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Step One: Catch someone’s attention on the beach by tapping your head. Make sure that as you are coming in you have gotten the attention of someone before starting to put your kite down. Make sure the person knows that you want them to land you before putting your kite down low at the edge of the wind window. If they are not there in time and your kite crashes it can launch back in the air and take you with it. This will not only be bad for you but for your kite and everyone on the beach. …

The front roll is a must have basic for any kiteboarder. It looks awesome on its own but it does lead to more advanced tricks and rotations. Today you were going to learn this basic in three sessions. I'm going to do this one a little different as this video is for beginners. It's all about muscle memory and slowly building confidence. I'll be recommending a certain number of times you should practice each movement for each session. Let’s get started. Session number one: Do a flat 3 …

The backroll is a staple in your kiteboarding bag of tricks. With a few small adjustments you can really improve your style and make this basic trick your own. Session One: Do a Flat 360 First It's the same motion as a backroll, you're just taking the invert out of the equation. Send the kite gently, pop and look over your front shoulder. Doing this, your body will spin. As you come around spot your landing. As you look forward your body will stop rotating. Sheet the bar out to come down …

Five steps to better kite control. Hey guys, today I want to talk about five things you can do to dramatically improve your kite skills. After all, kiteboarding is mostly about flying a kite. I mean, kites have been around for thousands of years. Most people can have fun flying a small kite on a string. We have these amazing highly engineered tools that propel us across the water and into the sky. So it goes with out saying you need to spend a lot of time flying your kite and frankly just have …

The relaunch is one of the most important steps in learning how to kiteboard. After all, if you can't get your kite out of the water you're not going to get very far in the sport. One of the biggest concerns people face in the early stages is the fear of the unknown.  What happens if I crash?  How do I get back in if I drop my kite? Will the kite keep pulling me if I drop it?  To counter these fears, I recommend starting small. You need to practice your relaunch on the beach, …

How to Jump Higher Kiteboarding - Ride with Blake: Vlog 17 So you can jump, that's great! Now, you're wondering how to get more air. In this episode, Blake has 5 tips that will take you to the moon and back! So here it is, five steps for you on how to jump higher with your kiteboard. Step one: Have good board speed, a lot of people think that being overpowered will make the jump higher but that’s a common misconception. If you have to much power, you will get a lot of lateral jumps but no …

How to Ride Upwind in Light Wind - Ride with Blake: Vlog 16 For some, riding in light winds can be a little challenging. How can you ride upwind? Blake goes through the "Blake Necessities" on how to ride in lighter winds. 1. Get a big board or a foil Look for something flatter with little rocker. Good suggestions are the North Spike, Cabrinha Stylus, or Liquid Force Overdrive. 2. Shorten the wind window in strong winds - keep within the power zone 3. Perform S-turns with the kit …

You've take a kiteboarding lesson and mastered the Waterstart that's awesome! However, there is one little problem... How do you go back the other way? Fear not, I've broken down the kiteboarding transition into five easy steps. The next time you hit the water give these a try and see if they help! Step one Practice on the beach with a trainer kite. Visualization goes a long way with learning anything. If you can get your hands on it that's even better. I recommend taking a day or two m …

With so many friends coming to visit recently, I haven't been working nearly as much as I should. The last week I've mostly logged a lot of hours at work. That said, I thought I would talk about a really fun event that takes place in Key West. The Havana Classic, a Hobie cat race from Key West to Havana Cuba. Last year a few close friends and myself followed the racers quite a ways out. We didn't make all the way to Cuba but it was an incredible experience non the less. One of my long term goal …

How to do a transition on your foilboard! It's Friday so you know what that means. Another episode of Ride with Blake. The last week was incurably fun as some old friends from MACkite came to visit. Ryan (Rygo) Goloversic, Steve Lee and Chris Bobryk. There is nothing like kiteboarding with friends and having some adventures. Like when we helped some F-16 pilots get a session and they were quick to reciprocate by letting us fly in their in single engine plane. It's amazing what life will bring …

Hey folks! In the latest installment of MACkite’s Ride With Blake series, Blake Olsen chats about how to ride upwind - a critical skill in the learning process of kiteboarding for beginners. Blake: Today’s lesson is on how to ride upwind. Once you get your first start, you end up going back and forth on the beach and you end up walking back up the beach, and that’s all part of the learning process. Everyone’s got to do it, so don’t worry about the walk of shame - w …

The Back roll hand drag is possibly the most stylish way to transition The last week in Key west has been epic. Exploring the islands with my kite, paddle boarding the mangroves and snorkeling the reef. The abundance of wildlife in the ocean never ceases to amaze me! For this week's blog I thought I would share five steps to nailing your first back roll hand drag transition. This is one of the most stylish ways you can transition with your kite. Like most kiteboarding tricks, th …

The inverted front roll is a slightly more advanced variation of the front roll.  The last few days in key West haven’t been that windy. In truth, it’s a much-needed break! I thought I would take a bike ride down to the White Street Pier and break down my favorite trick for you. The inverted front roll! One of the most fun aspects of our sport is taking these basic tricks and adding your own personal style to them.  This is an intermediate level trick, that said if you ca …

So, you've taken a kiteboarding lesson or two and you're ready to try your first water start. That's awesome! Welcome to a new reality, my friend! I have five great tips for you to remember when you're first starting out.  Tip One Learn to fly the kite in one hand. Kiteboarding is 80% flying the kite, so it's a no-brainer you should have some serious kite time under your belt. I recommend finding a clear area and just hanging out with a friend. Remember to keep your hand on the middle of …

In the second episode Blake gives us a glimpse into his life on a sailboat in Key West.  Kite dreams Quit your job, move somewhere south. Pick up a sailboat and spend your days kiteboarding with friends. Live a care-free life. It sounds impossible, I know. I'm here to tell you it's not. Four years ago I moved to the Florida Keys. Since then I've lived in more than a few apartments and surfed a lot of couches, some nicer than others. Along the way, I've learned a lot about myself and …