spring season is here, get into kiting w/ pro-IKO-lessons

[theory]

That's right., spring is here. Want to get into kiteboarding this season? Want to be riding upwind and jumping before the summer is out? Well, make sure that you learn with all the latest and safest methods and gear by getting professional lessons. Do yourself a favor and learn the "IKO way" for a long career in kiteboarding.

If you have any questions about taking lessons, post them here.

[ttmahdy]

Hi

Interested in lessons in the Seattle area.
What are the rates/availability ?

Thanks
Mostafa

[theory]

Hey there Mostafa,
Check out our website for IKO certified lessons on brand new gear. http://www.urbansurf.com/kiteschool/store/home.html

You will see there are 3 levels, although many people skip Level 1 - Ground Course if they already have experience flying a 2-3m trainer kite or if they have previous stunt kite experience. If you have never flown a trainer kite/ power kite then I highly suggest taking a ground course on the weekend, in which we send you home with the trainer kite for roughly 2 week to practice on your own.

Then you can move on to Level 2 - Kiting Course which is 3 1/2hr lesson. Check out the video for the kiting course on the Level 2 page.

The website also has the pricing, training calendar to sign up for lessons, as well as other helpful info. Jeffro's forecast for the Jetty is awesome too, and usually spot on.

After that is the Level 3 - Riding Course which can be taken anywhere from 2 hrs to however many it takes for the student to feel confortable, safe, and confident to practice on their own. For many 2-3 hrs is perfect, while others prefer having instruction until they are riding upwind in both directions and working on transitions.

This last Saturday I had my student Kris up and riding during his riding courses. The previous Saturday he took the Kiting course.
All together he took 6.5 hrs of lessons and now he is fully self sufficient to be out practicing on his own and he is successfully riding to his lead side. Everyone is a little different, but I think learning at a similiar pace is certainly a doable and realistic goal to set.

Here is a video of him progressing through his riding course. You can see by the end of it he is really getting the hang of things.



Oh yes, I also video tape (although not the best) my students so that they can show their friends their new skills, but also so that they can review their progress, body and kite position, what they are doing right and wrong, etc etc. I provide the edited video to the student at no charge.

If intersted in booking lessons, you can email me at theorytheproducer@gmail.com
-Ryan Theory

[eminkel]

Interested in lessons at Jetty for 2 (Level 2). Would be for weekend of June 8th/9th. Driving to the area for graduation and if the conditions are right would like to get some lessons in. What are the fees for wetsuit rental/pfd/etc. or is that included in the overall lesson cost?