Kitesurfing Lessons - 10 Reasons Why You Can't Afford to Try to Learn to Kitesurf Without Them
OK so I guess most of you are thinking, "Well your a kitesurfing instructor, you're bound to say that I need to take Kitesurfing Lessons," and in one sense your absolutely right, I have to make money after all, but I've also been teaching for long enough to know that the points I'm about to make are valid and true, and can save you an awful lot of time, effort and misery...
1) Your safety - OK so this is the obvious one. You are about to attach yourself to a power kite, the clues in the name. These things pack a punch and unless you know what to expect and how to control that power you can very quickly end up in a very sticky situation!
2) Everyone else's safety - slightly less obvious than no 1 but just as, if not more important. You can travel very quickly with a kite and even if you put it up in a nice open space its amazing how many people will come and stand as close to you as they can to get a better look at what your doing. If you lose control at a critical time guess who's going to be straight in the firing line...you got it old Mother Biggins. This is a really important issue for all of us kitesurfers as if innocent bystanders start getting injured its only a matter of time before local town councils turn around and ban the sport altogether which is good for no one. A kitesurf instructor will keep an eye out for potential problems during your Kitesurfing School lessons and steer you well clear of them.
3) It'll save you time - Taking Kitesurfing lessons will save you an incredible amount of time (and frustration) as opposed to Trial and error learning (the least effective form of learning) or learning off You Tube. You will be up and riding quicker and with more confidence than you would teaching yourself.
4) It'll save you money - During your kitesurfing lessons you wont be using your kit, but the schools kit. This is generally purpose built to stand up to the battering that most students dish out but if you do happen to break it, no problems they'll simply take out a new kite and the lesson continues. Much better to 'go mental with the rental' than watch your new 1000 € baby getting dropped in-front of a munching wave.
5) Learn in safe conditions - without someone to inform you of what are safe and unsafe conditions you have no way of telling one from the other. An instructor will only let you go out in conditions that you can handle. This will stop you from being put off before you begin by bad or uninformed judgment calls.
6) Meet other kitesurfers - what better way of getting into your new found community than meeting people who are already deeply involved in it. The guys and gals at the school you take your kitesurfing lessons will probably become your friends and riding partners for life and the people you do the course with will be at a similar level to you so will make great people to pair up with while you still learning the ropes.