Ten beginner Wakeboard Tricks

[wakedncsu]

It really is all about line tension. You aren't trying to build speed, so much as tension. It sounds like you are digging really hard and trying to hit it fast. Then using a "small hop" to get the air. Don't approach the wave with speed as you goal. Approach the wake with line tension as your goal. The speed will come. And dont forget the basics, shoulders back, handle at the hip. weight balanced. If you do it right you will know it. The speed will come on fast and stay with you. There won't be any effort.

[racer808]

It really is all about line tension. You aren't trying to build speed, so much as tension. It sounds like you are digging really hard and trying to hit it fast. Then using a "small hop" to get the air. Don't approach the wave with speed as you goal. Approach the wake with line tension as your goal. The speed will come. And dont forget the basics, shoulders back, handle at the hip. weight balanced. If you do it right you will know it. The speed will come on fast and stay with you. There won't be any effort.

You nailed it! I am trying to edge hard to build up speed, (I have line tension but it is probably all wrong), then lock out my knees right before to get pop. So how do I get tension without edging hard?

[Levi900RR]

You nailed it! I am trying to edge hard to build up speed, (I have line tension but it is probably all wrong), then lock out my knees right before to get pop. So how do I get tension without edging hard?

on the take some video of yourself. I'm only guessing here but I bet your not carrying your edge all the way up the wake. Usually as people are trying to learn to stand tall they roll forward and loose that edge which kills the whole deal.

You know when your hitting that 100' double and you back off the throttle right as you hit the lip so you don't do a mad air wheely? Don't do that, keep it pinned right off the lip of the wake.

[racer808]

on the take some video of yourself. I'm only guessing here but I bet your not carrying your edge all the way up the wake. Usually as people are trying to learn to stand tall they roll forward and loose that edge which kills the whole deal.

You know when your hitting that 100' double and you back off the throttle right as you hit the lip so you don't do a mad air wheely? Don't do that, keep it pinned right off the lip of the wake.

Actually if you let off you are going nose down with the back wheel trying to get up in your butt. But a lil (or a lot) panic rev usually takes care of it. I am having a hard time edging through the wake. Man I hope this isnt like dirt biking, I broke a lot of bones trying to get better

[Levi900RR]

Get a helmet, you'll be fine

[shawndoggy]

that's probably what the vid will show... that you are going "flat" as you go up the transition. Just keep on edge all the way through the wake and you will be fine. The lower you keep the handle, the less likely it is that the rope will pull you off axis in the air. If you can glue the handle to your front hip and cut all the way through, with the hardest part of the cut at the top of the wake, it'll start happening for sure.

"stand tall" is really just code for "don't suck it up with your knees."

[wakedncsu]

that's probably what the vid will show... that you are going "flat" as you go up the transition. Just keep on edge all the way through the wake and you will be fine. The lower you keep the handle, the less likely it is that the rope will pull you off axis in the air. If you can glue the handle to your front hip and cut all the way through, with the hardest part of the cut at the top of the wake, it'll start happening for sure.

"stand tall" is really just code for "don't suck it up with your knees."

Yeah. I can't stress enough. Keep your weight balanced, handle at your hips, and come at the wake with your shoulders back (I tell people to approach the wake "bird-chested" to start with). You want to concentrate on turning slowly. Start taking cuts where you slowly lean away from the boat toward the wake. Start ridiculously slow. That way you know you aren't going to hit the wake right, and it will help deprogram you from fast hard cuts. Progressively cut harder into the wake until the board is squaring up perpendicular to the boat just before you ascend the wake. If you keep that form right and you start slow and work into it, you will get that right pop. Take it slow and have patience. This will yield more consistent feedback for better learning.

And shawn is right. When you go up the wake do absorbe the wake into your knees. keep that form right all the way through the wake.

[CL-Rides]

Hey Crew, I'm registering for a wakeboard competition in July and I need to do ten different wakeboard tricks. No inverts and nothing more than a 180. I don't even know of 5 let alone 10. Are there any wakeboarders that can come up with a 2 pass - set that would fit the bill? Ryan

Here is a little diagram with all the different grabs (its a snowboard but they are still the same).

You can do shiftys which means your lower body moves in a different direction than your upper body across the wake.

Then also you could do some 180s if you can do them. Lots to choose from!

I can't even jump the wake yet. Have no idea what the hell keeps going wrong. My 11 yr old can though.....

Like others have said if you have the right line tension you should actually be able to jump the wake from 5-10 feet from the lip of the wake. If you are going to do a heelside jump for an example you obviously edge out on your toes first once you get to the spot where you feel comfortable enough and have enough speed HOLD that toe edge and dont back off. This will keep the line tension and once you are ready to jump switch over to your heelside edge and edge up and through the wake.