Heelside Front Flip

Well, I landed my 3rd attempt yesterday with the heelside Front Flip and rode away. I threw it exactly how the trick was designed and looked awesome. BUT, when I landed, I jammed my right big toe into my closed toe binding and broke it. Now there is what it seems, to be a bone or bump sticking off the top of my big toe. SUCKS!

I'm wondering if I had a bit of slack in the rope when I landed. I didn't feel a big jerk on the rope at all, so not sure. People in the boat said it looked good

I'm pretty sure if you landed it you did it correctly. Its hard to say without seeing you do it. Perhaps you just got unlucky and the closed toes screwed you over.

On the bright side, at least you learned a sweet new trick! Once you're better, take it to revert!

well, I never heat molded my bindings and am sure that would help my toe from always hitting. It doesn't hit often, but when I throw TS fronts it happens sometimes

LITTLE OFF TOPIC BUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO HEAT MOLD BINDINGS

Well, hopefully you have Ronix Bindings that would allow you to mold them. Anyway, take them to the closest Ronix dealer and ask them to heat mold them. OR, you can put them in the bathtub on the hottest water setting, let them soak for 15 minutes, then wear them around the house for about 15 minutes

COOL THANKS

Okay, now i'm landing it consistantly, but it feels like I go up and into the cartwheel rotation, but i'm not tweaking it out like I see others. I think i'm loading on my back leg coming into the wake like i'm supposed to, but switching the weight to the front and just NOT tweaking it out like others do.

When I see riders that throw this really sweet, they are pulling that front leg all the way up to their body and then throwing their head towards the other side of the wake. I'm kind of letting it trip flip my over, but not tweaking it as much.

(Message edited by hawaiianstiln on June 03, 2008)

You could be doing it like a fantrum. Try edging in to the wake almost perpendicular to the boat and keep that edge all the way up, don't square up at all. Once your back leg leaves the water then tuck the front leg and try to hit your front ear on that knee.

yah, I pretty much do that now. Maybe i'm too critical on myself. It feels right and looks okay in video. I don't think i'm tweaking it out like I could be since I just first learned it.

keith- what do you mean "tweak it out"? i guess for me this is one of those tricks, that unless you are grabbing the nose and poking out your rear leg, its not gonna be a tweaked out trick. your probably fine, and these are killer because you dont see them that often. congrats, and dont be so hard on yourself.

dude, talk me thru a grab on this then!

I'm for sure not poking out my leg like i've seen some other GOOD riders do and I think that's what i'm trying to accomplish. I just need time to work on it more and more to make it look like theirs. This has always been my most favorite trick to watch when people throw them BIG. Grabbing it would be insane.

I grab nose on mine. You just have to get the grab pretty early and keep your back hand close to your body so you don't get pulled to fakie. Once you get the rotation and you spot your landing then grab the handle with both hands again.

What's the edging position like on these? I can land them time and time again on the tramp but I'm sure on the water is another world...Do you edge progressive? Ollie?? Any help would be great.. Thanks

I take a moderate cut at the wake and put a little more pressure on my rear foot until I am near the top of the wake. When I am near the top of the wake I shift weight to the front foot and throw it after the pop.

Okay, my cut is right and the rotation feels good, but after seeing a video, it slightly looks like a frantrum. I have both hands on the handle all the way thru the trick near my stomach. I come in heavy footed on the tail and after I release off the wake, I throw my head toward the front of my board. My cut is close to a railey cut, but not 100%. I land it everytime, but am just not satisfied that it has a bit of a frantrum look to it. Some people say it looks good, but I still don't think i'm throwing this right. ?????

Are you keeping your knees bent? If you are letting them straighten a little, that might make it look like a fantrum. Try keeping your legs sucked up through the whole rotation.

very good point! I don't think i'm keeping them bent. I keep them bent coming into the wake and then when I release off, I think I auto straighten them just a bit, but the front knee is slightly tucked. I don't think it's tucked enough tho. Thanks!!!

I'm almost making it a trip flip. This isn't a trip flip is it. It doesn't seem so since I've seen some of the pros initiate the trick way after they left the wake.

Ya keep those legs sucked up until you spot the landing.

also try starting the flip once you leave the wake.