yesterday was my first REAL attempt at the tantrum and i was hoping you guys could give me some pointers from personal experience. i've seen the book and detention more times than i can count so i know the fundamentals just wondering if anyone had any secrets. <BR> <BR>i'm rotating more than 3/4 of the way around i'm just barely hanging my toeside edge. not really sure if i'm leaving early or what but casing a little and diggin my toes everytime. <BR> <BR>any help is greatly appreciated. just wondering what works for everyone else.

Not that I'm an expert on tantrums, but can share what helped me.... <BR>It's inevitable that you will leave early when learning them; heck, I still do that behind a "foreign" boat (anything other than mine)! The best advice I got was to cut out wider than normal, edge harder than a normal wake to wake jump (because you will lose at least half the speed you came in with when you transfer from HS edge to TS) and just spot your landing oce upside down. If you are jamming your ankles, you are leaving early. Cut out a little wider and be patient!!

i tried that maybe 15 times yesterday and a couple more today and i am popping higher now and clearing more of the wake but still rotating the same. still diggin in my toe edge on the landing. i guess i just gotta keep tryin until i get the hang. <BR> <BR>THANKS for the advice. <BR> <BR>anybody else with any tips?

Try pulling the handle to your butt, it will help rotate you that last 1/4 of the way!

my biggest problem has always been getting my eyes open!! it makes it hard to spot the landing when your eyes are shut... <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> <BR> <BR>In general you will spin a bit faster if you tuck up more rather than being really layed out, so maybe give that a try if you're still under rotating? But definitely, the longer you wait before changing edges the higher you'll go, and the further around you'll get. <BR> <BR>My other tip would be to keep the handle in a bit with your leading hand - i used to have my arm all the way out, then when you land on the water the handle just gets pulled right out of your hand (like on any jump where you have the handle out). If you can get into the habit of keeping it in now, it going to make it much easier to ride away later.

This will sound wrong but I promise it isn't. Make sure you are pushing straight up off the wake. If you are pushing back a little it will slow your rotation because it make the flip wider. The wider it gets the slower it will be and the less you will rotate.

thanks guys! going out again today. i'll keep ya posted!

wow...wish I was at this stage!! GOOD LUCK!

This flip is done with your KNEES NOT ARCHING BACK!!! Imagine cutting off your upper body and leaving it on shore. Feel your board leave the wake then drive your knees up DO NOT ARCH BACK. This will make you take the trick up instead of throwing it down. Feel yourself drive your knees up above your head this will help with the rotation.

Hey Jessica! Hope it went better for you today! One thing that might help is to have someone take a picture of you right at the top of the wake. People can do them different ways, but a textbook picture would show you standing straight up at the top of the wake. So however tall you are, that's how many feet and inches should be above standing straight at the top of the wake. If you aren't initiating the trick early, (letting off to square up at the wake), you might just be letting off at the right time and starting the back flip too early. Everything that everyone else has said so far is really good advice, especially Jim, Kat and Scott. Good luck and keep us updated!

this is a horrible pic but the best i can do for now... <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/195511/624136.jpg" alt="Upload">

ps- thanks for all of the advice. i've been stuck doing whatever i'm doing and can't get out of it. but i'm trying everything you guys suggest! keep it comin!

You are trying to flip too early. At this point in your picture you should still be standing straight up. It looks like your timing is good but wait until after you pop to initiate the rotation. Check out my profile pic, there is a good sequence picture of a tantrum.

Jessica, <BR> <BR>If you are catching your toes it means you are under rotating. If you think about initiating the flip from where you are strongest, your core, you will be able to rotate more quickly with less effort. Thinking about driving the flip from your hips and toes instead of your head with not only help you rotate more efficiently it will also allow you to go up! So often you see people especially on the tantrum throw their head back, hence where the name came from. But, we know better now that throwing your head back throws you down, giving you less time in the air. So drive from your hips and toes up. Timing is super important as well, so doing some heelside jumps where you find the "top" of your jump will be helpful. By "top" it is the place where you are done going up but haven't started descending yet. Find that spot on a wake jump then once you are comfortable with that try the tantrum again. Best of Luck! I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes. If you need more help check out my website wakecoach.com.

thanks guys! i haven't really had much water time lately with a new hurricane in the gulf every week we have been pretty blown out here on the coast. i'll work on everyones advice and let ya know how it goes!

From the picture it also looks like you're loosing some pop/energy by not standing tall enough at the top of the wake.

Jessica, <BR> <BR>You should listen to Lauren, that is sound advice. Focus more on your core and less on throwing your head back. Good luck and keep trying.