How to do a Bodydrag kitesurfing?

Warning before

There are a lot of ways to explain this part, but the most important thing to do and what we support as KiteStars is that you should take a lessen and not go try out on your own!
Kitesurfing is not a dangerous sport if you know what you are doing, and when you respect the elements that are given to us. And of course the rest of the watersport community.
We do NOT recommend to try and start learning kitesurfing by yourself!

Bodydraging with the kite.

There are two ways to bodydrag: the downwind bodydrag and the Upwind bodydrag.

1. Downwind bodydrag, is going in the same direction of the wind.
2. Upwind bodydrag is going left or right from the wind, depending how you look at it.

How to do a downwind bodydrag: 

1. Go in to the water to at least knee deep with enough room downwind (same direction of the wind)
2. Lay on your chest with both hands on the bar and your legs behind you
3. Keep both hands on the outer side of the bar.
4. Start steering the kite from left and right repeatedly without stopping the kite.
5. If you plot the kite position onto a clock you steer the kite from 11 (Left) to 1 (right) o’clock 
6. Start slow and build the power up.
7. If the kite is going from left to right you can pull the bar for more power. 
8. As there is more power you start noticing that you are starting to move in the direction of the wind.
9. keep your arms relaxed and don’t hold pressure in arms or hands.
10. Keep your core tight and your shoulders always horizontal.

How to do a upwind bodydrag: 

Instead of the downwind bodydrag the upwind is not going with the wind but trying to get against the wind.

1. Go in to the water to at least hip deep with enough room downwind
2. Lay on your chest with both hands on the bar and your legs behind you
3. Keep both hands on the inside of the bar, next to the power line.
4. Now hold the kite in the direction that you want to go (left or right) 
5. Start steering the kite up and down on the side you want to go, dont steer the kite over 12 o’clock 
6. Start slow and build the power up.
7. As there is more power you start noticing that you are starting to move in the direction of the kite.
8. As you start moving let go of your front hand and steer only with the backhand. 
9. The front hand can now hold your edge so you can go 90 degrees in the wind.
10. keep your steering arm relaxed and don’t hold pressure in arms or hands.
11. Keep your core tight and your shoulders always horizontal.

Why learn the bodydrag?

The bodydrag is a perfect way to get convertible with steering the kite and get a good feeling. Also the build up in power is good to learn this way. So when you try it with the board on you already know how much power you must get to get forwards. The step after the bodydrag is the WaterStart.

But most of all with the bodydrag you learn te get yourself around the water, without a board. This is very important to get back the shore if needed. So keep learning those body drags! its good to learn for kite control and for your own saftey.