Know Your Kite Boarding Lingo

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christine_Stephenson]Christine Stephenson
Kite Boarding and its Lingo!
Kite boarding is a one of the fastest growing sports in the World. It's definitely for adrenaline junkies.
Kites can be extremely powerful, so if your just starting out you should seek kite lessons. Then gradually progress your skill levels and kite size until you are proficient enough on your own, otherwise you may end up injuring yourself, or other people around you.
When you are first starting out I recommend that you take a kite course. On the course you will be shown many things which make the first steps in kite surfing safer and quicker to master. Some of these things include;

Clothing to wear.
Kite size.
Board Size.
Kite Safety Systems.
Self Rescue.
Correct kiting conditions.

You will also be able to ask your instructor any other questions you might have. In your course, your instructor will start you off on a training kite. These kites still have power, but not enough to lift you off the ground. This will be just enough for you to get the "feeling" of the kite and how to pilot it through the wind window.
The heart of any kite course is based on safety. This is not only to help protect you, but others around you too. Once you have an understanding of kite safety and how it fly's, you will have to.

Set up a Leading Edge Inflatable kite (LEI) in the correct way.
Learn how to launch/Land the kite properly.
Re-launch the kite from the water.
Body drag and rescue your board.
Perform a kite pack down in the water.
Understand how to get the board on your feet and pilot the kite to allow your first board start!

If you are wondering where you can get lessons, then there are a number of governing bodies for kite surfing tuition. These guys ensure that the instruction you receive, will be of a good standard and offer a Third party insurance, for a small annual price. The main UK ones include;
I.K.O. - International kite surfing organisation.
B.K.S.A. - British Kite Surfing Association.
If your really keen on getting started in kite boarding it may be best to learn a bit of the lingo they use, so that you can understand what they are talking about.
So here we have the:- A - Z of kite boarding lingo.
A = Air-Time. The amount of time spent in the air while doing your jumps.
B = Boost. Simply how high you cam jump. Board shorts. Special shorts that are made seamless, so that they don't chaff the skin and also dry much quicker than ordinary shorts.
C = Chicken loop. A rubber loop which is used to harness the rider and to produce tension in the lines, so the rider can use body weight for leverage instead of struggling using their arms.
D = Downwind. The direction the wind is blowing towards, when the wind is at your back.
E = Edging. In kite boarding not only does edging steer the kite board, it is essential for kite control and controlling the board speed. This term is also used in wake boarding, it is used to steer the board.
F = Freestyle. Fast, High powered, kite boarding tricks.
G = Goofy. Riding a board with your right leg leading.
H = Heel side. The side of the kite board where the riders heels are. Handle pass. Passing the control bar behind a riders back, while still in the air.
I = Instructor. Make sure you don't go kite boarding without having lessons, for your own and the safety of others.
J = Jump. There are many different types of jumps from easy to risky.
K = Kite boarding. The best adventure sport in the world.
L = Lofted. Being dragged up into the air by the kite, in very strong winds this can be extremely dangerous. '
M = Mobe. There are different types of Mobes. It is a move that involves a back roll, with a front side 360 deg handle pass.
N = Nuking. kiting at high wind speeds, for really experienced riders only.
O = Onshore and Offshore. The wind blowing towards the shore is on shore and, the wind blowing away from the shore is offshore.
P = Power up. When the wind increases the kites pull. Power zone. The area which gives the kite the most pull. Q = Qualified. When you have done sufficient training with your instructor, you are qualified to go out on your own.
R = Regular. Riding a board with your left leg leading.
S = Side shore. Winds blowing parallel to the shore. T = Toe side The edge of a the board where a riders toes are.
U = Underpowered. This can be a few things, not enough wind, board of kite too small, incorrect rigging.
V = Visit your nearest kite boarding school and check it out..
W = Wind window.
X = eXciting, Mind blowing feeling that kite boarding give you.
Y = Yanked up into the sky in the most exhilarating jump of your life.
Z = Zenith. The part of the wind window directly above the head of the rider, also know as 12 O'clock.
Hope this article has been helpful and hope you have a great time kite boarding. Remember stay safe and enjoy yourself and hope you make loads of new friends!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Know-Your-Kite-Boarding-Lingo&id=6555965] Know Your Kite Boarding Lingo