standing tall?

This probably sounds like a stupid question but exactly what is standing tall at the top of the wake. What is the feeling? If anyone could best describe it that would be great. I just started wakeboarding again this year and definitely didn't progress like I did before I quit. I feel like I edge okay through the wake but every time I try and stand tall I seem to flatten out my board. If that make any sense? Any help would be appreciated.

There are a few different schools of thought here. Many riders will squat down (Seated chair position)when approaching the wake. Standing tall forces the rider to stand up pushing their hips above the board when leaving the wake. Some riders will cut out, set their body position, (Hips over the board) and edge with the same body position all the way up and through the wake.

In most instances, squatting down and adjusting your body position while on approach will cause you to lose edge on the way up the wake. Unless of course you're Shawn Watson.

So I could actually I set my position as soon as I start cutting back towards the wake? I've been trying to squat and "stand tall" at the top of the wake and i seem to be getting the result as described. I'll be boarding for 4 days this upcoming weekend and i'll try and practice a pre set position. Thank you Steven.

yeah i think thats my problem too. i edge towards the wake in a seated position and when i stand tall at the wake i lose my edge.

You asked about the feeling of it. When you stand tall at the correct time, its should feel like your legs are pushing against something that is resisting and then it pushes back and launches you in the air. When you cut in your are cutting hard and progressivley and then when you get to the wake, Dont stop edging, but you will have to let up some.... just definitely dont flatten off

do you watch the wake as you approach it, I was taught to watch the other side by picking a ref point. Now I have noticed when I watch the wake I can stand tall at the correct time but it does take getting used to.

I never tried to get in position and edge all the way through without using the seated position, I would like to see a video of that to compare the difference.

Pottsy, it feels as though i'm properly edging progressively through the wake. Maybe i'll break out the video camera this weekend and then i will know for sure.

Kenny, i believe i'm actually looking at the top of the wake. I'll definitely take your advice and try to pick a spot on the other side.

I found that not picking a spot and keeping an eye on the wake helped alot more with my itming of standing tall..

when i think about "standing tall" i think about extending my whole body upward while traveling up the wake so that you reach your maximum extension at the top. off the top look towards the horizon where you're headed and think about keeping your chest up, and shoulders and head level and continue pushing them upward.

if you think you're flattening off, it's because you need to do this extension off of your heels, or off of the balls of your feet on the toeside.
think about pushing your shoulders UP AND SLIGHTLY AWAY from the boat so that you keep your leverage against the boat's forward pull.

sometimes if students are having a hard time getting it behind the boat i'll teach them how to do this on the platform so they get the idea of what it feels like there before going back to the wake. (it's also a good exercise for teaching people how to get up from a crouched position) i'll try to explain how:

attach the rope to the tower so that the handle is just barely longer than the end of the platform. now, you crouch on your on the edge of the platform with your heels hanging over the edge.

then, with the rope in your hands,lean back away from the boat. pivot back on your heels as though you're going to let yourself fall off the back of the boat. (this is where the rope length is key. you want it just long enough to let yourself out over the back of the platform on your heels with relaxed arms, but not too long that you'll actually fall backward into the water.)

as you stand up, pull your hips up and close to the handle and move your shoulders and head upward and keep them moving away from the boat. while doing this your toes should never rock back down and touch the platform you should be able to do the whole movement while balancing on your heels.

the heelside wake jump portion is just at the end of the process, from where your knees are slightly bent, to when your whole body extended to it's tallest potential. just practice the whole concept of bending your knees (the seated position) to standing tall, all while leaning off of the end of the platform on your heels.

that might sound involved--it's not. just typed out that way.--but you'd be surprised how many people really have a problem doing it.

give it a shot if all else fails. and take it to the wake! good luck.

(Message edited by nocoast1 on September 18, 2006)

thanks everyone for all the input. It seems that I have quite a few things to try this weekend. My family and I plan on spending Friday - Monday at Lake Berryessa this coming weekend (Spanish Flats). It was supposed to be a Lake Tulloch trip but things didn't go as planned. This truly is a informative web site.

Let me explain further, when pulling outside the wake you are accelerating. Pull 10 feet outside the wake, you will be traveling faster than the boat. Flatten out, this slows the board down. Set your body position and increase edge all the way up and through the top of the wake. "Giving you that POP!" Coming off edge, causes the board to lose speed. Holding your edge and body position will make the board accelerate up and through the top of the wake. Hope this helps.

Hahn

My question is does a bigger or should I say better wake effect your pop? I mostly ride behind a Ski Nautique that we fight to get weighted properly and I can never seem to get w2w. I feel like I am doing everything correctly, standing tall,progressive edge, etc. I guess why I am asking is I rode behind a fellow WW's 02' X-star and was going w2w consistently. So can the wake make a difference?

Standing tall is when you keep your knees bent, your handle close to your hip, your back straight and your chest out & proud. IMO, that is proper body position, but some riders crouch and are very effective, but they all keep their handle close to their hip.

The biggest problems we see with our students are:
1)hunching over with your arms out $ high and

2)learning a progressive cut - most people pull really hard right out of the turn and then flatten out at the wake. If you know how to cut correctly, you can go out about five feet and then goose it and you will go wake 2 wake.

Picture yourself jumping on a trampoline. Your knees bend, and as it recoils(?) you stand tall, hard, to maximize the spring from the trampoline.

Same thing

good one J-Rod. Thats such an easy and perfect explanation

I know this W2W discussion gets tiring to many, but for me, still struggling with making it happen, all this advice really helps. J-Rod, I've heard this tramp analogy before and I can jump on a tramp and feel when to push back no problem. But somehow, when I'm out there making my cut, thinking I'm doing everything right I usually case the other wake just about every time. I almost never feel any push back from the wake. On video it looks like I slice right thru it. I've cleared it maybe 8 to 10 times but that is mostly an act of desperation and foolhardy speed, not pop and style. In terms of video clips, the ones on Wakeboard Singapore are superb--if you can stand watching the rider land 15 feet out in the flats with seemingly no effort. I look forward to posting my solutions when I get it dialed.