How to kitesurf like a pro

Kitesurfing is one of the most popular water sports in the world. Places like Hua Hin in Thailand, are sought out for having perfect wind conditions and beautiful seas, by people who have mastered or want to learn the ultra-cool sport. Are you planning on taking up kitesurfing? Longing for the thrill of skimming across the water like an expert? Then this article is for you. Learn how to kitesurf like a pro!

1. First, Get Familiar With The Sport Of Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing uses wind power to propel you across a body of water. Waves are not needed for kitesurfing, unlike surfing despite the name. You can kitesurf on a flat surface of the water, even on a lagoon, as long as you’ve got water and good wind conditions. Your surfboard is attached to a kite which helps you to harness the wind, thus pushing you along the water. Hence, places like Hua Hin in Vietnam are extremely popular for the sport due to the area’s windy conditions.

To master the art of kitesurfing you must first learn to balance and use the kite to harness the wind. Once you master this skill you can increase speed and even go on to some daredevil feats like jumps and flips. Not to worry though, mastering kite surfing is easy and a popular sport to learn on holiday. As such learning to kitesurf is amongst top things to do in Hua Hin Thailand, given the area’s popularity for the sport. Many resorts there like Anantara Hua Hin open onto the beach, where you can find plenty of kitesurfing schools manned by expert instructors.

2. Make Sure You Have Basic Skills And Fitness Levels

If you are familiar with balancing on a surfboard and even wearing a wet suit; picking up kitesurfing skills is easy. The best part of surfing in Asian climates, like Hua Hin is you don’t always have to wear a wet suit since conditions are sometimes warm.

A basic level of fitness is enough for a person to learn kitesurfing. The kite is not very heavy and the sport does not require heavy muscle usage. However, having good stamina will be a boost for mastering your skimming techniques for long sessions on the water. Plus, a good level of fitness will also make sure you avoid injuries.

3.You Must Take Lessons

Better than attempting to teach yourself, thus learning a wrong technique, its important you learn correct kitesurfing skills from a professional. As a popular sport in Hua Hin, plenty of locals are experts at kitesurfing, which means the kitesurfing school teachers are quite adept at getting you to learn the ropes in next to no time. They will teach you proper safety techniques, the correct skills to acquire and the basics of understanding wind conditions and using it to your advantage. Also, taking lessons from an expert prevents you from injuring yourself or causing harm to anyone else.

4. Choose A Package That Works For You

If you are learning to kite surf close to your home, you can select week-long or weekend packages. Look around for recommendations and choose a kitesurfing school with a good reputation. If you are on holiday ask your hotel in Hua Hin for recommendations. The water club at your Hua Hin resort maybe conducting classes or you will be directed to a reputed school, just walking distance from your accommodation.

Before you begin your lessons, chat to your would-be instructor. Try to understand the person’s character and see if its an individual you can learn from. If you don’t feel comfortable, move on and look for another instructor you can bond with better; it’s important to feel comfortable with your instructor, the equipment and yourself to pick-up the sport faster.

Enjoy!