How to Heli Loop (Extended Kitesurf Tutorial)

This guide looks at the kiteboarding heli loop in detail, including:
00:00 Heli loop definition
01:25 Overfly & loop height
02:54 Overfly & loop size
04:16 The importance of kite perception
05:10 Step 1: Delayed heli
08:11 Step 2: Stunted heli
08:58 Step 3: Powerful heli
10:12 Step 4: Higher front & back-hand helis
13:05 Gear and wind conditions
14:34 Do you really need to heli?

[@gusbisbal9803]

Do you know what I love about all your videos.... it goes directly against the just "send it Bro" culture.Its about gradual preparation and refinement of feel so you are fully prepared to do it with control and awareness. Like a professional athlete not like a kid making out that all you need is conviction and you'll be fine.

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Gus, you've really hit on one of my main objectives. When I started instructing a long time ago, that bro culture was part of instruction. For about a decade I worked on moving beyond that in my instruction and then brought that to my youtube channel to help a wider audience. People used to teach kite loops by saying just go big, they used to teach backrolls by saying park the kite low and chuck your head around, they used to say you have to crash hard to learn to fly a kite. Hopefully I'm slowly proving that's not the case.

[@ericsimoneau3575]

I finally understood how to heliloop and not kiteloop. Your tutorials are the best!!!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Eric, glad I could help

[@StefanSimik]

Excellent tutorial. Definitely the best one and most professional for heliloop topic on the internet now. Clear and designed with teacher's mindset.

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Stefan

[@KrankimAusland]

Thank you very much for this great tutorial. It explains so well how to train the loop on different stages of experience, so that one can get one by one practice jumping and landing.

[@Faxie83]

I normally don't comment or like video's like this, because they screw up a lot of times with the actual mechanics (though that doesn't change the results of the actions needed to do something so it's ok in the end I guess) but aknowledging the up- and downward apparent windangle during a jump is done very good here. For a lot of people apparent wind in itself is tricky enough to understand, let alone the fact that it works in the vertical plane too. Good one!

[@sdeb729]

Great video as always, explaining everything there is to know in great detail. Best heli-loop video there is!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thank you very much. All the best, Alex

[@8MGA]

Yes same👍 and is a 12 too big for heliloop?

[@JelleSchot]

@@8MGA That depends on the height of the jump and the type and setting of kite. In general, a 12 moves slower, so you need more height to get it back up again. Try surface looping until you know how quickly you can complete the loop.

[@Valentin-iz3rq]

This is another really great tutorial! Thank you so much for all the effort you put into this! Your videos helped me so much to get into kiting. I am sure I would never be as 'good' as I am today without the understanding I got from your videos :)

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Benetton, that's nice to hear - I love kiting and want to help as many people as possible get that same enjoyment.

[@odysseyalternative]

I second this! You’ve helped me progress so much, and your kitemare videos truly have prevented me from getting into some serious trouble. I was able to react properly in the situation because I had gotten the knowledge beforehand instead of having to get injured or damage my gear to learn the hard way. Many thanks my friend, from Morro Bay California 🙏🏻

[@sebbo9441]

Thank you very much for this great Tutorial

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers Sebbo

[@YouBetterThink]

Amazing explanation about the changing of the wind window when ascending / descending. And nice graphic. I never thought about it this way it's great insight!

[@OutForIt]

Astounding tutorial on Heli Loops! Once again, thanks for your continuous contribution to teaching the sport. One extra thing I would have appreciated is to see with an orange arrow (as you do in other videos) the downwards force that is exerted by the kitesurfer due to their weight and height of the jump, at all time points during the heli loop. I think that would communicate at which points of the process the kite "catches" the kitesurfer. Thanks again!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hello Stefanos. The target shown at 3:18 is the approximate position where you really feel a lot of lift (you have a high kite angle and good power from the kite). Any higher/further upwind and you have less power; and any lower/further downwind and you have more power but a lower angle. This target is where you want the kite as you land or just before you land.

[@paulchilvers5032]

Another excellent video. Been struggling to get this right for years! Thanks

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers Paul, I hope it helps you

[@shauncrous4153]

Best explanation out there! Well done Alex. Great vid

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers Shaun, now we just need the wind to come back :-(

[@vidaritos]

Your video tutorials are outstanding, I always get excited when your videos pops up in my notifications!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thank you so much, nice to hear that

[@LaurensPriem]

Great video again, super helpful!! Now I finally understand why heliloops don't work with my small jumps

[@yannickbougard8706]

Well done Alex!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Yannick, how are your heli loops coming along?

