The poll made me want to talk about this. For me I think it is a mix between fear and practice time, if I have a week or two between ridding, it becomes harder to keep new tricks in your bag of tricks. Also with more ridding time the more natural the ridding becomes, make tricks where percise movements are key, easier. <BR> <BR>what is holding you guys back?

Currently, injuries. I had no injuries for two years. This year I landed three new tricks followed by three injuries . Now my head is all screwed up. Now I'm working on regaining consistency and confidence. <BR> <BR>

october. hate being cold. seriously considering moving somewhere warmer.

Yup, agreed, injuries should have been an option! Then once I'm all healed, it will likely be fear of re-injuring!

I pretty much lost my best trick 2 years ago, had been at the point where it was almost automatic. Was working on several new tricks at the time. Have been real stubborn about getting it back. Stubborn that I have not been trying any other tricks until I have it back. Now riding away from it about 50%. If I can get past this trick, get real consistant about it, maybe 80%, and execute it well, I will move to the next trick. So I guess the answer in short is - I am a dork. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by socalwakepunk on September 30, 2005)

Gettin older, just cant do what I use to, but still lovin and enjoyin the greatest sport on earth.

You say older, how old is old? I am 25 and just started a year or so ago. Time is what is holding me back, or so I think? Am I past the point of big tricks and are backrolls and 360's nothing more than pipedreams?

Adam Iam 37. I know that is not that old. But Between motocross and wakebordin my knees are preety messed up, so it makes it hard for me to progress any further. But no complaints, still enjoyin my time on the lake.

-Adam <BR> <BR>Bro, you're only 25! You have plenty of time to learn inverts and spins as long as you stay in good shape. Just don't be trying things beyond your skill level and you'll be fine. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by eubanks01 on September 30, 2005)

Hey thanks guys. I am in good shape but the knees are pretty beat up from baseball but even if it takes me a few years I am ok with that. Now i need a warmer climate. The Windy City weather is tuufffff.

Yeah, Adam, I am 38, about 30lbs overweight, and have been missing my right ACL for 9 years now. Learned and am riding away from inverts in this condition, planning on more. Hope to keep going for a long time. Age does not limit you, fear does.

not fear, but injuries, i wrenched my left knee when learned backroll, now 2 weeks still knee is hurting when riding and no tries for backroll, but i will, be sure.

what's keeping me back is landing them!!! no seriously, probably ride time..i only get out about once a week, and now that october is here, it's almost time to put away the wakeboard, and prep for the snow!

My biggest problem is that when I go ride I try to stick all my normal tricks before working on something new. It never fails that by the time I've gotten through all my normal tricks I'm usually too tired or abused to try anything new. <BR> <BR>I've also got the problem of losing tricks. When something starts giving me trouble a lot of the time I just flush it. The longer I don't do the trick the longer it takes to get it back. This year has been ok to me though. I got back an old trick and picked up a new one. Man, there isn't anything better than the feeling of sticking a new trick. It makes it all worth it. <BR> <BR>Hey Adam... You definitely aren't too old. I've still got a few more inverts and spins I'm after. I finally got my first 5 at 26.

Yeah I would agree, that whole fear is not an option cliche. I guess confidence was my issue but you guys changed that. I thought this site was full of a younger crowd but I see your usernames alot and if you guys can still kill, it gives me something to shoot for. Injuries might change that but hope for the best. thanks again. And hey Porkchop, what trick have you lost?????

What's holding me back????? <BR> <BR> <BR><font size="+2">I SUCK!! <BR> <BR></font>LOL

I gotta say fear. After throwing my back out and being bed ridden for a week, I've been tenative to throw new tricks. My back is healed, but my brain is locked.

my lack of a boat, and people to ride with (who don't mind picking my a$$ up quite frequently as i am still at the stage where i bust it quite frequently)

HS-backroll. Had it perfect, almost 100%, was working on TS-backrolls, tantrums &amp; raleys. Then it started going away, I'd land maybe 1 out of every 50 I tried (around this time last year). Started picking up earlier this year, now riding away from 50-60%, but butt-checking alot. If I can clean it up, will start going for the tantrums &amp; raleys again.

1. I sold my boat <BR>2. no one to ride with anymore <BR>3. age <BR>4. ability to progress <BR>5. fear of getting hurt <BR> <BR>

Im with you Andre....I have had so many injuries I get nervous trying anything new. Im gonna try and buck up and just do it though.

1) gravity <BR> <BR>2) boat is 3.5 hours away at the moment due to no truck (sold it due to HOA restrictions when i got my townhouse) and no place to store it here <BR> <BR>so, i am learning to surf in the meantime <BR> <BR>fear is not such a factor, even though some injuries have been severe.

PorkChop, you sound just like me. I'm 37 and a few pounds over weight(240lbs). I had my backroll dialed in then I started working on scarecrows. No sooner than I did, my backroll dropped off to about 25%. I've been trying to get it back to where it was, but I'm still hit or miss. One day I'll hit it 100%, then the next I won't land it at all. <BR>I'm still working on the scarecrows, but I'd rather have my backroll back to where it was.

for me its recurring injuries, i still have a rib or two thats not attached from an injury in july and it moves around a bit, i also screwed up my wrist and shoulder at some point....I did get a new trick recently though (switch 3) and today im going to try that roll 2 blind although im scared <font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font> of that backside edge. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.wakecoupons.com" target="_blank">www.wakecoupons.com</a>

You gotta be kinda dumb to progress at this sport. Conditioned response dictates that if something hurts you then you stop doing it. This is a sport all about going back out and doing it all over again, whether it hurt you or not. It's all in your head and its all about what sacrifices you are willing to make to get where you want to be. I have a feeling a lot of people run into trouble progressing when they get more responsibilities. That usually means when you get older. Me..... I'm gonna keep pushing till I can't walk anymore. I'll stop riding then. Not sure why, but I pretty much live to wakeboard, at least for now. I've got other priorities too (family and friends), but I absolutely love to ride.

