Finially Nailed it!

[JonnyRad91]

We have a tradition here in Seattle when you stomp a trick for the first time you get to pop a bottle of champaign. We always try to keep one in the boat. Congrats man!

[Levi900RR]

JonR that is an awesome idea. Maybe I'll keep a can of High Life in the boat for the next time

[blagrata]

Nice dude! Congrats! You beat me to it. I've been so close for so long and have been concentrating on the ski too much lately. That darn skinny stick is addicting.

BTW: You made it look easy!

Nothing wrong with concentrating on the ski! Whenever I see glass early in the morning I can't waste it on the wakeboard!

[sp0tts]

I've been trying the backroll for the past couple weekends, but keep on landing switch or sideways and washing out. What's the trick? Any pointers that made you get it any faster? Oh and congrats on adding that trick to your bag!

The natural rotation of a backroll goes to revert. Roll to revert is a lot harder to get consistent. I too went to revert a lot when learning, for me I began letting go with my back hand about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through the trick. That should square you up for the landing.

DUDE!!! Nice job!

Which is easier, the front or back roll? I've been doing the front roll, soooo close to sticking the landing but barely not there yet. I am worried on the backroll that I will under-rotate and WHAM.

Tru-dat on the toeside, both for tricks and W2W.

Backrolls are definitely easier for most people. I landed a front roll before I landed a backroll, but the fronts were a lot more difficult to get consistent even when I knew what I was doing.

I think my rope is like 55'? Does that make sense? I gotta say I must have been lucky cause I didn't have many real hard crashes learning.

First, Congrats! I'd say it's a good sign you were ready to start attempting them if you didn't have any hard falls. Hard crashes on backrolls are usually the result of fundamentals going really bad (popping early, trying to throw the trick off the wake, not having a good progressive edge, or not being able to pop period).

Edited July 23, 2012 by sp0tts

[martinarcher]

Nothing wrong with concentrating on the ski! Whenever I see glass early in the morning I can't waste it on the wakeboard!

I hear that one! The smoothness of the water makes a big difference it I will be riding a ski, wakeboard, or surfboard!

[Levi900RR]

Sp0tts, its interesting that you mention letting go with one hand. My buddy who is also in the early stages of landing a consistant back roll always lets go and crashes. I felt that if I really focused on keeping both hands on and keeping the handle at my lead him I tended to land going the right direction. BUT I think he's letting go with the wrong hand

[sp0tts]

Sp0tts, its interesting that you mention letting go with one hand. My buddy who is also in the early stages of landing a consistant back roll always lets go and crashes. I felt that if I really focused on keeping both hands on and keeping the handle at my lead him I tended to land going the right direction. BUT I think he's letting go with the wrong hand

If your friend is letting go with this lead hand, he should be going to revert every time, otherwise he's likely doing some other things wrong too.

As for you, I'm assuming you mean "lead hip" and not "lead him." The video makes it look like you have good control with both hands on the handle. If you're consistently doing that don't change anything. If you're consistently going to revert with 2 hands on the handle, you're simply over-rotating most of the time. The natural rotation of the backroll will take you to revert, however, throwing a roll to revert is a bit different than throwing a backroll IMO (we won't get into that here). The purpose of letting go with the back hand is to slow down your rotation and square you up towards the end of the trick. You can also slow your rotation by letting the handle creep away from your body at your lead hip while you're on your way down. Either way, it's controlling or slowing down your rotation (you do want the handle in tight when initiating, don't ever change that). If someone is consistently over-rotating it's usually easier to tell them to let go with their back hand on the way down than it is to tell them to not throw the trick as hard (scary for most) or move the handle away from the body and towards the lead hip on the way down. Bottom line, both methods will essentially get the same results, it's just easier for most to let go with the back hand (Shaun Murray even mentions this in Detention 2012).

[40oz]

Not sure what you call it, but i have been trying to get a clean tail grab and shove the front leg out, then hold it. Finally got it and thanks to a buddy in the boat with a bad a$$ camera for getting a shot of it.

[bbbabe1]

^^ You've got your head on crooked

[mnhays]

That lake reminds me of the ones crawling with gators, but nice grab! too bad you lost the top of your head!

[40oz]

^^ You've got your head on crooked

Yea, i was trying to be funny, didnt konw that i was going to get some good air and have a good pit taken.

