Riding Switch

How much time shoud I spend riding switch?}

50%

That depends, how good do you want to be at riding switch? Personally, I enjoy it, so I'm probably riding switch nearly half the time. My ultimate goal is to be able to do all my tricks both regular and switch. But that's just one way to strive to ride, not the only way. There are plenty of guys out there doing rolls, tantrums and even raleys regular stance that can barely ride switch at all, and they often look pretty good doing it. I bet most of the chicks in the boat don't even notice or care that they cannot ride switch. It all depends on you and what you are looking for to make you feel happy with your riding.

Hey Doc how long did it take you learn switch. I have been trying switch lately and it is almost so difficult I hate to attempt it, but i know it is the only I'm going to get used to it.

You know what sucks, is when you are trying new stuff switch and your with a bunch of newbies in the boat, and they have no idea why you are sucking so bad. Happened to me last weekend. I could just tell they all looked really bored, like "when is he going to do something really cool again", lol. And it's not like you want to come back in the boat making excuse's that they wont unerstand anyway.
I dont know how many of you snowboard, but I have noticed that, in the parks, everyone always starts a run regular and hops into switch just before the jump, rail or whatever, just to let everyone know they are trying something switch, lol. Im guilty of that as well.

Ryan is correct. You probably will never learn switch if you have a need all the time to be a show-boat type of rider. The only way is to bite the bullet, suck it up, and think about where you want to be going with your riding, as opposed with how well you can impress people with where you are right now. In a way, it is like learning to ride all over again. One way is to work on riding all switch (no regular) if you are out with your regular crew (who you shouldn't have to impress). Or if the weather is crappy or the water is rough, try riding only switch for that whole day. I've done this a lot. Once, we went to camp at Mike Schwenne's, and the water was totally blown out before lunch. First I got frustrated and mad at the weather, but then I did not want my wife to get bummed out and give up on her next set, so I was determined to keep riding and pushing myself. I just kept trying switch toeside again and again. By the end of the set, I was grabbing indy W2W, whereas I had never even been close to going W2W before that day. Mike noticed, and after lunch, he started pushing me to try switch 3s. He had me doing them by the end of my second set. None of that probably would have happened if it had not been windy in the morning, and it certainly would not have happened if I had not had the desire to advance my switch riding. But then again, I'm old and don't care as much about impressing people. When I was 20 and had to work to get laid, it might have been different.

If you start riding switch from the get go you'll learn both reg and switch at the same pace.

practice makes perfect

Doc, I did the same thing snowboarding to get good at riding switch. Over the last two seasons, whenever the snow sucked, and it was all just hard pack, I forced myself to ride switch all day. And that has actually helped my switch wakeboarding as well. Im still not nearly as close to how I ride regular but it's much improved over the past few seasons.

Lance,

I hear you, riding switch is he most physically awkward feeling I have ever felt. I never bothered while skating or snowboarding, but it seams that there is a need now that I am wakeboarding. I'm going to keep trying though because it will open so many more options for fun tricks.

Greg

Riding switch is awkward has heck, however, just practice for 2/3 days and you should have it downpat. I had the driver lower the speed of the boat the first night and all I did was learn to switch. The next night I had him drive reg speed and practiced switch and edging. You should have no problem riding switch if you dedicate to practicing just that for a couple days. Just think about how much longer you'll be able to ride when you get a crap on your back leg.....just ride switch. Works wonders

Yeah, I can't ride long with a turd on my back leg.

Ok, Im actually in tears right now from laughing!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
that maybe the funniest typo ever.
you the man Mattt.

Im still laughing!

I admit it I was one of those guys.....raley, rolls, tantrums and never really rode switch. I did learn 180's before them but I still rarely ride switch. When the water is crappy and the boat is enroute somewhere I will ride switch. Riding across the main channel on a weekend riding switch will make you real comfortable on it. I cant do roll to revert but I can do bunches of other switch landing tricks and feal plenty comfortable. More comfy than when I am just riding behind the boat. HSBS 180's of the doubleup are the most hard switch landing for me.

me too! the mental picture is killing me.

we're sick.

but it usually washes the poop off

yeah yeah....I just learned to spell. But I'm glad I was able to give you guys something to laugh about.

My biggest problem when riding switch is the lack of poop I get. Without any poop, I cant do S***. Then after all the crashing I get rear leg crap, can you believe that!

(Message edited by r_dub on July 21, 2004)

Dude, if you squeeze the handle in and push down with your back foot, then you will get more poop.

i will try that next time dr octagon, i hope i don't poop myself

Yeah, I have always heard that bending at your knee's sucks up all your poop, Butt it could also lead to rear leg crap. Maybe thats my problem.

(Message edited by r_dub on July 21, 2004)

this thread has gone to S***.
if you feel a crap building up on your back leg, definately switch. be cogniscent of foot craps too. they can ruin a good pair of bindings.

yeah i ruined my first pair of bindings learning how to ride switch.

wow, well done guys. I've been out of the office for a while and just got back on here and have been crying!

can't resist- before I learned switch I always had to ride with one of those swimsuits with the netting inside.

Oh yeah, the best cure for leg crap, is leg crap prevention!

I concur......always were protection.

Sorry for ruining this post, although you gotta admit it's funny. I've started doing switch w2w's this summer, and I try to do it at least every other time I come from (what would be) my toeside edge. I want to get a half cab roll, but so far can just do grabs. I think its really fun cause it's like having to learn over again. Plus it helped me get a r2revert.

Every time I get up after a fall (Ok not everytime but most) I get up switch and carve the wake a few times before doing any tricks. You'd be surprised how much that helps. Surfing the wake and doing switch reverse powerslides really gives you the feel of riding switch more than you think.

Try that next time.

This past weekend is the second time I tried riding switch. Right before I went, we taught a new guy how to get up and he got up on his fourth try and then went out of the wake right away and looked stranded because he couldn't figure out how to get back in between the wakes. At that moment I was trying to remember what it was like to not know how to get back, once I got out of the wake.

Then I got up, did some jumps and decided to try riding switch because I have been wanting to pull a 180 off the wake. I get outside the wake and I can't get back. I started laughing, so that is what is feels like to learn from the beginning. I know...practice, practice, practice. The good news is, I can get my board around to land the 180, I just can't ride it out.

Someone suggested I skip trying the 180 and just go for the 360 that way I don't have to worry about riding switch.

POOP! CRAP! BAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!




On a more serious note:

Doc Oc: I must correct you. Most of the chicks won't notice you ride switch, and most of the guys won't either.

Sue, is that why my boats smells funny at the end of the day?
I thought it was just the Potomac

Thanks dude. Way to back me up! HA! It's all good. It's rather humorous!

(Message edited by hipstersue on July 22, 2004)