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Yannick, how are your heli loops coming along?

[@mediumme7101]

Great Tutorial. I would like to add that depending on your landing you want to choose the heli loop which gives you more stability. Take a look at 1:16. The rider is landing with the left foot forward and uses the right hand (back hand in this case) to perform the heli loop, therefor the kite rotates towards the chest rather than towards the back, providing extra stability.

[@archnoobpilot4443]

This tutorial is a pure gem, thank you so much! :)

[@alessandrorossetti3710]

Incredible ability in teaching...simply the best!

[@MsPeppevic]

Really great tutorial! Thank you so much

[@fysalides1]

Great detailed video! Thanks man!!! We appreciate what u do for the community. So much effort and explanation. Best kite videos on yr channel

[@pinzon74]

Thank you, very clear instructions! Will def try these out during my next session.

[@zlojdiadia5817]

Very helpful. Do not stop to do what you are doing. Thank you.

[@georgeskassir6117]

Excellent videos as usual but this one is the best of the best on Heli loops I have ever seen on KZbin or anywhere! Thank you for helping me understand why I was able to down loop but was unable to heli loop stronger winds!!! My Down Loops transitions in stronger winds were more like power loops instead to be softer and more like a heli loop! Thank you.

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Georges, happy to help

[@gavinheron1]

Great video, thanks.

[@Runner_SMR]

Лучший туториал по хелилупам! Спасибо огромное 👍🙏

[@vossani]

I was waiting for such video for a long long time!!! Thanks a lot! Thanks to you probably my knees will survive longer!

[@ObyrneJohn]

Great video, as always!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers John

[@markusbroyles1884]

Brilliant tutorials ! Thanks so very much. Clear and concise ~ Well demonstrated ~

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thank you so much Markus

[@guilhermefrancomonteiro919]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge in a such didactic and safe way!! Can't wait to practice!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers and good luck practicing your helis.

[@thepropertyroom7483]

thanks so helpful. I finally understand how this is done

[@Alext146]

My God. I was looking this tutorial at least half of year. Now I have plan for practice. Today was first day. I made loops without board (first one was bad, I didn’t pull bar), I learned how to control power on exit. Than I practiced water start with loop and it went good. After I made about 5 heliloops on landing, very ugly but I am happy 😀 thank you!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Glad to hear it Alex, well done. If you haven't seen it there are a few surface kite loop drills (waterstarts, downloops etc) in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6WQiGuQfKqFi80

[@ondrejjanoska660]

This is a great one… thank you…. I definitely try it on Saturday 🎉

[@kitesurfcollege]

Good luck Ondrej

[@kgbval6785]

Nice and instructive vid.Thanks.

[@kitesurfcollege]

You're welcome

[@giothudong]

The best explanation! thanks!

[@kitesurfcollege]

You're welcome

[@tomschuelke7955]

As allways.. best tutorials on kitigbavailable because youbrealy get the explanations right.. even if one allreadyvmasters those maneuvers, looking these explanations make you more acnowledge why and how tondo it better

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks very much Tom

[@RafCenterMyself]

Great video! Thanks. Everything's been covered 😄

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Raffael, great to hear

[@sanderpsychologie]

Great video! Been practicing back hand helis in low winds conditions (15-19 knots) on a 12m, found that if I steer the kite hard to the opposite side (11 or 1) on the way up, you get launched under the kite so there is tons of overfly on the way down and the backhand heli gives tons of lift. Also works very well on 3-5m jumps.

[@Befric]

Thank you!

[@pedrosantanna7274]

this is pure gold! ty!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers Pedro

[@GaetanoCrisci]

Well Done 🔝💯

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thanks Gaetano

[@gokucorrecaminos3711]

Allways nice videos, you explain very well the tecnic, would be interisting a video about to do two heliloop consecutives, thanks for share 😀

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi, I will definitely cover that separately. That only really applies from about 35kn up with a small kite and 20m jumps. So it's of much higher skill and risk than everything in this video.

[@gokucorrecaminos3711]

@@kitesurfcollege thanks for answer

[@ParaKiteGliding]

Double movement, don't remember hearing about that technique before this video. 🤔 So very nice addition and a full video of that would be sweet.

