Is purchasing a surfboard a good way to recover... ?

[nikalaitzian]

same problem for me so i bought a surfboard(strapless) and i was reborn!!!!i m kickin asses now in wave riding and i keep blaming myself why i havent done it sooner.i have lost 10 kilos and the problem is almost disapear.i still throw some bad ass megaloops but i always been caught from the kite.i went for an MRI and the disc betwenn 4 and 5 spondyl bone has a crack.my doctor (who is a kiter too) said to me that with this kind of kiting and keeping my weight low i will need no surgery!!

[fogmeister]

I gave up wakeboarding at 45 because of multiple injuries....and my hips were always aching from impact.......if you eliminate hard impact wakestyle jumps your hips may possibly stop hurting just do the old school floaty soft landing stuff.........sorry age willcatch up and u may have to modify some things.

try a mako twin tip 150 by 40 super smooth and soft and you get to ride balanced not most your weight on your back foot as with regular twin tips....that can throw your joints and back off possibly as well because of the heavy pressure on one leg.......on the mako forces are distributed in riding.

again with age experiment and modify!!

[plummet]

Thanks for all the feedback, very helpful. I think I will probably go the surfboard route, and see how I go. I suppose I could just mow the lawn on a TT but I know the temptation to boost and loop would be too great.
In terms of kite sizes would I use the same kite size for a given wind strength on the surfboard as I would use on the TT? Or should i go smaller e.g 12 on TT = 10 on surfboard, a 6'1 x 19" for example.

Thanks again.

Same or one size down for a surfboard man. Depending on your style, and the conditions.

The purist who want to feel like a surfer and shut the power of the kite off on the wave use the smallest kite they can get away with. Then there are the type that like to ride with power in the kite. They tend to use similar size to TT riders.

I suspect you would start off same size and take from there.

[sflinux]

Thanks for all the feedback, very helpful. I think I will probably go the surfboard route, and see how I go. I suppose I could just mow the lawn on a TT but I know the temptation to boost and loop would be too great.
In terms of kite sizes would I use the same kite size for a given wind strength on the surfboard as I would use on the TT? Or should i go smaller e.g 12 on TT = 10 on surfboard, a 6'1 x 19" for example.
Thanks again.

Don't think, just do it. Get a surfboard. Your intuition is correct. You will ride one size down when on a surfboard. Don't use straps on your surfboard. Don't use your 12M kite until your back feels better. I'm surprised no one has recommended a hydrofoil, as they are so smooth on the body. On a low aspect hydrofoil, you will be one kite size down from your surfboard (two kite sizes down from your TT).
If you are experiencing back pain, I would seek a very experienced chiropractor. I messed up my back helping a friend move. I lived with it for 10 years. I finally found an excellent chiropractor who adjusted it correctly and now I live each day without any back pain. For me, my hips were rotated and needed to be adjusted. Kiting would tend to aggrevate it (lower back pain, pain in hips), especially powered on a twintip. I also moved away from a seat harness to a comfortable waist harness.
If you can adopt TopHat's style of riding, your back will love you for it: Unstrapped & Unhooked:

[robertovillate]

Thanks for all the feedback, very helpful. I think I will probably go the surfboard route, and see how I go. I suppose I could just mow the lawn on a TT but I know the temptation to boost and loop would be too great.
In terms of kite sizes would I use the same kite size for a given wind strength on the surfboard as I would use on the TT? Or should i go smaller e.g 12 on TT = 10 on surfboard, a 6'1 x 19" for example.

Thanks again.

Same or one size down for a surfboard man. Depending on your style, and the conditions.

The purist who want to feel like a surfer and shut the power of the kite off on the wave use the smallest kite they can get away with. Then there are the type that like to ride with power in the kite. They tend to use similar size to TT riders.

I suspect you would start off same size and take from there.

I'd say pretty much the same sizes that you are typically comfortable with...and as usual kite size selection will ultimately depend on the conditions of the day...how much current, wind/wave orientation, and which board you use...e.g. my 5/8 Lost RNF will go in less wind than my 5/10 Firewire (which has less volume), but the Firewire is faster and smoother in chop but requires more kite...if your wind/kite match-up is on the light side or if there are lots of holes in the wind a board with a little more volume/planing surface might do you better...and if the wind is really cranking and you want to hold down a little more power the narrower lower volume board will be good...so your local conditions, sea state, and other factors need to be considered.

[windtzu]

When I started kiting, I switched off between the twin and the surfboard. I figured since I "sucked" either way I mine as well experience the learning curve simultaneously. Three seasons later and I enjoy both but definitely lean toward riding the surfboard more often. The surfboard in some ways is more physical but in a different way. It's more active in terms of participation (especially strapless) and less "lawn-mowing" by its very nature. This said, it can be less stress on the knees, but it does involve other muscles-joints you may not be accustomed to. When switching back and forth between the twin and the surfboard during a session (what can I say, I have a.d.d.) I can really "feel" the difference. Depending on the conditions, riding a surfboard can be less stressful on my joints but is definitely more physically exhausting, but this is usually because I'm playing in the swell or waves.

Harness recommendation that may help:

Over time I also experimented with the waist, seat, and boardshort's harness. I came to the conclusion that I could last the longest (and most comfortable) with the boardshort's and a sliding hook. Last week I decided to revisit the waist harness to see if I was missing anything. My conclusion: there's always a compromise, a pro vs con with different types of gear-designs. In this case, the boardshort's give me a distinct advantage by lowering my center of gravity when carving turns, blasting through chop, riding over swells and waves. By comparison, I feel off balance with the waist and had to mentally-physically adjust. This probably has a lot to do with my muscle memory having ridden with the boardshort's for so long, but I can't help but feel the physics of having a lower hook does aid in terms of stability and riding strapless. In Tai Chi and the martial arts your stability (energy center) comes from your lower "dan tian"; your belly button area. This is right about where your pull comes from when using a "seat" harness. Is this relevant? Who knows, but during a Tai Chi session I can feel this balance point. It makes sense.

I also feel the familiar rubbing, chafe, and upward movement associated with the waist harness...With the boardshort's harness that's all a memory. Btw in my opinion a sliding hook is a must on any seat harness used with a surfboard.

But when I'm on the twin, I lean toward the waist harness.

[sarc]

The number one thing that works for me and surprised me was foam rolling.. It is super easy, but hurts like hell in the beginning.. If it hurts, that probably means you need it Also once you use it on your IT band, you will start using it for lower back, quads, hamstrings, everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoHBDim_fzk

For ankle pain, this guy is kind of silly, but some decent info in there
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFl5yLyqg-0

Once you get comfortable with the balance of the bosu ball you should do squats and circuits on it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWf5b1MCeUI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EMefPvlGFE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJCiMxK4I8Q

This guy is a tad more advanced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxNIa4nvr8k

Thanks a lot! Now I see how there exercises are similar to skateboarding (see my previous post)!

[wardr77]

Got one. A Crazyfly Takii 6' 19" width so should hopefully do the job. Nice looking thing, would look good on the wall of my lounge, though I don't think the Missus would be too pleased!
Arghhhh buying kit, it's good for the soul...