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Nuke grab The Nuke Grab is one of the more advanced grabs we cover in this playlist but it's not nearly as difficult as you think. There is a trick to doing this with ease and you can progress into it fairly quickly.  For episode two of our jump with style playlist we'll be buildup up to our next trick in this series. The Front Roll Nuke Grab. Most of the tricks we cover in this series are very simple and while this is not the most difficult trick it does take a bit of time and commitment …

The Gybe with a stance change is the second transition you should work on in your hydrofoiling journey. It's not the most difficult transition but this one is going to take some practice on your end. Don't get to discouraged and have fun with this one. As with all hydrofoil tricks, don't try to recover from a fall. Go with it and commit to the fall.   Before you try you should... Nail the heel to toe and toe to heelside transition - see previous videos Ride both natural and unn …

How to Jump with Style  So you want to learn how to jump with style? You’ve come to the right place. In this video and blog, we’ll break down five practices to implement into your kiteboarding every session. Regardless of your level, adding these concepts to your riding will give you something fun to try and it might turn a few heads or two when you seemingly upgrade your style overnight. For season three of Ride with Blake, we wanted to take things up a notch or two. Blake and …

This video will kick off a new series of videos showing some foil trick tips that you can look to learn in your beginner and intermediate stages of kiteboarding. We will be trying to drop one of these every week or so for the foreseeable future. So... keep an eye out.... and get ready to progress through some basic techniques and tricks. The Heelside to toeside transition  This week we are going to start with a familiar obstacle for new foilers...your first tacks. I speak with new …

Heads up, this is a special edition. If you've been following our bi-weekly "How to Jump with Style" videos, stay tuned. We’ll be back on our regular schedule with these next week. So you want to become a kiteboarder? Maybe you’ve seen it on your local beach and now you’re curious what it takes to get into an adventure sport like this. This video and extensive blog should break down the steps you need to take, and breaks down in detail many questions you might have. We’ …

The printable steps are at the bottom of this blog  So you want to learn to hydrofoil surf? Congratulations! We too have caught the foil bug for all of our board sports. Surf foiling is truly a one of a kind experience that makes even the most marginal days into magical sessions.  Aside from the silent, smooth, and effortless glide, surf hydrofoils tap into the most powerful part of the wave just beneath the surface. This allows you to keep momentum and connect sections on the smal …

The printable steps are at the bottom of this blog  Learning to sit on the foil is one of the first tricks everyone wants to learn. It's not that intimidating, it looks awesome and its really fun to try and incorporate this into transitions later on Step 1 – Practice getting low  This isn't a trick you want to just dive into. You'll want to work your way into it progressively. You can start by building muscle memory and squatting while riding. Simple bring your knees to your ch …

Foiling has changed everything. With so many applications, we find ourselves practicing a lot of crossover sports.Wakefoiling included. One of the most fun aspects of the sport is the freedom of just riding the foil be that on a wave or behind the boat. We decided it would be fun to do a tutorial on how to do this. In case you're new to foiling, we did a video on learning to foil behind the boat. You can check that our here.  If you're watching this, there is a good chance you already kno …

While not incredibly exciting, trimming your kite is important. It is imperative if you unhook, and it does help you jump better when your kite is set up correctly. Let's be honest, no one likes it when their kite isn't flying right!  Most importantly, a properly trimmed kite will prevent back stalling.  Step One: Find Some Space Find somewhere safe to park your kite, ideally over water or a large beach. You don't want any obstacles downwind of you or solid objects that you might …

The Butter Slide is hands down the easiest trick I’ll ever teach you. Just remember to come into this with good seed and power. The rest will sort its self out.  Once you learn the butter slide, try to incorporate into tricks you already know like transition or even front rolls! Step One Start Small Come in with good speed on your heel side edge, kite at 45. Ride slightly downwind lean back your your tail and put most of your weight on the back foot. At the same time, pull up with y …

If you can do a transition and jump, then you are ready for this trick! 4 Printable Steps for the Beach Step One: Start Small The smaller you go at first, the easier this trick is. It should feel similar to a regular transition except your doing it a few inches or feet off the water. This is going to help you build a good foundation to progress this trick into bigger variations that require more height and time.  Step Two: Pop Hard & Early  You will want to stomp your back f …

If you can do a backroll and you know how to pop toe-side, then you are ready for this trick!   4 Printable Steps for the Beach Step One: Pop Harder You are going to want to edge a little harder so that you can pop harder.  Fly your kite a bit higher (around 11 - 1 o'clock) for this as well. This will help offer you a little more time in the air to finish that full 180* rotation into a back roll.  Make a tight, arching, smooth, carving turn and pull in on your bar right a …

Yes, These are the rules...but you should know that not every kiter follows them or knows what they are!   If you see someone who doesn’t seem to know what they are doing, just kindly inform them of what you have learned from this video.  Safety is Key!  Don’t expect other kiters to get out of your way.  You can tell by watching their kite movement as they approach you, if they are going to give you respect or not.  If you have any questions, give us a …

This is Blake Olson here at Smathers Beach in Key West, Florida. I'm about to teach you how to do your first starts on a kiteboard. Ben, the person behind the camera, is going to be demonstrating as he's learning. Here are five simple steps for a successful waterstart.  5 Steps to a Waterstart  1) Fly the Kite with One Hand  The first thing you need to do is to practice flying the kite with one hand while holding the board in your other hand. Be sure to grab the bar in the middl …

This week we thought it would be fun to teach you something a little unconventional. While it's not your typical trick tip, giving a piggyback ride with your kite can be pretty fun!  This is a great way to share the stoke with anyone! If you have any questions, give us a call 800.622.4655  Printable Steps for the Beach   Step 1 Be Comfortable You're going to get close!  Be confident and comfortable in your skill level before taking anyone out with you.  Make sure yo …