages/st ... arding.php

I promise if you start learning to do airs without grabbing, you will see a fundamental flaw in how you approach it.
Allowing yourself to grab the board teaches you BAD habits.
Once you can consistently do airs without grabs, you will then be able to go back and learn them REALLY easy.
-Jon

[mattv]

Jon is right learn to jump without the grab first. Adding a grab becomes much easier once you get the no grab jump down.

I find that when I jump my surf board with a grab having a small wave as a ramp helps a lot at first. This gives your board added pop up into your hand. For the first couple of jumps, do not take you feet away from the board. Do it like a simple board grab, i.e. keep your feet on the board and simply reach down and grab a rail. Gradually start pulling the board away from you feet a little bit at a time and putting it back before you land.

Also remember to redirect the kite. I have to think about this as I am jumping and grabbing with my front hand so I have to think about pushing the bar to get the kite to dive so I can hopefully ride off when I land.

Finally I think all here can attest that we have had way more wipeouts than successes, especially in the beginning. The strapless learning curve is much steeper than the traditional TT learning curve to a point. There will come a day when it will just click. Then you will try and add a new trick and the wipeouts will peak again. Just do not give up. The rewards are worth it

[Scribble]

Hey Bat,
Please refer to my article below. The problem your having is one of the big reasons I DONT recommend you grab when learning to do airs.
http://jupiterkiteboarding.com/pages/st ... arding.php

I promise if you start learning to do airs without grabbing, you will see a fundamental flaw in how you approach it.
Allowing yourself to grab the board teaches you BAD habits.
Once you can consistently do airs without grabs, you will then be able to go back and learn them REALLY easy.
-Jon

Very nice article. Thanks! That was just what I needed to read last night after a 3 hour session on my surfboard. That article deserves a sticky at the top of the page.

Andy

[bat]

Ok guys... I won't grab anymore...

I've found it really hard to get an air when there is no waves, our main spot here is really flat but I guess I'll have to try harder...

Btw here are some pics of our spot if by any chance some of you wanted to come

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=4 ... 709&ref=mf (it's not me... )

and the "wakestyle" setup

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak- ... 1933_n.jpg

Waves are hidden somewhere else...

[chanson]

Gotta agree with Jon on this one...
Learn the air first, dial it in, then start grabbing.

I think if you are gonna grab, then grab like you would on a snowboard, skateboard, surfboard or wakeboard....

If you are going for a grab where you suck your knees up with kite in neutral and just hold the board for a bit, then throw it under your feet before you land, I personally think it looks like a "board-off" and isn't that fun... plus, it sometimes looks like you are taking a dump in the air

haha, just look at the header on here hahah, just kidding, but kinda, right?

[sundogchicky]

nice set up!!!!!

[bat]

I agree with you too guys... the grab should look like a surf, snow or skate grab !
Anyway I tried hard yesterday and the most I get is a lill 5ft high, not landed most of the time. The board isn't sticking but it's comming..

I just have one more question, do you think it's easy (possible) to throw really nice (high) airs with just 17/18knots ? I mean is this wind enough to stick the board to your feet ?
My board is not so big, a 5'2'' but it's not that light too... (wainman).

Ciao !

[sundogchicky]

"looks like you are taking a dump in the air "
f@#^%*k
ive got the crap airs down.......
thanx for keeping everyone right on track
yes learn them proper just like modicas says, now i have to go learn them right........
back to the drawing board