You may be on a fence, deciding whether or not to get involved with kitesurfing. Here are some indirect, side benefits that kitesurfing has. Some will be more pronounced for you than the others depending on climate, weather and personal quirks that you possess.
1. Weight loss.
I have not seen an old friend of mine for a few years and I failed to recognize him when I ran into him on a beach! He has been kitesurfing only for two years and went from 290 to 210 lb. Since kitesurfing is a physical activity, even on a calm day you will be moving around toning your body, especially abdomen and arms. Your legs will get a decent workout too. Give it enough time and you will find yourself in a leaner, fit shape. Losing weight is a natural byproduct of kitesurfing.
2. Endurance.
Your first sessions will probably be 1 to 2 hours long, but as you progress you may find yourself spending an entire day riding, taken by the thrill of this beautiful sport. Side effects – a stronger body and increased endurance. There is no way around it in kitesurfing. Period.
3. Balance
Kitesurfing is all about (I wonder if you guessed it by now) keeping your balance while riding. Practice kitesurfing and you will develop a stronger sense of balance and coordination. Your cerebellum and the vestibular system will get a workout every time you go on the water, which may help you never get seasick again.
4. Mental focus
There are so many things involved in kitesurfing, the wind, the waves, the kite, the board, the traffic (other kiters), the control bar, etc., and they all are in need of your attention and you will need to cover all the bases. Kind of like juggling, kitesurfing requires your full attention and laser focus.
5. Better vision
Professional car drivers and badminton players are known for better vision since their eyes are constantly moving around and refocusing far-near-far time and time again, improving blood circulation and supply of nutrients to the eyeballs (lookup Quantum Vision on YouTube). When you un-glue yourself from this screen and go kitesurfing you will be doing the same thing: look close to check your control bar settings, and then look far to check your kite and see where you are going, giving your eyes a workout. You will feel the impact especially if you are an office warrior and are gazing at your computer screen most of your day.
6. Learn to fly
At some point in your journey, you will learn how to go airborne using your kite and your board. Call it flying, call it jumping, but it’s in the cards for every kitesurfer. The sensation of a flight is so immersive that most of us get hooked for life after the first jump. Are you still not sure? Read on!
7. Meditation
Kitesurfing is a complex sport. It will require your full attention, especially in the beginning, while you still learning your first HOW-TOs, so you’ll have no time to think about anything else. All day-to-day matters will fade out very quickly, so, kitesurfing will clear your mind. You will be more present, living in the moment. The longer your sessions become the deeper your mind cleansing will be!
8. Sunlight = Vitamin D
Usually, we go kitesurfing during Summer months or we travel to where it’s warm and sunny and we get exposed to the sunlight which recharges us with vitamin D in addition to all other benefits that the Sun has.
9. Workout = endorphins
We all know that physical exercises trigger the production of endorphins in our bodies, and endorphins have a number of positive effects on us: better mood, higher self-esteem, higher levels of dopamine and serotonin. And when you fall in love with kitesurfing (if you have not already) oxytocin level will go up as well. (Warning: this hormonal boost can be addictive)
10. Confidence
When you learn how to harness the powers of Mother Nature and keep them at your command, your confidence will soar. It did it for me for sure, back in the days. And all this leads to the next point.
11. Depression – gone
Practicing kitesurfing helps chase away our depression. So, if you suffer from the winter blues or feel lethargic for some other reason – get involved with kitesurfing and watch your self-image grow.
12. Social – make friends
Kitesurfing can be seen as a very social activity. (See the picture below) Especially in the beginning when you need an extra hand to launch your kite at the start of your riding session, and to land your kite at the end. Our community of kitesurfers is relatively small and when we get together on a beach on a beautiful summer day we may spend the whole day just talking about the sport, telling stories, bragging about out gear, trips, and close calls, just like fisherman. Sometimes we get so carried away with our stories over a 6-pack that we may even forget about riding altogether. Yet it will be your choice of course. So, start working on remembering names, you gonna need it!
13. Anti-social
Solitude. There is yet another side to kitesurfing. The ride itself is very much a solitary activity. When you are out on the water riding, you really can go fully solo, once you master your skills. (See the image above? The one on the right.) This makes kitesurfing perfect as a tool when you want to escape from the crowd and clear your head.
14. Suntan = looking good and sexy
If you are paying for your tanning sessions at your local tanning salon then kitesurfing is one sure-fire activity for you. Just pick the right weather to go out, wear close to nothing and get your bronze cover while you are having fun. Suntan is a natural part of the package here. Just wear enough sunscreen cuz sessions tend to be longer when the weather is right. Sunlight also increases your level of serotonin.
15. Immune system boost
All of the above are essential contributors to your immune system. The more of them you get the stronger your immune system will be.
16. Small carbon footprint = green activity
Go green! If you have a green sprout in your heart and you are conscious about pollution and global warming then kitesurfing is definitely for you. No gasoline, no oils, no fumes, none-nada-zero. Only some empty beer bottles left behind (or not). Kitesurfing is as green as it gets, as long as we pick up our trash.
17. Travel to warm and windy destinations
Once you get this kitesurfing bug under your skin, chances are you will not want to wait until the winter is over to go back to riding and you may have a burning desire to travel where it’s warm and sunny chasing the wind. Travelling is yet another byproduct of being in love with this beautiful sport of kitesurfing. So, get out there, have fun, and be safe! (You will hear me say this a lot in the course)
18. Better finance management
Let’s face it: kitesurfing is not cheap – equipment, gear, accessories, lessons, travel. One way or another you will need some extra $$$, either by working more or harder, getting another job, or just saving here and there, you will be managing your finance better (I hope).
19. Progression
In many sports, you can grow only so far and then it becomes either dangerous or boring. Kitesurfing is different in this sense because you can build your riding skills little by little adding up in small, safe increments. And there is plenty of room for growth as of now and for many years to come, since kitesurfing is a relatively new sport and it’s constantly evolving.
20. Passion
When kitesurfing bug bites you — you will be hooked for life. You will have a hobby. You will become passionate about this thing. And when someone asks you: “So… what do you do after work?” you will have something interesting to say.
I am glad you read to this point! Did I cover it all? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below. What’s your reason to kitesurf?
