Body Drag Upwind

Going upwind while bodydragging is one of the most underrated skills in kitesurfing — and one of the most important. If you lose your board a hundred metres downwind, the only way to get it back without walking is to bodydrag upwind. This session takes your existing bodydrag skills and adds the critical upwind dimension.

The Upwind Technique

Bodydragging upwind requires a specific combination of body position, kite placement, and edge. You'll learn to extend your leading arm forward like a rudder, angle your body across the wind, and use precise kite movements to generate lateral pull rather than downwind drag. It's harder than it sounds — the wind naturally wants to push you downwind, and fighting that takes technique and practice.

Your instructor will have you repeat the upwind drill multiple times, each time refining your body angle, hand position, and kite timing. The goal is consistency: being able to make steady upwind progress even in moderate wind, so that board recovery becomes second nature rather than a stressful scramble.

Why This Skill Matters

Every experienced kiter will tell you the same thing: upwind bodydragging is the skill they use most often outside of actual riding. Boards come off your feet regularly — even for advanced riders — and being able to calmly bodydrag upwind to collect your board is the difference between a minor interruption and a long, exhausting swim back to shore.

"I didn't think bodydragging upwind would be that different from regular bodydragging, but it's a whole other challenge. Once I cracked it though, I felt genuinely independent on the water for the first time. Worth every minute." — Marcus L., progressing beginner

Leave this lesson with the confidence that you can always get back to your board, no matter where it drifts. It's one of those skills that feels difficult to learn but quickly becomes automatic — and once it's automatic, you'll ride with far less anxiety and far more freedom.