Good luck again, Mike. Just don't under-rotate the 180 and you'll be fine. <BR> <BR>Hittin the road in an hour Evan. See you at the lake SUCKA!

I'm old, I'm over-weight and I stink.

Texas A&amp;M Corps of Cadets...I got to ride once in the past 2 months. Before that I was riding 3-4 times a week. It's cool though, I wont be able to ride till Christmas when the gas is 20 cents cheaper.

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1><b>quote:</b></font><p>what is holding you back from your next trick?<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> <BR> <BR>lack of water time. <BR>lack of balls. <BR>lack of skills.

fear of injury, aka "lack of balls" is the culprit for me.

My neck hurts!

All of the above, plus being really old. Although I'd have to top the list with simply being a chicken. But the plus side of that is all my parts are still in working order.

No helmet/teeny tiny balls/the season..... <BR> <BR>I decided to wait for cold weather to learn, cuz I'll have consistent/good conditions longer...I think that, AND the helmet will assist with the nutt situation.....(Where's my Advil?) <BR> <BR>Hope to learn/practice in winter, and just play when it warms up.....

Whats holding me back is the lack of good water and injuries. Riding in michigan is hard when it takes half the year to get your stuff back and then you get hurt when you should be progressing

I agree Troy, 5 months off really does a number on progression.

time on the lake. i work my ass off but don't have time to enjoy my boat and riding behind it. it pisses me off to no end. and the fact that my crew doesn't understand whats going on when I pull up to the pump and drop a bill to fill up the boat and truck. i'm in TX so I can't use the weather as an excuse. Im thinking about getting a dry suit and just seeing who has the balls to be on the water when its 45 degrees outside...

BTW how well do those things work?

Nacho i was in the water this April when it was 44 degrees and the air was 50. With only a spring suit. After riding i couldnt open my hands they were so cold. Jeff, we are lucky if we only have 5 months off in northern michigan.

Mongo like drysuit!!! Went from surfsuit to dry in Feb........The price is high, but it becomes WAY CHEAP after you've worn it on the water.....

ha i suppose after today its only right to say no cajones. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.wakecoupons.com" target="_blank">www.wakecoupons.com</a>

fear..and not landing what i want so i cant get any better from there!!

sometimes i feel like my dress gets tangled in my board and it throughs my timing all off.........it is all fear for me.

Whew, Troy! You are amazing for sticking to it in that cold. I tore my ACL riding in the cold because I just don't absorb the impact as well when I'm freezing. (Michigan, too). I end up with 6 - 7 months of no riding. So ... what holds me back? <BR>1. Time: freezing temps, rebuilding strength <BR>2. No understanding of basic physics <BR>3. FEAR of further defacement. See thread about graphic injuries for pics- <a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/1/254896.html?1127948313" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/1/254896.html?1127948313</a> <BR> <BR>Notice I didn't cite my age as an excuse? Rather than slowing down, I'm choosing to push it as hard as I can ... while I still can.

fear...and I would agree with many others that its the injuries that implant that fear deep in my mind. I can forget the many toeside edges I took when learning 180s, and maybe even the concussion when learning a backroll, but its hard to forget the sound of a *rip* or a *pop* that puts the rest of your life on hold as well. <BR> <BR>For me truly though, I would have stuck a lot more tricks if I had more 'air awareness' I bought a tramp to work on it, and front flips are solid now, but back flips still freak me out...my eyes shut as I'm upside down, I land on the edge of the tramp and then realize...hey, I landed. Not cool. (kinda funny though, all the neighborhood kids (age 6-10) have a tramp, and their 31 year old neighbor is always using his...with a rope attached to his house...the neighborhood thinks I'm a loser <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> <BR> <BR>Anyway, I don't want to use age as an excuse. I landed my first invert this year, and I need more tricks before I decide to stick with what I've learned and resign myself to toeside 180s for the rest of my life <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

geez...you guys have me all worried about getting injured while even on the computer! <BR> <BR> <BR>can you blow out a knee while sitting and typing?

my Vagina is holding me back

What's holding me back - my technique, my wake, do not have anyone to push or instruct me, short PA season, (going out tomorrow for the last ride of the season)and being 46. I learned the older I get, the problems are more with the mental aspects than the physical.

Lack of opportunity to get out, not having anyone else around that wakeboards, and a damn tiny wake behind my boat.

My wake is like flippin .4 inches tall, and its a whaler so u can throw like 1200lbs. in it and you'll only get like a .2 inch increase, no lie!!!

my ACL surgery i had wakeboarding!!

I need to learn patience. I am working on the toeside front roll and the toeside front flip, and I always throw it too early. <BR>Any new trick I try winds up like that.

1. STUPID GRAVITY <BR> <BR>2.A severe case of the taco drops! ( no it's not what you think)

Nagging Injuries at present but mostly at my age (almost 36)im looking for long term preservation so i now have a "mangina" when it comes to new tricks. ive actually lost more big tricks then i have since i started over 6 years ago... <BR> <BR>my new motto is now <BR> <BR>"the older i get the better i was " <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

I wanna try everything. Problem is, I think about all of them and accomplish none. In some respects, it's fun being in the 'beginner' category ;-)

smoking and beer