Kiteforum.com

good advice by dirk gently he says "advance the bar" a bit different term normally I hear this being called "pulling the bar into the hip"

mrKnotty wrote: For a proper understanding, the meaning of the terms should be clear I think.
For example, what is "progressive edge"? And, what is exactly that you do when releasing? Is it the kite pulling you from your rail, or do you actively flatten your board you release the rail? Or even pop by stretching your legs?

Also it seems that when I build up a nice speed, I can't pop well, while at a moderate speed it works much better.

Progressive edge is just that an edge that gets progressively stronger. Forget this term unless you are behind a boat or at a cable. It does not work on a kite because you will loose all power by the time it is to release your edge.

Releasing your edge is just that. You release edge, but it's a different release based on what your doing. Raley is more of a pull you over your toes release. Backroll is edge completely out the back and throw your head. Frontroll is the hardest to explain, you stomp hard off your back foot at the same time throw your weight over your shoulders in a some what judo roll motion. They are all fundamentally the same but slightly different.

Speed is subjective, it has to be controllable. If your moderate speed gives you better pop then target that. As you get better you will be able to handle more speed or just have better technique and get better pop.

TheJoe, What about HP release? Do you have to release with straight and compact body to be able to make it?

And if you don't need progressive edge, what shape of arc is best for HP? Or it doesn't matter?

And what about factors leading to maximum slack?

I'm working on some instructional clips but they wont be done until fall that really break down a lot of the stuff that other instructionals are going to gloss over.

Probably the best thing you could do is post up a video of a few of your attempts, and we could pick them apart (if you can handle it ).

It depends on the kite if you use a true progressive edge, because your edge loading profile will cause the kite to do different things, right ? I dont think you will stall a properly powered kite with a progressive edge (because you have to know when to release it )

One thing I noticed when I started to unhook was that the difference in body position between my riding ready to unhook pos, and the point when I had unhooked and the weight was in my arms but my chicken loop was still close to the hook, was that it was a super awkward position!! And you are almost instantly having your arms pulled away into a more arms out in front of you position, instead of with your hands down low. The timing of this with your edge caused the kite to do some weird translations in the window (just slightly) but enough to ruin speed & consistency between pop.

I now ride with a bar with short throw but a long distance between the chicken loop and bar, so when I unhook, I'm only coming ~2 inches out of position instead of 6-12 " out of position. I dont know if that makes sense.....

dandaka wrote:TheJoe, What about HP release? Do you have to release with straight and compact body to be able to make it?

And if you don't need progressive edge, what shape of arc is best for HP? Or it doesn't matter?

And what about factors leading to maximum slack?

Release is the same. The big thing is really pulling the bar to your hips. I'm having to relearn how to pass since I had surgery on both shoulders last fall. I've started doing some 3's at the cable park since I don't have to pull as hard as I do with a kite.

I think slack is kinda a bad term. You need something to pull into your rotation but have it to where you don't get pulled out of the rotation half way thru.

Ever heard about the apparent window? When you edge hard, the window shoots forward, making the kite sit right in the middle and then it accelerates to the new edge. During the acceleration the kite creates more lift due to it's speed, then you release the edge and you get a slingshot effect. Because you go downwind a bit, and more when you edge harder, the apparent wind speed drops a bit, creating the slack because you are moving faster than the kite.

It's a funny general misconception that you force the kite to the edge of the window when edging the board. It's in reality the other way around; When you edge the edge of the window moves forward and the kite had to keep up. The kite gets forced to the edge when you accelerate, because then the apparent window moves backwards. And the apparent window and wind speed is what matters.

Ever wonder why the kite almost falls out of the sky when you steer it behind you and then come to a sudden stop? (should be recognisable for beginners) That's because it's beyond the window at that point.

DirkGently wrote:I'm working on some instructional clips but they wont be done until fall

u wrote this in 2013 where's the lessons! it's 2015. tks .

edt wrote:

DirkGently wrote:I'm working on some instructional clips but they wont be done until fall

u wrote this in 2013 where's the lessons! it's 2015. tks .