Tips and Tricks for Kneeboard beginners

Kneeboarding is one of the most accessible types of watersports there is. It's easy to start with but it's also fun to progress and even do some tricks along the way. Read on for an explanation by a former pro-athlete and member of the Jobe team, Claudius von Derschau. These tips and tricks will get you started! 

Kneeboarding at a cablepark

For absolute beginners it is advisable to buy a one or two hour ticket because a whole day can be to exhausting. Beginners should look for a basic responsive board with an easy start hook like the Streak or Sentry. More advanced riders might want to look for a more responsive one, like the Jobe Stage.


Step 1: warm up
Before you start riding a kneeboard it’s always advisable to warm up and stretch your body so that your muscles and joints are warm and you don’t get hurt so easily.

Step 2: the strap
For the first starts it is not advisable to put on the knee strap, so that you are not stuck to your board in case of falling in the water. If you are more experienced put on the strap.

Step 3: starting position
Place your kneeboard on the start ramp and just easily kneel on it so that your knees and shins are on the board and you sit on your heels. When you get the handle take it in both hands grabbing it from the Top. Make sure your thumbs are underneath the handle so that your hands are around the handle and you will have the most efficient grip.

Lean forward on your board so that your elbows touch your board and that you can reach a low balance point. Your body should look like a turtle with a bend spine. The lower your center of gravity is, the easier it is to start. But always make sure you can see where you are going and see when you will start.

Step 4: your first meters
Now just let the handle pull you forward. The handle will drag you to the right direction so that you don’t have to steer anywhere. Once you are a few meters on the water you will fell how the kneeboard stabilizes itself and you can try to lean up to a comfortable kneeling position. Just hold your arms in a straight and comfortable position.

Step 5: turning
So now it’s time to try doing some slight turns on your kneeboard because you will need them in the corners. Start leaning to the right hand side and put most of you weight on to your right leg and the board will steer to the right side. Than lean over to the other side and try it there to. You will feel how the board steers into the given direction. To make stronger turns you also need to turn your hip into the direction you want to go. So if you lean to the left and turn your hip a little bit to the left so that your knees are showing to the left you will make an easy left turn.

As all the cable parks have corners and you need to be able to go around them. It is advisable to ask the staff to tell you the best time to start making the turn for the corner. Most of the lifts have buoys to show everyone where the turns start. If you have buoys there make sure you go through the two buoys and start to steer as soon as you are in between them. You can also look up to the cable of the lift where the handle rope is adjusted to the cables. As soon as that part goes around the corner you can start your turn too. You will feel how the handle will not pull you so hard anymore as it goes around the corner. The pull will come back with a short hitch so be prepared for that hitch. For some people it might be easier to lower spine again so that your center of gravity is lower. Once you are riding straight again you can straighten up to a comfortable kneeling position.

Extra notes
When you are on your Kneeboard always make sure that there are no obstacles in your way, always look out for other people, swimmers and maybe other obstacles. If you don’t feel like you can ride around the obstacles just let go of the handle. Once you’re not on the handle anymore your board will slow down and you will sink. Than just grab your board and swim to the next bank and go back to the start.

If you fall in the water always make sure to look around so that no other rider will hit you. For now you should feel safe on your kneeboard and have fun riding it. If you feel safe enough you can try to fix the knee strap tight over your thigh that will give you the chance to put more contact on your kneeboard so that you push it harder into corners and turn it easier. In case of falling in the water you should stay calm and first of all open the knee strap so that you can swim.

Kneeboarding behind a boat 

The basics for kneeboarding behind a boat are basically the same. Both cable and boat are great fun so make sure to try them! 

Did you know you can easily do some kneeboarding on the Jobe Multi Position boards?