With all my answers for this question I could easily fill a whole book. Who knows, maybe one day I will write one about it: “1.000 good reasons for kitesurfing”. But no worries – I will keep this article compact. Here you get all my personal reasons in a short overview.
Et voilá:
Why kitesurfing?
Because it’s fun, fun, fun!
Maybe the most important point of all. Gliding over the water, practicing new tricks, the sense of achievement, sessions with good friends … do I need to say more? Sure you can have a lot of fun in the gym too. But (I go to the gym regularly!) it’s not the same kind of fun: On the one hand it’s the kind of sport itself, on the other hand all the things around kitesurfing – places, lifestyle and much more. I promise!
Because it’s healthy
Being outdoors and breathing the fresh air … didn’t our grandmas tell us all the time, how important this is? They were absolutely right. Good news: Fresh air is one thing you will get a lot of while hanging on a kite – think of all the wind!
Apart from that kitesurfing will improve coordination, balance and concentration, trains reflexes and reactions and strengthens the whole body – also the often neglected core muscles.
Compared to windsurfing you need much less strength for kitesurfing. But you will use muscles you never knew that they exist! And you will feel this … when it happens the first time that after a intensive kite day you can not sit up in bed the next morning – cause your abs burn like hell (well, this is a good kind of pain ;)).
However, going kitesurfing regularly will get you in shape. Also the calorie consumption is nothing to sneeze: for me Runtastic says that I burn 320 calories per hour. Quite a lot – and I have a lot of fun while burning it! What I really notice is that I can (and have to) eat much, much more when I kite a lot. Pizza or fries after a kite session taste so much better – and you can stop counting all those calories 🙂
Last, but not least: Kitesurfing reduces the stress level, makes you more resilient and strengthens the immune system.
Because it clears the head
You, the water and the wind – one unity. Elements, the force of nature, movement. This combination is relaxing and lets everyday worries shrink till they are vanished. What to do on Monday in the office or in which mood the boss will be – during a kitesession you couldn’t care less. There is no time to brood over such thoughts. Moreover the physical activity will get you tired in a very pleasant way. You will enjoy the sunset totally relaxed and afterwards slumber like a baby. Conclusion: Kitesurfing is head and shoulders better than a stay in a wellness hotel.
Because it makes you happy
Moving your body leads to release of happiness hormones – this is no news. But all kinds of surfing activities add a special bonus: feeling “stoked” after a day on the water is indescribable and priceless. “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a kite and that’s pretty close” – word. But be careful: All this causes addiction very fast 😉
Because it makes you sexy
Did I already mention that kitesurfing keeps you top in shape? We heard it a thousand times: If you feel comfortable with your body, you are moving different and you ray out way more self-confidence. Additionally the huge grin you will wear after a fantastic kite day, the sleaziness you ray out from being happy and chilled. The tan you get, the fresh appearance you will have from being outdoors a lot. What’s the result of all these factors? Very easy to answer: You will appeal sexier, that’s for sure.
Because you will make new contacts and friends
Even if you should be a totally unsocial character – sorry, you merely can’t avoid getting in contact with a lot of people if you join the kitesurfing lifestyle. At your homespot, on vacation, hanging out on kite stations and -beaches, camping spaces or whatever … the companionable atmosphere which you (usually!) find at kitespots is supernice. Everyone is helping each other – after all every kiter is part of a community (with a few exceptions – like everywhere).
Usually kitesurfers experience that their network is growing rapidly. Facebook, Instagram and Social Media in general make it very easy to stay in contact with people all over the world, interchanging information about traveling, kitespots, equipment, tricks – or arranging to meet each other again somewhere. The kite community has become huge – but you will be wondering how many mutual friends you have when you add someone new you met at the kite beach. Yes, the world is supersmall!
Because it expands one’s horizon
I dare to say that a sport like kitesurfing contributes a lot to personal development. New people and relationships, new countries, new tricks – kitesurfing yields to a lot of new things and experiences in life and forces someone to get out of his comfort zone again and again. Why? Cause you can’t calculate natural forces like wind and water – you have to be flexible all the time, very often you have to improvise, make decisions very quickly or weigh risks. Ditto for traveling: If you go on a wellness vacation for one week you will – compared to a kite surf week with the bus – probably experience not a lot of unexpected things. Becoming addicted to kitesurfing means that a lot will change, especially in daily organization. Cause kite addicts want to get out the most of a windy day – this can lead to a lot of planning (I mean, most people have a job too ;)).
I was never expecting the massive impacts of kitesurfing to my life. It’s not that it changed me personally – it also changed my job and a lot of other things. For me traveling to kitespots became lifeblood. I know I am not alone with this. Exploring new spots, always searching for the perfect kite beach, the perfect wave, the perfect conditions – this thoughts are my companion, permanently. Days with sunshine but also rainy days with squalls … learning to deal with everything is part of the game, if you get yourself into the kitesurfing adventure. Unforgettable moments will follow!
So much for the theory, guys. Now I ask all those who are thinking about starting kitesurfing: What are you waiting for? Are there still doubts? If yes: Why?
Well … I am sure I forgot something and there are so many more reasons for kiting – so if anyone has any additions: please tell me, I would be happy to hear more.
Beatiful Articule comming from Anja, from http://www.kitejoy.at/en/why-kitesurfing/