Basics of Kiteboarding

The former president of population health and risk services for Valence Health, Dr. Nathan Gunn is an avid kiteboarder in his free time. Although Dr. Nathan Gunn pursues this hobby primarily in the Bay Area, the former Valence Health executive was first introduced to it approximately 10 years ago as a vacationer in Costa Rica.

Perhaps best described as a hybrid between kite flying and wakeboarding or surfing, kiteboarding, also known as kitesurfing, features a flat board attached to the participant’s feet via bindings and a harness around the waist attached to a steerable kite. The kite also attaches to a handlebar, which the kiteboarder uses to steer the kite.

The kite moves with enough power to lift the boarder 50 to 60 feet in the air, if the boarder has developed enough skill. The wearable harness bears the brunt of the resultant force, so the boarder’s arms are free to direct the kite in ways that let him or her perform tricks and maneuvers. This also means that the sport is accessible to athletes with no more than average strength or fitness.

The sport does have a significant learning curve, in that it requires a diverse skill set simply to stand on the board and direct the kite. Competent instruction helps the boarder prepare to practice independently while ensuring the development of technique that supports safe riding.

The Most Popular Guitar Chord Progression

Nathan Gunn, the former chief operating officer of Verisk Health, has spent several years as president of population health at Valence Health in Chicago. Beyond his work with Valence Health and other healthcare services providers, Nathan Gunn enjoys playing the guitar.

You can spend years learning to play the guitar and a lifetime perfecting the instrument’s techniques, from strumming to picking. However, the vast majority of popular songs draw on the same group of basic chord progressions. 

The I-V-vi-IV guitar chord progression is arguably the most widely used among modern musicians. While the G, D, E minor, and C chord group is among the most commonly used, the I-V-vi-IV progression can be transposed to other keys, such as C, G, A minor, F.

“No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley, “Let It Be” by The Beatles, “When I Come Around” by Green Day, and “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey are a few of the well-known rock songs that use the I-V-vi-IV chord progression.