If you love hydrofoiling or want to get into kite foiling and wing surfing, you should know that balance, stability, and control are essential if you want to master the discipline. Getting better requires practice, and Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate, especially during the summer months when wind can be scarce.

The good news is there is a way to train your skills on the land in the off-season. We love to use the OneWheel, a self-balancing electric skateboard that can be used as a fun way to get around and cross-train for any foiling sport.

In this blog, we'll explore how regular use of a OneWheel can dramatically improve your foiling skill set. We'll discuss how it strengthens your core muscles, improves your balance, and sharpens your spatial and body awareness.

These skills directly translate to better control and performance on a hydrofoil. Whether shredding the waves or maxing out the speed on your foil, the skills honed on a OneWheel will give you the edge you need and keep you entertained while waiting for the wind to return.

We'll also cover the impact of OneWheel on your reaction time and focus. You'll learn to make quick adjustments on the fly. Adapting to the different conditions you'll encounter on the water is necessary for all board and foil sports.

Remember, foiling is a sport, so cross-training like an athlete will seriously impact how much fun you can have. The mind-body connection will help keep you cool and in control regardless of the conditions you'll encounter.

By the end of this blog, you'll understand why incorporating OneWheel training into your routine is a smart move for any hydrofoiling enthusiast. If you want to learn more about OneWheel, kitefoil, wingfoil, or watersports, call us; we're happy to help.

What is a OneWheel? A OneWheel is an electric skateboard with a large wheel in the center. Many kiteboarders, surfers, and hydrofoils use them when there is no wind to improve their balance, body awareness, and proprioception—the body's ability to sense its position in space. This is a fun sport in its own right and a great training tool.

Is OneWheel easy to use? Yes, it has a gyroscope and accelerometer to assist with balance. You can control your speed by leaning forward to accelerate and backward to slow down. Turning is similar to foiling, as you shift your weight from side to side, applying pressure with your toes and heels. Riding a OneWheel engages your core muscles, improves balance, and offers an experience that feels like a blend of snowboarding, surfing, and foiling, all on dry land.

Where can I use a OneWheel? You can ride all kinds of terrain, from pavement to rough trails or hard-pack sand on the beach. Some riders will even fly a wing on the beach while training with their OneWheel! Don't let it get wet, as it's still an electronic tool. It's popular among outdoor enthusiasts, urban commuters, and thrill-seekers who enjoy its mix of challenge and fun.

The OneWheel, with its single large wheel and responsive electric motor, requires riders to maintain some balance and control. It's self-balancing, but the small balance on your part translates directly into the skills needed for hydrofoiling, where stability and quick reactions are key. Here's how regular use of a OneWheel can help your hydrofoiling skill set:


Benefits of OneWheel for Kitefoil and Wing Foil: 
Core Strength for Stability on the Water: Part of wingfoiling or kitefoil is maintaining a stable stance as you glide above the water. The OneWheel engages your core muscles—abdominals, obliques, and lower back—every time you ride. This constant engagement builds strength and endurance in these muscles, which are crucial for keeping your balance on a hydrofoil. Stronger core muscles mean better stability.

Proprioception and Awareness: Admittedly, I had to look this word up, but it's a concept I think about often when cross-training for sports. Proprioception or body and spatial awareness is monumental in watersports.

Hydrofoiling requires a sense of body positioning, especially when transitioning between different water conditions like chop or waves.Riding a OneWheel sharpens your proprioception, the body's ability to sense its position in space.

As you make micro-adjustments to maintain balance on the OneWheel, you're training your body to do the same on a hydrofoil. This helps you stay centered and controlled, whether learning to ride waves or balancing at high speeds.

Stability for Foil Control: Hydrofoiling is about keeping your balance in motion, often at high speeds and on varying water surfaces.

The OneWheel mimics this challenge by requiring constant weight shifts and adjustments as you ride. This practice directly translates to improved control and responsiveness on a hydrofoil, where you need to react quickly to changes in the water, adjust your weight distribution, and maintain a steady ride.