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi, I introduced the double movement in my jumping higher video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGPReYCnl7l_r7s I might also make an extended tutorial on double movments at some point with some further tips, but the main points are already covered.

[@ParaKiteGliding]

​@@kitesurfcollege The linked video is perfect, thank you! 👍

[@nikoe4685]

Thanks for the nice video and great explanation !!! What size Kite are you using in the video and what Bar length/line length ?

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi Nik. For this video I'm using a 10 and 12m2 rebel SLS in a range of winds from 15 to 24kn.

[@ruhrkiwiAQ]

Best video

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thank you

[@jeroenblonk]

I have a tutorial request. A video explaining the different setting on a kite and how they affact the flying. Things like bar presure or split height. I have never understood the term bar presure.

[@Perfcthit]

perfect timing im just getting used to some bigger jumps ty

[@kitesurfcollege]

Glad to hear it

[@ronanlong10]

Can you do the low tight heli loops with a 12m kite or do you need to be on something smaller?

[@andresdiaz9740]

Tengo un Kite 14 metros que uso en el spot donde más practico , es muy grande para práctica esto ? También tengo uno 9 metros que uso en otro spot que es viento muy fuerte , salto entre 5,5 y 6,5 metros y haces caigo muy fuerte quiero practicar esto pero nose como empezar

[@fynnhedrich7747]

Hey mate awesome content as always! Just on question: in this video you do a jumped transition most of the time combined with the heli loop. Is it easier for learning the heli loop or is continuing in the same direction as good? Thanks!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi Fynn, for smaller jumps (up to about 6m) is easier to not transition, and keep the same riding direction. That's because on smaller jumps you generally keep your original crosswind momentum. If you take of heading right foot forward, you're usually still moving right of the wind on landing. But as you jump higher you gradually loose your initial crosswind momentum and you end up landing moving almost fully downwind. At that point you can easily swap between a transition or not and even swap between left and right foot forwards. It really helps if you are confident landing in both regular and goofey stance, since you can then choose which is more natural at the last moment.

[@fynnhedrich7747]

@@kitesurfcollege thank you! Got it! I’m working on landing both directions and totally understand your point. Cheers

[@benparker7289]

Wow just wow

[@kitesurfcollege]

Cheers Ben

[@zwemvijver1]

Very good tutorial; missing a small topic about double heli loops when jumping really high , and to slow the descent even more..?

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hi Laurent I originally wrote that in but then realised it didn't fit. That's because multi helis apply to a very small audience that have not just learnt but mastered everything in this video. So there wouldn't be a viewer that would need to learn what's covered in this video and learn about multi helis.

[@zwemvijver1]

@@kitesurfcollege Thank you for your answer, and you're completely right! Thanks for your great videos , they helped me a lot a couple of years ago when I started, ( and still are ) and I am sure I made a quick progress thanks to them !

[@matthiasg4843]

So what would be a good hight for a heli loop? At the moment I jump at around 4,0 - 4,5 m?

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hello Matthias, it depends on your kite, weight, take off angle and few other things. So the exact height will vary. Probably at 4m, no you should still be using a normal landing or start to use a bit of a double movement landing. Ultimately it's the kite's position (distance upwind or downwind of the pilot) that will tell you if it's time to heli. If the kite is still on your downwind side then definitely don't heli. If the kite is directly overhead, not downwind or upwind of you at all, then you can choose a double movement or a late heli completed after landing. If the kite is slightly upwind of you on landing, then a tight heli starts to be the most effective method of softening your landings (if done correctly of course). If the kite is hugely upwind of you, then a big heli starts to work best.

[@matthiasg4843]

@@kitesurfcollege thx

[@Nilz4FR]

0:26 why didnt he pull a back heli-loop here? Would have given him a far smoother landing?

[@kitesurfcollege]

Hello Globetrotter. It's hard to see from that camera angle. In that clip the rider is taking off left foot forward and just before heli-looping the kite is around 12:30, so quite far to the back hand side. The crosswind pointing camera angle makes it hard to judge the front-hand back-hand positioning of the kite. That's why I shoot most video clips aiming the camera downwind. The clip at 26s is shot from approximately crosswind just to show how a kite overflies.

[@tortiv]

666 likes 👌🏽

[@ThePerchedBaron]

Great video, as always !!

[@kitesurfcollege]

Thank you