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Progressing as a kiter is not always easy. Thanks to our material-enriched society, however, there are a number of fast-acting tools to turn to. When it comes to learning wake-style tricks (grabs, spins, rolls, flips, handle passes, etc.), there is no training tool better than the trampoline. Snowboarders and wakeboarders have a long-proven history of bouncing to enhance their riding abilities.

“Almost every pro [wakeboarder] has [a trampoline] at their house with a rope tied off to a tree,” says Kevin Michael, editor of WAKEBOARDING magazine. “Your equipment, edging technique, etc., all goes out the window if you don’t know where you’re at when you’re upside down.”

The same goes for kiteboarding. It could be that wakeboarders rely so heavily on the trampoline because they can essentially be behind a boat without the risks of being behind a boat. Then why learn a trick while attached to a powerful kite when there’s a less brutal and more predictable option? In either case, trampolines are the Cliffs Notes to success; prepare thoroughly and you’ll fare well on the water.

Mike Ferraro, one of the wakeboarding industry’s most reputable coaches, has trained countless high-caliber pro riders behind the boat and, you guessed it, on the trampoline.

“The way you teach now is less on the water, more off the water,” says Ferraro. “For the kids who are learning really fast, they train about 50 percent on the tramp, 20 percent at the cable park and 30 percent on the boat.”

Ferraro often works with his clients at The Tramp Place in Orlando, Florida, where they utilize state-of-the-art trampolines and simulation equipment, including trampoline boards and harnesses (for kiters).

While the world of wake is thoroughly infused with trampolines, they are by no means new to kiting. Joe Ruscito, a pro rider for Best Kiteboarding, is one of many to embrace the trampoline.

“Tramps are great when starting to do your first handle passes,” he says. “You can use the tramp to help you get your body up to the bar and use it less and less as you get more comfortable.”

Trampolines are not without their risks, however, as bouncing off is an unforgiving possibility. You can mitigate risk by using a rope/handle, a bounce board and a protective cage. Or, as Ferraro suggests, “going to a local gymnastics center and learning how to use a trampoline.”

Safety issues aside, trampolines allow for experimentation and trial and error. Plus, they improve strength, balance, stamina and agility and reduce the number and severity of falls. So, if you’re looking to supercharge your kiting abilities, you may not need to leave your backyard.

By luke
Courtesy of www.kiteboarding.com

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