The sport of hang gliding looks and feels a bit dangerous, but it is actually a very safe sport that even the most confirmed couch potato can enjoy. You dont need to be an accomplished athlete in order to be able to enjoy the unique sensation of swooping through the air that only hang gliding can bring. As long as you are competent enough to be able to make safe decisions while you are in the air and to respond to any surprises with grace and poise, you can enjoy this kind of gravity defying adventure.
On a first trip off of the ground, a new glider will probably not be able to sail for more than a hundred feet or so, but an experienced glider can stay in the air for several hours at a stretch. In order to keep their energy up for these long journeys so that they can respond effectively to wind and speed changes, very accomplished hang gliders usually follow a regimen of strength training and light aerobics to get in shape before a flight. However, a person of average fitness can learn to hang glide quite easily. A common rule of thumb is that if you can jog, and if you can balance a fifty pound weight on your shoulders, you are probably ready to take to the skies....