Learning to ride switch
 

I'm a complete newbie to wakeboarding. Had my new Moomba XLV since end of Sept but only got to wakeboard twice before winter. This past Sunday was my first pull this season and was landing nice jumps consistantly. To learn to ride switch so I can later progress to 180 tricks should I slow my boat speed down? Would it be easier to start switch or just come up my regular way then surface 180 to switch? Should I have my fins on the board for the first few sessions? Any tips would be appreciated.

to me, i find it so much harder getting up switch then just to surface 180. When i was learning, i would get up, ride my normal speed, and then edge outside of the wake toeside, then do a surface 180, so your on your heels riding switch, its nice knowing you can lean back against the line while your learning. I would just drift in towards the wake the edge back out.

Eventually i did like i explained above, then just edged across the wake to the other side where i was riding toeside switch for the first time. Although i dont claim to have mad switch skills or anything like that. But i do feel quite comfortable riding switch and have saved more landings while jumping toeside then i can count by coming out of them switch.

so to sum it up, i would stay at your normal speed, and just surface 180 outside of the wake.
Everytime i go to the lake now, i make sure to ride switch, and i feel more comfortable doing so every time.
good luck! and have fun

Go for it... Start off regular without any additional fins on your board and practice surface 180s where-ever you feel you can do them the easiest

to ride switch or to learn any new riding position. you should go slow 10 to 12 mph just stay leaning against the rope move the handle from your lead hip to out in front of your belly button make sure knees are bent slightly and lean against the rope. then return to regular stance by moving the handle back to your lead hip and lean against the rope.when you have done this several times and are comfortable with it . then from the middle position keep moving the handle to your opposite hip and lean against the rope.you will quickly learn the handle position and body position are key.for visual help i recommend the book dvd very helpful. also it is important to look at the tower or back of the boat don't look down.then when riding switch look in the direction you want to go.hope this helps out!

it was always hard for me learning switch, but i spent a week on a wakeskate and learned how to switch on it, somehow it was easier. try to shorten your stance width.

There are a lot of good ideas for you here. Just don't take any shortcuts. Two things that you notice about the better riders. You really can't tell when they are riding switch and their toeside is fantastic as well. We used to have "switch saturdays" where I would only allow my daughters ride switch that day. It was boring at first, but now you cant tell what foot forward is their natural stance.

Just work on it day to day, its difficult but after a while it clicks just the same as riding normal. I had trouble at first but I would start each set with doing switch wake slashes and after about a month of it I learned to clear the wake switch heelside.