This tutorial explains how to ride toeside. Switching to toeside is a combination of changing
posture, and changing how you apply weight to the board.
Ride at a comfortable speed. You don’t need to edge hard, just cruise along crosswind
with slightly more weight on the back foot as normal.
You begin by turning your upper body to face upwind.
Then, bring in your right leg, and start shifting more weight onto it.
Once your weight is evenly distributed the board will skid.
Bring in your right leg further and extend your left, to move into toeside stance.
Your right leg is now the back leg, so needs slightly more weight on it.
To properly engage your toeside edge, however, you need to apply weight on your toes.
To do this, face away from the kite and lean towards the water.
While edging properly, you will really need to stretch out your left arm to hold the bar
Throughout, the kite has been held near 45 degrees, with the left hand on the centre
of the bar. Let’s review that riding the other way.
Start with medium speed, minimal edging and slightly more weight on the back leg as normal.
Turn your body to face upwind. Pull in your left leg, and start shifting
weight onto it. The board will start to slide.
Bring in the left leg further, and push the right leg forward to switch into toeside.
To properly edge crosswind, face away from the kite, lean towards the water and press
on your toes. Throughout, your right arm holds the bar straight,
keeping the kite close to 45 degrees. Small in and out movements of the bar are
used to maintain speed. Let’s look at some common mistakes.
Here the kiter has applied weight to their toes early, and the toeside rail catches the
water. During the skidding or switching stage, you
need your weight applied on both heels, to keep the heelside rail down and the toeside
rail up and clear of the water. It’s very common that people can switch
to toeside, but can’t edge their toeside rail.
If you don’t start edging crosswind, you won’t follow the kite crosswind, and you
may well loose your speed and sink, like this. Of course, you could just steer the kite more,
but you shouldn’t need to. After switching stance, if you turn away from
the kite, and lean on your toes, you should maintain your crosswind speed easily.
Once toeside is easy for you try popping into toeside.
To do so, you add a pop at the same moment you turn your body to face upwind.
Stomp down hard on the board to pop as you turn your body.
While in the air you turn your hips, tuck in your new back leg, and extend your new
front leg, so that you land in toeside stance. Good luck learning toeside. Subscribe or open
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