Windsurfing Lessons
Poole Harbour is probably the UK’s No 1 destination to learn how to windsurf but before you book any windsurfing lessons, there are definitely some essential tips that can be passed on to make things go a lot smoother.
Windsurfing lessons and Progression
As with learning any sport, windsurfing lessons need to be structured in the right way to make it both an enjoyable process & at the same time encourage progression.
As with everything there is a quick way & a slow way to learn to windsurf, a right way & a wrong way to progress with your windsurfing skills…
People learn to windsurf in just about any which way possible but with a little bit of guidance and a few pointers you can maximize your learning. Get the most out of your time in Poole or Bournemouth and get your windsurfing off to a great start!
5 Steps To Learn How To Windsurf
1. Don’t learn from a loved one or friend
Being shown the basics by a loved one or friend never works well. The equipment is usually either too old or too advanced for learning how to windsurf and although they mean well they don’t necessarily know ‘how’ to teach. A good windsurfer is not automatically a good teacher & learning from someone you know often ends up in frustration on both sides!
2. Take Beginners Windsurfing Lessons
This is essential to your learning & enjoyment. Choose your beginners windsurfing lessons wisely as there are many different locations & courses out there. Safe, shallow water is the best place to learn, such as the Poole Harbour location used at the Poole Windsurfing School, which is known for being the No 1 place to learn & progress with windsurfing.
When it comes to choosing the best course type there really are only 2 options worth considering:
a. Full Beginners Windsurfing Course – best run over two separate 3 hour lessons. This will give you all the essentials to be confident enough to then practice on your own for a while.
b. Beginners Windsurfing Taster Session – a single 3 hour lesson. This will cover all the basics needed to get you up & windsurfing. If you enjoy it then just tag on to the second part of a full beginners windsurfing course to learn the full set of skills needed to move on to the next stage in your learning process, which is….
3. Consolidate your skills with windsurfing hire time
Well run beginners windsurfing lessons will give you everything you need to know for now, in theory but you must hire windsurfing equipment & spend some time practicing on your own. There is no point paying money for an improver windsurfing course if you have not had at least 10 hours out there on the water practicing what you have been shown on the beginners windsurfing course. Any good windsurfing school or windsurf instructor knows this and will actively encourage your self-practice time, rather than push you into an improvers windsurfing lesson.
Make sure you hire the latest windsurfing equipment possible. New windsurfing equipment really does make a huge difference to your learning curve, modern board & sail shapes and lightweight components (masts & booms) all help to make your progression in the sport of windsurfing as smooth as possible.
4. Take Intermediate Windsurfing Lessons
OK, so you have practiced the basics but how do you know if you are ready for some more lessons?
An easy way to assess if you are ready for the next level of windsurfing lessons is to ask yourself ‘Can I consistently sail from any given point out on the water to any other reference point’. This little exercise will test your ability to understand the wind, stop drifting & make sure you have good control of the equipment. Once you can sail out from & back to the exact same spot you can turn your attention to learning new skill modules rather than just spending all your time trying to return to where you started from!
Improver lessons are best taken in modules. Learning faster tacks & gybes, how to beachstart, using the footstraps & planing windsurfing techniques all require a specific set of skills to be learnt. The best way to learn is to take 2 hour improver windsurfing lessons that focus on just one of these skill modules.
5. More windsurfing hire time
In between each of your improver windsurfing lessons you should hire windsurfing equipment to consolidate your learning. Hiring windsurfing equipment also gives you a great opportunity to test out different size boards & sails, so that should you want to buy your own windsurfing kit at some point, you will have a fair idea of what suits your size & current ability level.
That’s it!
5 Simple Steps To Learn How To Windsurf.
After step 5 you just repeat taking new windsurfing skill modules followed by windsurf equipment hire time to practice what you are being shown. This applies all the way through to advanced windsurfing lessons including such skills as carve gybes, waterstarts and even the latest windsurf freestyle moves!
Directions to Poole Harbour:
The Poole Windsurfing website has a great interactive map & a route finding feature that simply lets you punch in your start destination & it will give you pace notes door to door! See their How to Find Us page.
For more windsurfing information:
Poole Windsurfing
01202 237247
info@poolewindsurfing.co.uk
www.poolewindsurfing.co.uk
Dedicated Windsurfing School with 15 Years Teaching Experience
Offering windsurfing lessons & windsurf equipment hire in Poole Harbour, known as the UK's top location to learn & progress. Instruction is provided for all levels using the latest equipment and at competitive prices.