Reaction Time for Quick Adjustments: Foiling demands quick reactions to maintain balance, especially in gusty winds or choppy waters. The fast-paced nature of riding a OneWheel sharpens your reflexes, training you to adjust your stance and balance instantly.

This improved reaction time will help correct your posture while making micro-adjustments to stay on foil.

Presence and the Mind-Body Connection: Hydrofoiling, like OneWheel riding, requires a quiet mind and being present in the moment. Honestly, it's a massive part of why we do these sports!

Staying aware of your surroundings and balancing are cathartic for the mind and the body. Both sports will help with this; like most things, it's a skill that gets better with practice.

Key points and takeaways: Training on a OneWheel offers several benefits that translate directly to hydrofoiling:

Stronger Core Muscles: Essential for maintaining a stable stance on the foil.

Improved Balance & Awareness: Helps you stay centered and controlled in varying water conditions.Stability: Enhances your ability to adjust to changes in water speed and surface.

Sharper Reaction Time: Crucial for quick adjustments while foiling.

Presence Mind-Body Connection: Keeps you in control during long or challenging sessions.

Remember that the body mechanics are exactly the same. This means that the stance is almost identical on a OneWeel and on a foil board.

The role, pitch, and yawl are all the same. Flattening the tire does get rid of the roll and yawl a little pit. Roll, pitch, and yaw are terms used to describe the three primary axes of rotation for an object in motion.

Roll: The rotation of an object around its longitudinal axis (the axis that runs from front to back). Imagine an airplane or a hydrofoil board tilting side to side, with one wingtip or edge lowering while the other rises. In hydrofoiling, roll control keeps balance when making sharp turns or carving.

Pitch: Pitch is the rotation around the lateral axis. This movement tilts the front of the object up or down. For example, when a foil's nose goes up or down, it's pitching. On a hydrofoil, controlling pitch helps maintain the right angle of attack for the foil, which makes lift and height above the water.

Yaw: Yaw refers to the rotation around the vertical axis, which runs from top to bottom. This movement changes the direction the front of the object is pointing, like when a plane's nose moves left or right. In hydrofoiling, yaw control helps steer the board, determining the direction of travel.

Turning: When you turn or carve on a OneWheel, you are training to turn and carve on a foil board! We recommend learning to ride the OneWheel in both directions.

This means you can practice riding with your regular foot or goofy foot, either with your left foot forward or your right foot forward. This will teach you control to ride toeside and heelside in both directions for gybes and tacks!

Fly a trainer kite with the OneWheel: You can pick up a trainer kite for a couple hundred bucks and practice all kinds of foil moves and kite control. Kite foiling is all about mastering the kite control while maneuvering the foil. Use a small one to three-meter trainer kite in a large parking lot or beach and practice them together.

Fly a wind wing with the OneWheel: Wing control is a massive part of wingfoiling or wingsurfing. You can spend time practicing the wing on the beach or take it to the next level and learn to fly a wing with the OneWheel. Many people recommend using a skateboard for this, but the OneWheel will more closely mimic the feel of a foil and be more effective

Pick up a OneWheel here to start training now. 
Grab a trainer kite here. 

Elite Watersports has a full selection of kitefoil gear and OneWheels. Our dedicated team has been foiling since the beginning. We also love to OneWheel when there is no wind here in St Pete! We're happy to help you choose the right gear to get started or take your kite foiling to the next level.

In 2024, we live in a time of abundance; all kites from major brands are great but have their own flavor. We can share insider insights and what to expect from different models.

The expert team at Elite Watersports is here to serve. If you have any kiteboarding related questions call us. We can build custom kiteboarding packages, book kiteboarding lessons or simply offer helpful advice. We're your one stop shop for kiteboarding knowledge.
Swing by the shop and you can try on different kiteboarding harnesses and more. 

If you need help deciding on your first kiteboarding kite give Elite Watersports a call. We're happy to set you up with your first kiteboarding kite.
(727)-800-2202