Kiteboarding, also known as kitesurfing, is not just a sport; it's an adventure. It's a journey that requires lessons to get into the sport, and the stoke of the ride is worth every lesson. But is it worth taking intermediate or advanced lessons? Absolutely. These lessons not only enhance your skills but also add to the excitement of the sport. Lessons are a smart idea at any stage; the best riders in the world all get coaching to reach the top of their game, so why shouldn't you?

While learning to kiteboard typically takes about 30 hours, mastering the sport can be a lifelong pursuit. However, professional lessons can significantly reduce the time, frustration, and troubleshooting involved. Most kiteboarding students learn the basics and then spend the next few seasons mastering fundamentals like riding upwind, toeside, or attempting their first jumps.

You can spend a few years working on these basics or invest in yourself and spend a few hours fast-tracking your success. We have many returning kiteboard students who take a few hours to have a professional kiteboard instructor follow them on a ski and offer tips and guidance to take their riding to the next level. Not only are these lessons productive, but they are fun. Imagine learning something new and pushing yourself to the next level with clear goals for the session every time you get on the water. Kiteboarding is not just a sport; it's a community of driven individuals with a passion for success.

Whether you're a doctor, a pilot, a working professional, or an adrenaline junkie, you'll find like-minded individuals in the kiteboarding world. The author of this article has been teaching, competing, and progressing in this community for 12 years now and still loves to link up with others for advanced tips. This shared passion and the sense of community make kiteboarding more than just a sport. If you've ever considered taking intermediate to advanced kiteboarding lessons, this blog will share everything you need to consider and what you might learn.

• You'll build more confidence.
• You'll know exactly what to work on.
• You'll save time.
• You can avoid plates and frustration.
• You will have more fun.

Confidence: Many new kiteboarders lack confidence after their initial kiteboarding lessons. They know the basics, but there is still much to learn. For example, there are three wind ranges with different skills you will have to master. Lightwind, moderate, and strong wind require different gear and techniques. Launching your kite in 20 knots is easy, while launching your kite in 12 knots takes a special skill set. Riding in 18 knots might be easy, while kiteboarding in 30 knots can be intimidating and requires different skills. Some people love the process and welcome the challenge, while others would benefit greatly from having a professional work these things out with them.

Path to progress: Knowing precisely what to work on can be tricky. After your first lesson, you'll want to learn more fundamental skills like how to kiteboard upwind, do a kiteboarding transition, or even do your first kiteboarding jump. Working with an instructor, you can catch mistakes and correct the tiny details that matter fast. A good kiteboarding coach will be able to assess your goals and work on a clear plan for you to train. They can critique your form and offer tips on what and how to practice so you can progress fast.

How long does it take to learn how to kiteboard upwind?

Save time: Learning new tricks takes a lot of time. You could spend weeks, months, and sometimes years working on new tricks. Depending on how often you get out, learning to kiteboard upwind can take a few days to several months. A good kiteboarding coach can teach most how to kite upwind in a few hours. Obviously, everyone learns at a different pace, and some are more athletic than others, but regardless, a coach will speed up your learning curve exponentially.

How long does it take to learn how to jump kiteboarding?

Avoid frustration: Learning how to jump can also be a fast process for some, but at some point, you're going to hit a plateau. Jumping is pretty straightforward, but jumping high or getting technical takes a long time to perfect. You can expect to learn your first kitesurfing jumps with about three months of practice. A good coach can get you jumping well or higher in a two-hour session. It's all in the details, from your body posture, timing, kite skills, and kiteboard edging skills. Proper lessons can fast-track good habits and get you out of a rut.

What is taught in intermediate kiteboarding lessons?

Intermediate is a loose term and relative to who you ask. Generally, anything after your beginner lessons can be considered intermediate. The most common lessons we get at Elite Watersports are riding toeside, kiteboarding transitions, toeside transitions, how to jump kiteboarding, and sometimes fun tricks like how to back roll or darkslide.

Have more fun: Learning fast and sharing the experience with a dedicated coach is exciting. Everyone loves to share their latest trick and it's nice to have someone there for the journey to celebrate with.

• How do I kiteboard upwind?
• How do I do a kiteboarding transition?
• How do I ride toeside kiteboarding?
• How do I do a toeside transition kiteboarding?
• How do I jump kiteboarding?
• How do I do a kiteboarding backroll?
• How do I do a kiteboarding frontroll?
• How do I darkslide kiteboarding?

A lot of intermediate kiteboarding skills tie together, so working on one skill set does translate to the next. For example, a simple kiteboarding water start can help with kiteboarding transitions later. I like to teach a drill called the falling leaf. I'll teach my students how to do an upward power stroke to create loft. We then drill several water starts in both directions, working on technique and form. Most can do their first transition after an hour.

Another common lesson I see is riding toeside. We work on the correct posture and cues to ride toeside continuously. This usually leads quickly to a toeside transition lesson. Sometimes, we add a down loop to build kite control for advanced tricks later. If we're working on a backroll sometimes, we take a few steps back and tweak out a student's basic jump so they can fix bad habits.

The backroll comes fast and easy once we get them doing things right. This concept of one skill leading to the next applies to all levels. Good form riding upwind helps with a better pop for jumps later. Good form while riding toeside leads to good form riding blind later. Good light wind skills are essential for strong gusty winds where you might have lots of holes in the wind.

The more time you practice flying a kite, the more it helps for tricks later when you need to feel where the kite is without looking at it. All these little things add up. A good coach can explain the future benefits of what you're working on now so you can dream of what to work on later.

Elite Watersports has loads of kiteboarding videos you can use before and after your lessons. Check out some of these to get better at kiteboarding. 

Visit our YouTube for hundreds of kiteboarding training videos that you can reference after your lessons. 

Take advanced lessons: Elite Watersports does offer Intermediate and advanced kiteboarding lessons are the best way to improve fast.

Ready to get better fast? Whether you’re a total newbie or looking to up your kiteboarding game, we’ve got you covered. At Elite Watersports, we offer lessons for all levels, ages, and backgrounds.

Doesn’t matter your size, age oor skill level. Anyone can learn to kiteboard here in St. Petersburg with our epic conditions. We've got beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons available every day of the week.

With over 15 years of experience, our crew includes instructors who’ve shredded across the globe. We provide all the gear you need, so just bring your stoke. Most of our sessions go down at the Skyway Bridge, but we can hit other spots too.

Join us at Elite Watersports in St. Pete, Tampa Bay, or any of our mobile Florida locations—Sarasota, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, or Dunedin—and take your kiteboarding to the next level.

Book your lesson here. 

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