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Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       08-13-2007, 8:09 PM Reply   
I've gotten comfortable w/getting behind the boat and staying there. now that I see the wake from this angle, I don't know how confident I am at going over the wake. or how to approach it to get over it. Also, how do I switch to get my left leg in front and try to get the feel of going switch? I ride goofy. Any suggestions?
Old     (kylielogan)      Join Date: Apr 2006       08-13-2007, 9:46 PM Reply   
before you try doing a surface 180 to get switch, try just getting up out of the water switch and learning to ride that way. otherwise you're likely to fall as soon as you get switch. your body will go wherever your lead hip (the right hip for you) goes. when you're behind the boat just riding, the side of your right hip is pointed toward the boat. to go heelside over the wake, just turn your hip more toward your right and keep your upper body facing toward the boat (the side of your right hip will now be facing toward the other side of the wake). make sure you lean back a little bit (not too much) to keep on your heelside edge. i don't know how to describe it from there other than to kind of "lean" with your whole body toward your right and you'll cut out heelside over the wake. make sure your knees are bent so that you keep your balance and make it over the wake. have fun! p.s. if that didn't make any sense, well, what can i say. i post a lot and can do nothing well!
Old     (mmtyler24)      Join Date: Aug 2007       08-14-2007, 7:49 AM Reply   
I have the same problem, thought i'd add in to this topic instead of starting another one (hope you don't mind sonironi). I can also get up and stay up just fine, I shoot out to the left of the boat and stay there. I'm too afraid to cross over the wake to go in the middle or the other side. If anyone can explain it for regular(that's how i ride) as well as goofy that'd be great. Is it about the angle of the board when you cross the wake? What about weight distribution(more on heel or equal weight)? I'm pretty sure we have the same problem, that wake looks so scary and don't know how to approach it! Thanks
Old     (hgaugh)      Join Date: Apr 2007       08-14-2007, 7:56 AM Reply   
sonironi, kylie's recommendations are spot on.

When doing a surface 180 you have to be so careful not to catch an edge when in the rotation. It might be better to attempt getting up into that position than anything else. BUT, I can tell you it is the most important thing to learn when starting as it gives you a lot of versatility to your runs.

When I first started into the 180s to switch; I lean back as I bring my back leg forward into a butter slide or front slide. Plow in that position for a minute, still leaning back to ensure you don't catch that edge and then rotate over into my goofy stance. If you practice that for a bit and get use to just the feel; that should help as well.

