Waters warming up and the wind has been blowing. We are still kiteboarding despite limited access. Now is the perfect time to kiteboard or give kiteboarding a try. The weather is right and it is a great way to enjoy the water.
Heres a video of a session this past week at one of our local islands.
Take Kiteboarding Lessons
We’ve seen a lot of people out trying to teach themselves. Without bias, an hour or two of lessons is equivalent to at least 20 hours of trying to teach yourself. Kiteboarding is one of those things that are counterintuitive to what your reactions tell you to do. The value in a professional instructor is they will teach you the muscle memory of controlling the kite so you learn quicker and safer. Here are three reasons why to take lessons.
- Don’t jeopardize our spots!! If you’re out trying to teach yourself, your situational awareness is not good. You’re not aware of where to go and why (things you learn in a lesson). If you hurt yourself or someone else you risk access. In a lesson you’ll be taken to the right spot and right water depth.
- Learn Faster. In a lesson you’ll learn ten times faster than on your own. Youtube videos help but don’t cut it. It’s almost impossible to remember what the Youtube video said when the kite starts pulling.
- Jetski Support. Yes, we use a jetski to take you out away from other kiteboarders and into your own environment. You’ll be at the perfect spot, away from the worry of other people. Once you’re riding, we can provide coaching while you ride.
Explore New Spots
With most of our typical kite spots closed, we had to get creative and find new spots. One thing we have learned from this pandemic is that there are so many awesome places to kiteboard in St Petersburg! Although it is more difficult to get a jetski to some of the places, kiteboarding is still doable. There are still perfect locations to kiteboard at that are safe and legal.
It is important to know how to choose the right spot to kiteboard. You always want a wind direction that will blow you back to the beach in case something goes wrong. If you’re going to some place new, bring a friend. It’s always a good idea to have a couple of other people around.
Kiteboarding Is Great Exercise
Kiteboarding is a great workout! A common misconception is you need a lot of upper body strength, this is not true. You do not need much upper body strength. We’ve had young and tiny girls learn how to kiteboard all the way to men and women in their 80’s. Kiteboarding is a sport anyone can learn. The muscles used are legs and core. When riding, it can be a good leg and core workout.
Kiteboarding Is Great For The Mind
Strength doesn’t do much for kiteboarders. Kiteboarding is all about finesse. You want to know and understand how the kite works. What makes us unique in our lessons is that we help explain how everything works. Our theory is that when you better understand how things work you’ll learn quicker and more efficiently. One of our mottos is to work smart, not hard.
With all the craziness in the world right now we wish to safely get people on the water. Kiteboarding is great for both physical exercise and for the mind! Its a great way to escape for just a little bit.