So is this trick called anything other than a tail grab? I have been watching pro vids on youtube and a lot of them will grab and add that shove at the end. Didnt know if that shove made it a different trick all together.

[40oz]

That lake reminds me of the ones crawling with gators

It is actually called "Hallsmill Creek" and is know to have at least 3 manatees that live there year round. No gators that i have seen yet.

Edited August 2, 2012 by JIMJOM

[Levi900RR]

JIM, That pic is BAD A. And I love that grab. I am going to try and add that to my bag.

[Levi900RR]

If your friend is letting go with this lead hand, he should be going to revert every time, otherwise he's likely doing some other things wrong too.

As for you, I'm assuming you mean "lead hip" and not "lead him." The video makes it look like you have good control with both hands on the handle. If you're consistently doing that don't change anything. If you're consistently going to revert with 2 hands on the handle, you're simply over-rotating most of the time. The natural rotation of the backroll will take you to revert, however, throwing a roll to revert is a bit different than throwing a backroll IMO (we won't get into that here). The purpose of letting go with the back hand is to slow down your rotation and square you up towards the end of the trick. You can also slow your rotation by letting the handle creep away from your body at your lead hip while you're on your way down. Either way, it's controlling or slowing down your rotation (you do want the handle in tight when initiating, don't ever change that). If someone is consistently over-rotating it's usually easier to tell them to let go with their back hand on the way down than it is to tell them to not throw the trick as hard (scary for most) or move the handle away from the body and towards the lead hip on the way down. Bottom line, both methods will essentially get the same results, it's just easier for most to let go with the back hand (Shaun Murray even mentions this in Detention 2012).

This is awesome, I wish you lived closer to VT

[mikeyg]

Nice! That move is called a tail-grab nosebone.

Edited August 6, 2012 by mikeyg

[sp0tts]

This is awesome, I wish you lived closer to VT

I think our summer's are short enough here, but don't be scared to make another post if you're struggling with something. Videos help a lot and there's a good bit of knowledge on this site.

[Levi900RR]

I will for sure, I'm really working on my toe side wake jumps. I think I got a little ahead of myself working on the heel side back roll... but man is it fun to land! I'm also working on a 360 with my wakeskate. Once I get the handle pass down I'll try it on my board.

[CL-Rides]

Finally landed my first today as well. No video but i couldnt believe when i landed that i was still standing on the water. Awesome feeling as you said Levi...

[Levi900RR]

Congrats man! I was lucky to have the camera going.

[bbbabe1]

I'm so close... I've landed a couple but then the rope slips out of my hand so I'm not counting those. Here's a video of one of my close ones.

[mnhays]

I'm so close... I've landed a couple but then the rope slips out of my hand so I'm not counting those. Here's a video of one of my close ones.

Nice dude! The closest I'm coming to land mine is when I land all the way around but bounce up and eat the water haha! These seem like you just have to take your falls to learn them!

[CL-Rides]

Nice dude! The closest I'm coming to land mine is when I land all the way around but bounce up and eat the water haha! These seem like you just have to take your falls to learn them!

When i was trying them yesterday i just got up did a few jumps and then tried them right away and when i fell i got feedback from the guys in the boat then on my 5th try i landed it. I the only thing i suggest is patience. Before i wasnt getting enough air and really trying to throw it too hard but i wasnt clearing the wake so i had to just slow down and get the height and spin slower.

[Levi900RR]

bbabe / CL, If you're getting around and the board is hitting the water you just need to keep that handle on your lead hip and learn to feel the landing. Once you get it, it's so smooth. One of the coolest feelings ever. I'm going to put some serious work on the skate tonight, trying tantrums and 360's

[40oz]

Can anyone here land a Batwing? I have been trying for a while and i am obviously missing something.

Edited August 14, 2012 by JIMJOM

[Cdoogles]

Can anyone here land a Batwing? I have been trying for a while and i am obviously missing something.

I can. What seems to be your problem? It's all about the last 3 feet of edging. Have to make sure you are standing tall, and that as you approach the trough you load your hips up and swoop them up and through the wake. It's similar to a lot of raley/glide tricks in that it's really easy to do but you have to commit and let the board fly up and away so that you hit full extension which makes snapping it back down much easier.