Kitefoiling Gybes - Advanced Tip - Push Down on the Bar

In the FOILING GYBE, finding stability on your board and foil is key. There are lots of elements that will help you to achieve this but I came across this clip today and it shows one great technique you can use - PUSHING the bar into the depower line.
Why? Two reasons that work together:
1️⃣ It gives you something to lend on for balance and transfer some of your weight further forward and inboard. This improves your balance over the foil as your center of mass is not simply falling back into the turn.
2️⃣ Your kite is high, not something you can really sit back against in your harness but the act of pushing the bar down and away from you, locks the depower line and changes the angle of pull that you can put against your chicken loop. Now you can counterbalance your body against the pushing action of your shoulders and arms.
This is one of those techniques that you may not realise you are doing but once you do, you can exaggerate it to greater effect. Here in the gybe I’m proactively using it to improve my carve but I also use it a lot in a variety of areas to maintain balance when things start going a little wrong!
If you want to really understand the Foiling Gybe then check out the Foiling Gybe Collection:
www.progression.me/player/col...

[@raedy07]

great tip, works for me; kind of gives me a solid stance and i can apply more pressure on d board and finish d gybe before loosing line-tension :)

[@JoaoSilva-xi2nl]

Very good explanation! Thank you

[@jameskelly714]

Thanks Rob, great video

[@Mgamito]

This is very good, but even better is that you doing the same in the tack which helps a lot moving the height forward. I finally realized you were doing so and it helped me so much completing the tack just because after carving for the tack this little thing helped me reposition the height forward

[@danielfr06]

Hi, thank you for this video. I think we must clearly understand that when we push the bar forward as you explain, the result is to pull down of the same amount all 4 lines, forward and aft lines at the same time. The angle of attack of the kite doesn’t change, the lift doesn’t change as well. So it is for lateral equilibrium, not for foot swap or getting weightless. Isn’t it?

[@progressionsports]

Hey Daniel, yes lending on the bar is primarily about balance, though that tensioning of all the lines can also help with a more direct control of the kite, even when sheeted out. And regarding the foot swap, its doesn't help with the entry (where lift from the kite and foil are the key elements) but it can be very helpful on the exit giving you balance after you swap your feet. Pushing into the bar can save a foot change where the foil gets out of control just as you think you've nailed it 😀

[@jameskewley9440]

I’m trying very hard to follow this movement of the bar, and it’s most interesting, but I’m wondering whether you’re talking about the loops over the top or downloops on the turns. Also you seems to have two hands on the bar - I generally have one hand on the bar and then swap them over as I turn. Query with respect. JK

[@progressionsports]

Hey James. Personally I use this more for carves with downloops though it can work too when you send the kite over the top but the kite stays lower, deeper through the powerzone.
Regarding hands on the bar, that is down to personal preference and the style of the carve and kite movement. I too often have one hand off and swap mid way but I find I do that more more for kite over the top carves or gentle kite loops or when carving from heel to toe, I think because this allows you to open the shoulders and get weight further forward as you exit. For the downloop or toe to heel carves, the power can kick in deeper in the power zone and with both hands you can have a really positive control of the kite power through the whole carve and exit riding fully powered up .
Overall the beauty of kitefoil is that we can take the same core techniques and find endlessly different ways to subtlety change them through tweaks in our kite, board, foil and body positions and movements. Once you have the basics mastered there isn't really a right or wrong way to do anything, just what feels good :-D