The more you practice the more fluid they become and then ride in switch to get the feel of the difference in your legs.
Old     (kylielogan)      Join Date: Apr 2006       08-14-2007, 1:18 PM Reply   
marq - you need help coming back into the wake to get behind the boat again? you are immediately shooting out hs because you don't point your left hip all the way toward the boat (your left side of your lower body should be facing the back of the boat). if you think of your left hip (the part that is on the side of your body, not the front of your hip where you can feel the bone) as leading you where you want to go, then you point that side part of your hip toward your destination. so your left hip is pointed to the left side of the boat when you get up and you never bring it all the way toward the boat, so you go heelside (the direction your hip is pointing). to go back toeside, point your left hip toward the right side of the boat, but make sure you keep your chest up (like you're sticking it out) and the handle down. wakes are scary, but when you first go over them, if your knees are bent, you can absorb the wake and just ride right over it without a problem.
Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       08-14-2007, 6:34 PM Reply   
Thank you Hgaugh and Kylie, the way you explain it makes it sound very doable. i'll definitely give that a shot.
Marq. I was always told that where your board points, that's where you're going to go. One day, when I got up, I concentrated on getting the front of my board to point towards the boat. I ended up staying behind the boat finally. you can feel a little "twisted" at first, but I got the feel of it pretty quick. then, i got to feeling how to put more weight on my back leg and bending my knees more and pulling the rope more into my lead hip. when I let the rope get away from my side, i start to go different directions and look a little squirly I guess. I can't get the rope directly on my hip, but I at least pull it towards my lead hip and that helps a lot. good work out too :-). getting the feel of my board and how I can manuever it helps also. do you ever feel like you're being pulled too fast?
thanks everyone! I'm having fun and appreciate the tips, they really help!!!
Old     (mmtyler24)      Join Date: Aug 2007       08-16-2007, 9:04 AM Reply   
Thanks for the advice also ! It makes sense, I'll try working on leading w/my left hip as soon as i start to get up instead of waiting a little to start to turn my body. I think I also need to work on the balance to come back over the wake, which is what i really want to learn. I guess the main point is to bend your knees? Yes sonironi, i do feel like i'm being pulled too fast, after riding for a few minutes I feel like the rope is being pulled out of my hands. Going out this w/e, I'll let ya'll know if it works!!
Old     (kylielogan)      Join Date: Apr 2006       08-17-2007, 6:01 AM Reply   
ya, definitely keep your knees bent/relaxed. think if you were standing on ground with your knees locked how easy it would be for someone to push you over. but if you're on ground and bend your knees, it's easier to keep your balance. same on water. same with snowskiing too. having your knees "relaxed" lets you absorb rough spots on the surface (or kick up off them!). another trick to help you stay directly behind the boat is once you get up, if you were to drop your back hand (so left foot forward drops right hand; right foot forward drops left hand) off the handle, your body will go completely perpendicular to the boat. you can use your back (free) hand/arm to help balance yourself if you're going over rough water. i'm hoping to go out today. it sure would be nice to land that w2w ....!! p.s. marq - nothing wrong with motioning them to slow the boat down 1-2 mph until you're more comfortable with it. then you can always speed it back up some later on.
Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       08-20-2007, 10:49 PM Reply   
Hi Kylie,
I see you post a lot on this board and give great advice! Thank you so much. our summer up here in PDX and my work schedule, etc., hasn't allowed so much time to go out, (ie. sewage spills that take few days to clean up, rain, etc.) but each time I do, I remember your advice and it works! Wakechicks...you're great too. thank you both, you help a lot of us out :-). sorry if I'm leaving anyone out. This website is great for us women of all ages!!!! really helps boost the confidence when anyone posts something on here.
Old     (mmtyler24)      Join Date: Aug 2007       08-23-2007, 12:50 PM Reply   
I guess I have a mental block!! Couldn't go over the wake or ride straight behind the boat last weekend. But I did get closer, so i'm going to keep trying until it works! I decided the next time i go I have to try to go over the wake, no more being scared. As far as letting go with one hand I've tried once and I fell right after, I still feel like the handle's being pulled out of my hands, I asked the guys to go slower and there wasn't really a difference. They say the slower we go the harder it is, because there's more drag. Still thanks for the advice, I did notice a slight improvement.
Old     (beachbum22)      Join Date: Aug 2007       08-24-2007, 6:23 AM Reply   
Hi!

I'm still just beginning, but I've learned a bit so I'm gonna give some tips (that help me alot) while they are till fresh in my head.

When I’m sitting in the water, as soon as the boat starts to pull, I instinctively turn my front tip (and hip) towards the boat and I look down to watch to make sure the tip doesn’t go under. This helps me to stay “straight” and facing the right way once I’m up.


Then, when I'm up, the first thing I do is lean back on my back leg and try to keep most of my weight there. Also, keep your knees slightly bent and loose (If this feels awkward to you, practice that position on land first. Make it a habit so that your body naturally goes to that position when ur on the water.)

Then I try to remember to keep my chest up and out (like you’re in middle school and are trying to show off your new boobs) and keep the handle as low as possible. If you hold it too high, you’ll lose your balance. Also, don’t lean on the handle for balance, lean back on your board instead.

If the handle feels like its being pulled out of your hands, try leaning back on your board. I don’t know why, but it helped me. If that doesn’t work, try a smaller and more comfortable handle. If the boat feels like it’s going too fast, tell the guys to slow down and make sure they keep it between 16-20 mph. (However, from my experience, the water you ride on can make you feel like your going faster or slower. For example, on the part of the lake that we live in the water is extremely choppy and it always feels like I’m going too fast. But as soon as we get to the other end, where the water is glass, the speed feels perfect. Also, the wind and water current can make a difference as well.)

