Wakeboarding season is coming up and I am getting pumped to try new things. Some of my goals is to land a tantrum and some 3's. My only problem is getting over that mental block of hurting myself. I hear about all of these people seriously getting hurt,( some dude broke his hip). I know it is just suck it up and go for it, but does anyone have any ways to work on these tricks till I get real comfortable to try them? I do not want to ruin my whole season. I know this is kinda a dumb thing to ask, but any help from more experienced riders would rock. Thanks for all the help.

Trampoline, trampoline, trampoline! Get a trampoline, tie a rope and handle to a near by tree and get used to doing 360's, 540's, 720's. Also get used to throwing backflips both tucked and laid out without the handle, and then add the handle back in.

Sweet thanks I guess a trampoline is my next purchase..

it helps to throw a ton of tricks that you are super comfortable with first without falling; and once you've got some sort of tempo going go out and throw your new trick. For me, when I do a bunch of tricks I know how to do (regardless of how easy they are i.e. simple grabs &amp; 180s) it builds up my confidence and takes the edge/fear off of trying something new. Here's what I normally do when I try something new to get over the fear and has worked so far. <BR> <BR>Set 1: <BR>-Warm up- (carve around, use all your edges, surface 180s, couple 1-wake jumps, reentries, get used to the wake etc.) just go out there and have fun being on the water... <BR> <BR>-Maintenance Riding- (throw as many tricks that you have in your bag that you are confident with starting with basic w2w airs/grabs all the way up) this builds your confidence quickly and puts you in a good spot mentally to try something new. <BR> <BR>Set 2: <BR>-Learn the basics of the trick- <BR>I'll use a heel 3 for example since that's normally the easiest to explain. Slow the boat down and learn your surface 3s first. Then move onto ollie 3s, or inside out 3s, and outside in 3s. There are a lot of good instructionals out there to help you learn the basics so follow those. <BR> <BR>-Throw the damn thing- <BR>Speed the boat up and do a couple w2w jumps to make sure you got the right edge/pop for the trick you are doing and go out and throw the thing. Depending on how well you've learned your basics there's a good chance that you'll stick it on this step. If not don't worry... Try a few of these and if you can't make the adjustments right away don't just keep throwing it over and over. The most important thing is that mentally you should be comfortable with throwing the trick and even more importantly, realizing that you're able to do it. You'll also get over your fear of falling on the trick. <BR> <BR>Set 3: <BR>-Maintenance Riding- <BR>This doesn't even necessarily have to be a whole new set, but the point is to go back and ride for a while without falling all the time and hitting tricks that you already know how to do to build up some momentum. <BR> <BR>-Stick the Trick- <BR>On the same line, go out and throw your new trick. For example, hs grab, ts grab , hs 180, ts 180, hs 3. HOpefully by this time you'll be over your fear of the trick and it'll become just a part of your normal riding to throw it. <BR> <BR>Don't get stuck on any part of these steps. If you're not hitting your new trick, chances are you need to either move backward or forward in the process (i.e. if you've thrown it over and over then go back to the basics or if you've been stuck on the basics forever then chances are you need to go out and throw a few help you progress). We're so lucky to wakeboard at this day and age because we already have the processes and steps laid out before us from our current pros and instructors. All we need to do is to recognize when it's time to move on or to take a step back. <BR> <BR>This is just my opinion and it's worked for me. You can obviously do all this in the same set, or between two sets, or two days depending on your natural ability. Just don't get frustrated and don't just go out and huck the thing your first hit at the wake. When you do that, you don't really figure out the mechanics of the trick that way and we all know people are scared of things they don't understand. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by stoked_32 on March 25, 2009)

John EXCELLENT ADVICE. It is all a muscle memory thing. Thanks for the advice, to me it seems like and almost sure thing to get the tricks I want to land down. "You'll also get over your fear of falling on the trick." I do not if it is so much the fear of falling, but what could happen. Ha ha I know kinda stupid, but I hear of all these people breaking bones on inverts and spins. In my head I just think of what could happen. Wow that is a weeny thing to say, but I am trying to get some help to get over it. John yours and Skubz advice helps alot. Thanks alot

My two cents would be that if you are trying to learn a new trick do NOT go out and ride a set and try a new trick as your last one. You are going to be tired after a full set and way more apt to hurt yourself with the mindset of "i'll give it a try before i quit" <BR> <BR>warm up then start trying to learn it.

heres what i do, works for me, but try it: <BR>i decide what trick i wanna do, watch tons of videos of people doing it and try to envision what i would look like doing it and convince myself that i can do it. than i try to envision what the trick will look like 1st person and i do that until i basically think ive done it before. than i get out behind the boat and go balls deep! F**k it and huck it!

I like your style bzager. That was my approach to most tricks snowboarding. Visualization makes for less pain and it works well. Air sense helps tremendously as well so that is where the tramp comes in. <BR>Fig