Do you keep track of your sessions?

[Peter_Frank]

I don't like the idea of keeping statistics of my kiting sessions. To me, kiting is all about relaxing, escaping from computers, enjoying nature, forgetting numbers, time and dates. I respect fully that some people enjoy kiting stats, but it is not my cup of tea.

I totally understand and respect that view Ned

On the other hand - for me, deduction, analyzing, calculating, reflecting, is a natural thing and makes me have a good time and relaxing TOTALLY !

Especially when you dont "have to do it" but just choose to do it, in contrast to work

So I think it is very individual

Peter

[fdvj]

I am doing it this year to gague weather my quiver is at the right spacings, and also as a bargaining tool with my other half for when she claims that she has less leisure time than me.

[Peter_Frank]

I am doing it this year to gague weather my quiver is at the right spacings, and also as a bargaining tool with my other half for when she claims that she has less leisure time than me.

You mean, you divide the hours with ten, before she reads it ? (and hopefully she is not "online" here...)

Peter

[Westozzy]

I don't like the idea of keeping statistics of my kiting sessions. To me, kiting is all about relaxing, escaping from computers, enjoying nature, forgetting numbers, time and dates. I respect fully that some people enjoy kiting stats, but it is not my cup of tea.

I totally understand and respect that view Ned

On the other hand - for me, deduction, analyzing, calculating, reflecting, is a natural thing and makes me have a good time and relaxing TOTALLY !

Especially when you dont "have to do it" but just choose to do it, in contrast to work

So I think it is very individual

Peter

Yeh I'm with Ned, used to be specific about learning a certain move, would get footage taken, perfect etc, but it takes away the fun and flow. Would be interesting to see your water time per kite and then cross reference that against depreciation to work out what it costs per kite. Now that could be a good number to throw the boss, if not just keep it yourself.

[Metaphor_]

I definitely keep a log of kiteboard activities. I find it's helped me in other sports for development purposes to help one to:

• identify that day's areas of focus and reinforce lesson feedback
  reflect on successes week over week
  see patterns that emerge over time

My kiteboard log is here for anyone interested: http://hawks-eye.livejournal.com/

[eytan]

garmin connect the easy way to track your sssions.

[Peter_Frank]

True - but you dont wanna wear a gps all the time

Here I am with Ned and others - you kite because it is fun and you feel free and can put everything else aside.

Besides - the track only is not that interesting for daily use (but for other uses it is the most essential of course) compared to conditions and kite sizes and boards used IMO.

Thats why I just note down in a small book AFTER the sessions, or a day after or whenever - as it only takes 10 to 20 seconds to write "the day" down

Then one can analyze a couple of times per year maybe, if you feel like doing this, as it can be both fun and interesting and useful too, or just let it be.

I am not sure I understand how one can see if the kite spacings are good, this way ?

As my experience is always, that even if you have only 2m2 spacing, you often (not always) would like the size in between
But okay, if you also write you would have liked having a "size xx today" - then you can, true (and a good idea, yes)

Also, small kites like 4m2 is maybe typically not used that often no - but WHEN they are used, it could be the most epic and exciting wavesessions ever - so here a log is of no use at all

Peter

[Kamikuza]

Yes, in a blog - helps me to remember things I've learned, to go over them again after the fact. Doesn't track the hours so well though, but is easy to get a count of the gear used.

[polarstorm]

Yes!

Hello everyone, saw this thread, and felt I might have something to add here (this is probably my first post), I've been tracking my sessions over two seasons now and have improved my shortform, I dont do a full write up only one liners about whats interesting or special about the sesh, problems encountered, who I went with, and notes learned about the spot.

This is an improvement over last year where I improved the short form, as you can see from the screen. It's parsable (very important) into a spreadsheet so I can get more exotic data from it if I need to (total gas expense for the year, for example).

It takes my less than a minute to jot down the details and I usually have a blurb in there about what went great, what went bad, and anything special about the session.

As you can see from my shortform I've adopted a session # - spot code - date - kite sides used and for how long in hours - travel time - and DP (dawn patrol) or SS (sunset sesh) if more than one session in a day.

I also use colour coding so that I can pick out epic sessions (gold) from the good ones (blue), and also those which I consider skunkers (gray).

Year over year I'm not having more sessions but I'm getting better quality and more water time per session.. also easy to track who I went with, and what date of course.

Interested to see if someone has a good system going. Check the screenshot of my phone below.

Hope people find this useful and helps someone keen on doing the same..

[Ned Divine]

On the other hand - for me, deduction, analyzing, calculating, reflecting, is a natural thing and makes me have a good time and relaxing TOTALLY !

Especially when you dont "have to do it" but just choose to do it, in contrast to work

So I think it is very individual

Peter

Absolutely! Individual is THE word!
PS "Enjoying" vs "Having" to do, does make a world of difference indeed! Take marital sex for example!