I hope some of this could be of some help to you. Good luck, have fun and let us know how it goes the next time you’re out.
Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       08-24-2007, 9:36 PM Reply   
Hey Beachbum,
What your saying makes perfect sense. Thanks for the input, doesn't matter if we're new to the sport or not. not sure when i'll be able to get back out on the water, but even if it's next summer, I know I want to conquer some of my "fears" and go for a few more things. coming from gymnastics, dance, acrobatic tricks, etc., it's a lil' hard to teach your body so many other factors are involved. but I think it can help me in many ways. Keep having fun and I enjoy hearing how everyone's improving, etc!!!!
Old     (kylielogan)      Join Date: Apr 2006       08-26-2007, 7:17 AM Reply   
thanks sonironi! i've been at beginner level for forever, so unfortunately i have lots of experience with it - lol! marq, i'd really suggest having someone "pull you up" with the rope on the shore. once you're up, have them keep pulling on the rope and you keep pulling against them to continue to get the feel of it. also, do push ups or bicep curls. if you don't have anything to curl, take a full gallon of water or milk and use that - it works great! also maybe buy one of those squeeze balls for your hands or trying squeezing a tennis ball on and off. that'll help strengthen your hands and arms so it's easier to hold on. and hang in there! i'll bet if you think back and compare the 1st time you ever tried vs now, you'll realize you've improved a lot already!
Old     (mmtyler24)      Join Date: Aug 2007       08-27-2007, 7:45 AM Reply   
I got up straight behind the boat, and managed to cross the wake from both directions!!!!! I took a couple hard falls learning, but I got it on my 3rd and last set! When I came in from toeside I find the first wake is easier, I stop and get my balance in the middle(I'm not used to riding there) then go for the second one and I feel like my heel catches. I just had to get the feel of leaning more on my toes, to finally cross it. Thanks so much for everyone's advice! It feels so good to finally have done this
Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       09-05-2007, 8:17 PM Reply   
hello everyone,
This past Labor day weekend I learned a few more things for myself. For us newbees, and others remembering when you started learning, I'm sure we can relate. They guys did a great job not trying to throw too many things at me all at once to remember. For me, leaning back on my back leg was making me "hop" too much. They helped me figure out how to get the feeling of keeping my body/hips center over my board. I could still put weight on my back leg, pull the rope to my lead hip, etc. I was able to get outside the wake again and get the feel of working my weight on my toes and heels to carve. I want to go over the wake, but for me, I enjoy getting the feeling, learning different techniques and figuring out what works best for me. I'm not ready to try to jump the wake, but getting more comfortable to go over it.
Old     (rnopr8)      Join Date: Apr 2005       10-07-2007, 10:08 PM Reply   
sonironi...attack that wake...you are smarter than it!!! Don't let it intimidate you.
Old     (maggiewss)      Join Date: Nov 2007       11-09-2007, 8:04 AM Reply   
when i ride switch i always have to think backwards. the main thing us upper body weight because you are used to leading with one shoulder and side jsut remember to use the opposite one instead
Old     (amber_nicole)      Join Date: Jul 2007       11-20-2007, 3:37 PM Reply   
well i started with riding and crossing the wake!it's not scary!switch u have 2 put all your weight on the front foot then swing the board around.if u don't get it be prepared to faceplant that sucks like super bad! if u wanna e mail me feel free i just started like 1year and a half ago and i can't ride right now cause i have a broken tailbone and it is to cold but i didn't get to ride like @ the end of tha season it sucned soooooooo bad
Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       05-07-2008, 9:20 PM Reply   
Thanks everyone. It's still a little too cold and unpredictable w/weather up here. I know I shouldn't let the wake intimidate me. This summer I have more confidence and want to "conquer" some more goals. Amber, hope your tail bone has healed and that you're able to go more this coming summer. I wanna go for it this summer!
Old     (sexyws6mama)      Join Date: Mar 2008       05-18-2008, 5:59 AM Reply   
I just started wakeboarding in March this year (yeah...in the cold water). I take private lessons and this is what I have learned.

1. Have a no fear attitude.
2. Let the boat pull you out of the water. Keep knees bent. WHen coming out of the water, get into your stance. Goofy or regular
3. 40% weight on front leg. 60% of back leg. Knees slightly bent
4. Start carving, learning your heel side and toe side.
5. Once carving is good. GO heel side over wake. And go toe side over wake. Bent knees slightly more over wake.
6. Alot of water time and practice.

