Can get up on skis, but not on a wakeboard........

I'm new to wakeboarding. It's been about 15 years since I have been out on the water. I can get up on my skis, but not on my son's wakeboard. The main problem I have is twisting the board after coming up out of the water (starting with the board sideways). My son can put the wakeboard in the water nose up, tail down, and start out without a hitch. He can even grab the rope as it is going by, have his Dad step on it, and up he goes -- really neat to watch!! Dad doesn't have a problem getting up on the board either. So far, I am the only one and feel pretty awkward at this point. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks much!!

Get up side ways. If you are regular footed(left foot forward) pull the handle to your left hip. If you are Goofy(right foot forward) pull the handle to your right. This will turn the board and your body for you. I know most know what regular and goofy are but you seem pretty new so I was trying to help.

Hi Shane,

Thank you for your help. The only way I have tried to wakeboard is Goofy. I have skied slalom (not sure if that's the correct spelling!) before, but I didn't get up on one ski. I got up on two and then kicked one off. I know this isn't the proper way to do it and the only reason I did it was because we had the whole lake to ourselves at the time. I tried to get up on one ski, and failed. I'll try pulling the handle to my left hip. Should I do it with one hand or both?

Thanks again....

Face the boat with the board sideways. When the boat starts to pull you, keep your hands towards your chest and let the pull of the boat pull your butt to your heels. The board will plane out from there. I'm regular and my son is goofy. We just do what came natural. If you're not sure which to use, stand on the ground facing someone and have them push you backwards. The foot that goes back to maintain your balance is what will seem natural to you. Then use this and what Shane said about pulling the rope to your hip.Hope that helps.

When your facing the boat, remain in the tucked position, with your butt almost touching the back of your legs. As the boat pulls your forward-causing the board to plane out, turn into your natural position and don't allow the boat to pull you over-forward-thus resulting in a faceplant. Lean back if anything, until you get up. Once you get up, apply more pressure to your front foot, finding the sweet spot-soon. Otherwise, you will just wobble it out. Also, wakeboarding isn't mastered the first timeout. Stay with it, and each time you will learn/get that much closer.
Option two. You can remain in the tuck position with the board "sideways," as you can plane the board into the riding position that way. Harder yes, but gets the job done with some style....

get The Rider's Edge DVD or Higher Education Vol 1 and watch it over and over in the beginning.

What happens when you are trying to get up?

If you are a skiier, you may be trying to get up like you do on a ski, and this same approach will not work on a wakeboard.

With a ski, you basically stiffen up and then the boat pulls really hard and yanks you out of the water. With a wakeboard, you need to loosen up. The biggest mistake that people make when I'm teaching newbies to get up, is they stiffen up their legs. You cannot get up with straight legs! You must allow your body to roll forward, your chest comes to your knees, your butt comes towards your heels. Once you feel like you're on top of the water, you can stand up. Most people attempt to stand too soon - you can't stand if the board is still in the water.

I always tell people, don't worry about the board. It seems odd that it is sideways in the water, but don't worry about it - it has fins on it, and it will track and find its way. Just focus on getting your body forward. When I see people who are basically sucking back the water when they try to get up, I tell them that I know they will be making progress when I see them falling forward over the FRONT of the board, not behind it. Somehow that seems to get the point across that they need to allow their body to roll forward.

Get a DVD that shows you how to get up. When you go out with people that know "their way" of getting up it is usually the wrong way and wont work for you. I got Detention vol 1 and 2. It is a wakeboard instructional that tells you how to get up to how to do the most advanced tricks. It will enlighten you and give you challenges for when you do get up.

Getting up is very simple. The easiest board sport to get up on for beginners. The biggest problems people come across are mental blocks and not relaxing. Getting up on a wakeboard requires very little physical energy. Just let the board plane and let the boat pull you.

pull the handel to your left hip if you are regular ,right hip for goofy