alright this is my problem. about 2 weeks ago i was wakeboardding for like my dads friend because he wanted to see some air<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/crazy.gif" border=0>... anyway all i can really do i s jump wakes and grabs, but i jumped out into the flats and took a digger and i could describe it but i popped my eardrum. And now i'm back but i cant get the guts to go w2w again although im trying new tricks but i want to go w2w so how can i get over it. <BR>ps: this could turn into therapy

Just ship me your board and bindings and give up.

alright sounds good jk lol

I know exactly what you're going through. I blew my knee out two years ago. I was back on the water for the first time last summer and it literally took me all summer to get back to jumping W2W. Even though I have been back to W2W jumps all summer this year, I am just now breaking through my mental wall and progressing. <BR> <BR>I'm sure there are many things you can do that will help, but the best $13 you will ever spend on mental help is at: <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.mentalmanagement.com/A_WWIM_book.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mentalmanagement.com/A_WWIM_book.htm</a> <BR> <BR>The book is called With Winning in Mind. It was written by my Father-In-Law, Lanny Bassham. He was a gold medalist in the 1972 Olympics for riffle shooting. <BR> <BR>Don't let the riffle shooting thing deter you. His principles are valid for any sport. Currently he is coaching several PGA pro golfers, Olympic athletes, and even Navy Seals. Recently Meghann Major's coach contacted him for some books. <BR> <BR>If you follow his instructions and apply them you will see IMMEDIATE results. Like I said, I had a very tough time jumping w2w after my knee injury. Despite the fact that Lanny is my father-n-law and I had access to his info anytime I wanted, at first I chose to try and get back to form on my own. <BR> <BR>After wasting almost an entire summer I finally got a set of his audio CD's. I listened to them on my daily commute to work. After using his principles for one week I jumped and landed W2W on the very first attempt! The problem for me was that after I started jumping W2W again I stopped using his methods. I was no longer afraid, but my riding stopped progressing. I am now usuing his methods again and in just the past 3 weeks have really stepped up my riding. <BR> <BR>His principles are very simple and straight forward, yet they are extremely effective. I hope this info can help you. <BR> <BR>- Richard

wow sweet and thanks

hey John: <BR>Here is a tought. How about getting A helmet with ear-flaps on it. So this does not happen to you again, and it will also give you the confidence to continue progresing without the complication of injuries. Don't remember the cost on them not to expensive, but compared to the pain and suffering their priceless. Helmets are good, there are our friend.

well i have a pro tec one with earflaps maybe i just have to trust it more but what im most afraid of is landing on top of the other wake because i dont want to commit to clearing them cuz that hurts and i fall a lot when that happens so i dont know any suggestions

Thanks for the info Richard, really interesting stuff. <BR> <BR>John -- I've found the best way to get past this sort of stuff is to just put it out of mind. You can do this, I promise! With that helmet, realize that the chances of a repeat eardrum injury are very small, and that you just have to get back out there and go for it. Life's too short to worry about getting hurt all the time. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/proud.gif" border=0>

Screw a W2W Jump, just go for a big tantrum or something. If you're gonna get all worked-up about something, it mind as well be an invert!<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0>

the best thing you can do is go out and jump w2w, act like you did it 50 times in the past minute. I got knocked out, whip lash like a mofo trying a 3 this year and I had landed every single other one in my set previous to that. Next day after I warmed up I made myself do it. I just said to myself... "ok h/s 3 time" and I did it, don't let yourself get mental block, if you think too much then ya might get hurt...

thanks next weekend i will just charge it

visualize the night before. That is a big thing that helped me when I was learning/trying some of my first inverts... just visualizing all night, until you fall asleep of course, what you are trying to do. Just an idea, it helped me, maybe not for everyone. Good luck. <BR> <BR>I tore my ACL and meniscus in my right knee last year, and I have been wakeskating all of this season so far, still slightly afraid of going huge on the wakeboard. So I'm just gonna keep working out and get really strong again before I'm mentally confident enough. grrr, very frustrating <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/sad.gif" ALT=":-(" BORDER=0>

ya it is very frustrating because i come back to the dock and im like well that was lame because nothing would happen like the whole ride

I wouldn't say charge it, but I would say just jump wake to wake like you know how, if you go at it too hard that could also be bad <BR>Kevin... is wakeskating better for your knee than boarding? I was/am paranoid riding the skate for fear my back foot will fall in first and front foot stay on and do a split... January MCL tear...

wouldnt that be like a groin pull i dotn know never hurt my knee seriously

ahhhh, yeah, I know of that fear. I am basically not really worrying about that (stupid or not, I dunno, I'm just gonna try to not worry about it and do what I can to avoid that happening). I have heard of a lot of people who do the splits like that, but I have not experienced it yet. I have had a blast on the wakeskate this season so far. The falls are really 'graceful' and easy, definitely don't hurt- unless you land from a wake jump with the board between your legs. Injuries that I have sustained on the skate include mostly stuff where the board hits my knees either in the air or upon landing. I have landed kinda badly on the board, when I should have kicked it down and away in the air to avoid it hitting me when I get back to the water. So far, just a bunch of bruises on the legs and knees. <BR> <BR>good luck with the MCL rehab <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> hang in there <BR>

John, <BR> <BR>It just takes a little time to get back the nerve. I blew my eardrum completely out 2 summers ago. Had to go to a specialist to have a patch put in to aid in the healing. While I was healing (took about 6 weeks)I went out and practiced riding switch and doing inside the wake 180's. Once my confidance came back, I started going wake to wake again. Being young, your confidance should come back fairly quickly.

they said if it didnt heal that theyd have to surgically fix it and they were worried becasue as a kid i had tubes but thats about the same as i am doing right now just ridign switch and little 180s but its pretty frustrating wakeboarding right now and thanks for all the help