My instructor says to practice techique and slowly move onto another skill once that is mastered.

good luck. I'm still learning myself. I push myself really hard out there and don't be afraid of anything because that will stop you in your progress!!!
Old     (sonironi)      Join Date: Jul 2007       05-20-2008, 8:14 PM Reply   
Thanks Audrey...I've always been about technique...gymnastics, stunting, dancing, etc.. the fundamentals . you're right like a lot of other women...I can't let myself get intimidated. gotta go for it...gonna go for it...now if the weather up here would cooperate!
thank you all.
Old     (beachbum22)      Join Date: Aug 2007       05-28-2008, 4:41 AM Reply   
Hi Girls!!

I am so excited summer is finally here! We just put the boat in this weekend, so now its official!! =)

Anyway, I went riding over the long weekend and practiced my surface 180's. I did pretty good considering its been months, (yeah I'm bragging haha!) Thinking back though, I really can't describe how I did the surface 180's. I sort of just "felt it" I mean, the board felt slippery, when I turned my waist left and right, so I just gave it a shot. I will say that its easier to switch to your "other" foot, than it is to come back to regular. I don't know why =)

Me, riding switch (I usually ride right foot forward.)

[IMG]http://i32.tinypic.com/246563r.jpg[/IMG]
Old     (turtleluv4)      Join Date: Jun 2008       06-02-2008, 7:16 PM Reply   
hello ladies...enjoyed reading the posts as I just started to ride in April. It took me a few weekends to get the confidence to go over the wake and now I am going back and forth and back and forth...
I ride right foot in front but sometimes feel like I should be the other way...I have tried to turn before when it was glass but chickened out.

I'm also still not very comfortable going toe side over the wake...i get very wobbly. I will be working on it this weekend.

Let me know if you guys have any advice.
Old     (mmtyler24)      Join Date: Aug 2007       08-18-2008, 12:34 PM Reply   
It's nice to come back to a thread that I posted in a year ago and remember my struggles, all it takes is riding time. I've managed to go switch only from getting up goofy(I ride regular), took off my fins, drop the boat speed down I'm guessing 14mph, go out in the flats, and then a quick rotation. Now I need to get it up to speed and switch and also learn to go regular to goofy. Other goals are to get an ollie and at least a one wake jump.

Michelle - I hope you feel more comfortable now.
Old     (erbear)      Join Date: Jul 2008       08-23-2008, 11:44 AM Reply   
ok so im pretty beginner. I got the surface 180 down pretty good. getting more comfy riding goofy. My problem is the backside 180 and eventually a surface 360. I get half way through and end up riding facing backwards with one hand cuz i can't reach the handle with my other hand. How the heck do you do that lol! I keep trying and eventually catching an edge cuz i get too tired trying to reach the handle!
Old     (sexyws6mama)      Join Date: Mar 2008       08-25-2008, 6:00 PM Reply   
Erica,

How do you do surface 180 without eating it? Do you lean back more on the board when about the switch? And do you do the surface 180 only on the top of the wake?

Marq: I know what you mean. I started in March 08 and have been riding almost every weekend and have improved greatly. I can do wake jumps, ollie's, slashing, my carving looks so good and finally I started riding goofy (even though it still feels funny). I'm ready to to do wake to wake, but dang it's hard clearing both wakes!!!

I just posted a thread with needs of help. Please someone go check it out!!
Old     (aliwake)      Join Date: Dec 2006       08-25-2008, 8:20 PM Reply   
hey erica, i used to try surface bs 180s nice and slow - i'd do a bs slide, then slowly bring it around, and I have to say it sucked! I never once got the handle that way!
the trick is to cut out then do the board rotation in one quick smooth motion, this means that when you try to grab the handle at the end, there will be a little bit of slack in the rope, and it's much easier to get the handle, cos it's not being pulled away from you.
Old     (erbear)      Join Date: Jul 2008       08-27-2008, 10:56 AM Reply   
Alice- That's a good idea cuz my problem is that it gets pulled away. then my arms get super tired. ill try going out of the wake and just working on the 360.

Audrey- the thing that helped me get the 180 down was to try getting up goofy first so that i got used to riding that way. as far as switching, pull the handle really close to your hip then bring around your body to the other hip. the board will follow around. and just make sure to keep your toes up

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