If you’re thinking of getting into kitesurfing, or if you know someone who is, you might be unsure whether it’s the right activity for them. Kitesurfers in action may be frightening to watch! It seems like these individuals have extraordinary abilities to transport themselves so swiftly and high in strong winds.
Is it possible for anybody to kitesurf? Anyone can learn to kitesurf, regardless of age, weight, height, gender, or physical strength if they have reasonable health and fitness, feel at ease in the water, have adequate aerobic endurance, balance skills, and coordination ability.
Can people of any strength kitesurf?
The majority of people who are new to this pastime think you need a lot of upper body power to kitesurf. That is true for windsurfing, but not for kitesurfing.
The entire force from the kite is transferred to your harness, which you wear around your waist. As a result, kitesurfing does not require any arm strength!
Your core muscles are in control of the kite’s power. Your arms merely help you steer the kite with the regulation bar, much like on a bicycle.
That is why you’ll often see smaller riders, both male and female, riding effortlessly in all kinds of conditions.
Now, you just need a certain degree of muscular strength in your legs, abs, and lower back. The reason is that as the kite lines pull on your harness, you must push back and generate an opposed force from your core muscles to resist the effect while keeping yourself straight and pushing with your feet against the water surface with your legs.
In fact, most healthy individuals are capable of resisting the pull from the harness and maintaining their body straight while pushing on their legs without any outstanding fitness abilities.
This is also assuming you have the appropriate size kite for the current wind conditions and are not excessively overpowered, in which case much more power would be required to resist the pull.
Can people of any size and build kitesurf?
Most schools demand that pupils weigh at least 40 pounds in order to participate in kitesurfing lessons. Children who are too light to fly may be swept away by a powerful wind gust.
Younger children, on the other hand, can play with a trainer kite, which is a smaller, handheld kite that teaches them the fundamentals of flying a kite, steering it left and right, and controlling its power by producing or reducing traction while standing on the beach.
What if you’re a bigger person? Can you still kitesurf? Sure, you can. Larger individuals are not uncommon to see kitesurfing. People who weigh 250-300 pounds may just need a larger kite and/or board, depending on the conditions.
Of course, if you’re very overweight, there may be other health concerns that would prevent you from beginning kitesurfing, such as your overall cardio capacity and heart condition.
What about height? If you’re taller than the average individual, you shouldn’t have any difficulty kitesurfing. Remember, all of the traction is generated at your waist via the harness, so height isn’t an issue. One exception is spine problems, which many tall people encounter – see below for further information.
You can kitesurf without problems if you’re shorter than the average. The only thing you might need is to change the control bar so that you may reach it at all times, especially when it’s fully extended – the bar slides up and down a rubber part to alter the tension in the lines connected to the back of the kite.
Can people of any age kitesurf?
Kitesurfing is not limited by age. As I’ve said, upper-body strength isn’t required. Children as young as 5 may begin kiting if they weigh less than the minimum weight requirement. Older individuals with excellent coordination and balance, enough core strength and lower body stamina, can also kitesurf.
When you look around at the kitesurfing population on a typical weekend at most local beaches, you’ll see a lot of people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s gliding back and forth. Freestyle is usually more rigorous than regular navigation, with higher fitness levels, mobility, flexibility, and hit-taking ability required.
In less severe weather, such as 15-25 miles per hour winds and flat water, older people are more inclined to kitesurf.
Can people of any fitness level kitesurf?
I’ve already discussed upper body strength, weight, and height, but what about age? General fitness is not a significant element in determining if kitesurfing is right for you.
Although many schools make it appear to be a stroll in the park, kitesurfing is really an endurance sport. Getting into the water, getting up on that board, and then riding upwind for long periods of time may require significant stamina even for individuals without serious health issues.
So, what exactly are we talking about? To begin with, you need to be able to stand on your kiteboard and keep up as your kite pulls at the waist. To compensate for the forward pull in your harness that tends to sweep you off your board, good balance is required.
The wind is rarely steady, making the amount of pull on your waist fluctuate considerably every second. To remain upright on your board, you must constantly adapt your equilibrium.
To develop momentum, you must train your muscles to keep constant tension and traction on your harness while extending your legs and pushing with your glutes, quads, and calves.
Meanwhile, you pull back into your harness using your core muscles to maintain the tension in the lines.
This may be tiring for hours on end. As they become stronger and more fit, most healthy individuals develop the muscles needed for it over time, extending their kitesurfing sessions. However, keep in mind that a little degree of endurance and fitness, comparable to running on a treadmill, will greatly aid you.
Remember that learning to fly a kite requires physical stamina, since your kite will keep tossing you around in the water and until you’re able to ride upwind you’ll have to walk back against the powerful wind while your kite pulls you in the wrong direction…
Can people with all mental capabilities kitesurf?
By “mental capability,” I don’t mean people with a mental disability, but rather to mental abilities, which are seldom mentioned when evaluating someone’s ability to kitesurf.
Kitesurfing is comparable to drumming in that it demands excellent coordination. Naturally, you’ll need to develop these abilities over time, and kitesurfing schools have methods for doing so. You do, however, need some natural coordination ability.
What is the level of coordination we’re talking about? When you kitesurf, you must accomplish two priorities at once:
- Using your hands/arms/body to fly your kite
- Using your legs, feet, or body position to control the board
Both may react to the slightest movement or position adjustment you make (depending on your kite and board types). It is necessary for good mental abilities to learn the proper positions and movements for each. Some people are born with it, while others aren’t.
I began kitesurfing at the same time as a close friend of mine. My learning skills were on par with others around me, but my friend kept slamming his kite onto the sand before throwing it into the water. He eventually abandoned kitesurfing after determining he was not suited for it.
Of course, he may have been able to teach his body anyhow. But I suppose he felt it was too much work for him – in contrast, he’s a fantastic tennis player.
If you’re interested in learning how to kitesurf, be aware that not everyone has the mental and physical coordination required to do so – it may need a lot more effort for some individuals. Another crucial aspect is perseverance, which can assist you in becoming a kiteboarder.
Can people not comfortable in the water kitesurf?
This is a no-brainer, yet it’s still important to remember: if you don’t feel comfortable in the water, you’ll have a hard time learning to kitesurf.
Some kiteboarders choose kitesurfing as a means of dealing with their fear of water. In reality, though, in order to properly do a water start, get up on your board, launch your kite into the power zone, and begin riding, you’ll need all the serenity and focus you can get.
Before you kitesurf, you’ll need to be able to swim. You can wear an impact or safety vest while riding, but there will be times when you’ll have to swim back to land, especially during the learning process. Basic swimming abilities are required – after all, this is an ocean sport.
Can people with lower back issues kitesurf?
Last, I’d like to address whether you can kitesurf if you have lower back discomfort. Disclaim: I’m not a doctor or a health professional, so take this with a grain of salt.
I had a terrible lower spine injury with two herniated discs (L4 and L4) about two years ago. I was confined to a couch for three months, unable to stand upright for another three.
The first thing I did when I began to feel less discomfort was to re-educate my spine with the Foundation Training approach, which had a profound effect on me (and thousands of others). But, guess what the next action I took? Go kitesurfing. This really assisted in my recovery from herniations.
Why? The way the harness pulls forward on my lower back (spinal extension) and compels me to extend my legs and flex my core muscles is great for me. It’s actually assisting me with lumbar extensions, which is what I need for my condition.
Each person is unique. My well-known kitesurfer buddy has a significant lordosis, which means his lower back has an inward curve that is quite deep. Flexion-based exercises are what he requires in order to make a round back; this is bad for him because kitesurfing tends to elongate your spine.
