whirlybird help

I gave the whirlybird my first shot today. All I ended up doing were large tantrums. I thought I did everything that I was supposed to do.... I squared off at the wake more than for a usual tantrum, and I also tried to pull the line behind my head (although I do not believe I got it there). No rotation happened.... at all. I did notice that there was a tremendous amount of line tension that made it difficult to pull the line. Anyhow, I do not know anybody personally who has tried this trick so I am a little lost. Any suggestions? Thanks.

when u let go with ur back hand and square off to the wake and begin the tantrum u are supposed to yank the handle/line across ur head to the front of ur other shoulder, not "pull the line behind your head", i think that is all u have wrong

So I need to pull the handle above my head and to my rear shoulder.... not behind my head and to my rear shoulder? What about the severe line tension that i was feeling. It almost seemed impossible to pull the handle across my head at all.

I don't do whirlys, but I would think that you would also need to turn your head to look over your rear shoulder, no?

can you try them on a trampoline? Throw the tantrum off the wake, then initiate the spin by throwing your forearm/bicep across your face, like you're starting to draw a halo around your head. I would try them on a trampoline first if you can.

Originally Posted by powercorps

So I need to pull the handle above my head and to my rear shoulder.... not behind my head and to my rear shoulder? What about the severe line tension that i was feeling. It almost seemed impossible to pull the handle across my head at all.

the line tension is because you are throwing it out right away, you still need to go up with a tantrum take off at first. Watch Adam Wensink do his, perfect example of going up, then throwing the whirly portion.

A couple things that will help you.
One. Have you ever heard the term "alligator arms" or T-rex arms" basically keeping your elbows pined to your rips as your approach the wake, you want to do this for whirlys especially, when you let get with you back hand try and keep you front hand elbow pinned to your ribs when you initiate the flip, it will be a lot easier to initiate the rotation by throwing the handle across your face if the handle is close in than if your arm is stretched out. That is how you get worked on this trick by extending your handle to far when you initiate the spin.
Two. Your approach for the trick is super important, it wasn't until I figured out the edge for a whirly that I made them a consistent trick. You want to take them big, but not go to far into the flats, at least not at first. I usually take a more aggressive edge than I would for a wake to wake tantrum, but really try and put weight on my front foot as I edge in so that my pop is more straight up than out if that makes sense. For me the bigger I pop the longer I wait to throw the handle across my face to initiate the spin. Some of the worst wrecks I have ever had riding are on whirlybirds when you come around on the last part of the spin and realize you still a long way from the water and you can't stop your rotation.
Keeping the handle in and focusing on a straight up pop should help you with line tension as well. Finally the best advice I can give is: don't think about it, just do it. Once you figure out how to rotate it, it is easy.
Hope this helps

It's been several years since I worked on them, but I remember Cobe telling me to smell armpit of my lead arm. So literately pulling my bent arm across my face. Although I argree with J rod that it makes sense to turn your head to initiate the rotation. Also it is key to get the biggest wake to wake tantrum you can do. Most of us have a tendency to take them more out than up, so it is key to focus on the straight vertical part.

I just started this trick this season and it's starting to become pretty consistent for me. As others have said I strongly urge you to hop on a trampoline and do them until you can throw it blindfolded. That's how I started and when it came to throwing it behind the boat the rotation was pretty much a no brainer, it was the approach and pop that I had to work on. Another reason why the trampoline helps is the trick is kind of a blur, There's a lot of rotation going on and it's pretty difficult to really spot your landing until the end of the trick so having the rotation in muscle memory helps a lot. Once you get comfortable with it, it's pretty fun.

Also try to shift more weight to your front foot as you are squaring up to the wake this will help initialize your rotation a little more i do this on both whirly's and moby dicks.

Well, I gave it some more attempts this weekend. The best I managed was a 90 degree rotation. I was excited with that result until I realized that I must not have passed the handle over my head because when I landed my arm was not wrapped up ( I think If i had passed the handle and only rotated 90 I would have landed with my arm or the line twisted around me but that was not the case). I hate to be difficult but honestly the trampoline is not for me. I bought one two years ago to practice tricks on and it has proven more dangerous to my health than the wakeboard (although it has been lots of fun to just play with) Anyhow, I am convinced that I am doing something fundamentally wrong here and I am so baffled by it.

Video yourself... jump on youtube and watch videos of whirleys and compare.... you won't be baffled very long.

Well if you're really convinced that a trampoline isn't for you, Here's what I think might help since you don't seem to be doing the spinning rotation. Once you pop for your tantrum, you need to aggresively (short arm not long arm) rip across your face with the handle whilst twisting your shoulders hard in a backside rotation. The flipping rotation seems to be pretty secondhand and but the spinning is whats awkward so try to focus more on that instead. Also if you can post a video on here you'd get a lot better advice.

Help me
http://youtu.be/Z-lWL84ryu4

Would love to see your regular tantrum. Initial reaction - You are not letting off your edge and allowing it to trip you. Also not square up enough. See how your are very horizontal and not vertical - that indicates improper pop. Try to take your tantrums wake to wake as straight up as possible. Think about really squaring up.

Originally Posted by Prokurat

Help me
http://youtu.be/Z-lWL84ryu4

Wow... Here's to not giving up! Looks like you're getting close.

I've heard nick Heaney say to take your lead arm and throw an upper cut across your face to start the spin. Maybe that will help. Post a video, I wanna see!

This is my Tantrum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TzNJSAwuhs

Check out www.learnwake.com . Pay the $10 and get some real help. It worked for me. Landed a whirly and just recently a Crow Mobe with their help.

thanks

Originally Posted by Prokurat

Help me
http://youtu.be/Z-lWL84ryu4

lol dang bro theres were some nasty falls, prolly one of the best crash videos ive seen haha, can you do it on a trampoline? That defiantly helps alot

WhirlyBird continuation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONmHiRRKnDk

Sorry It took so long for me to post a video of myself trying it. I am still having the same problem no matter how hard I try. I will upload a vid of my tantrum tonight.

lol, helps if i actually provide a link ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw4f06f8__M

I'm assuming that was a whirly attempt because you said you had trouble initiated the rotation? If so, watch your self in slow motion. Your overall edge and trip could be slightly better but it's good enough to complete the trick. What you are missing is the cut across your face and the rotation of your shoulders. If you consciously rotate your upper body then the rest of your body will follow as well. Next time go out and attempt it, really concentrate on the rotation of your upper body and I think that you will have much better results. All of the tips you need are in this thread, and once you begin actually rotating a real whirly then you will be able to pick up the rest of the missing pieces.

I pulled this clip off of my computer real quick and uploaded it. It might help you to see it from the side angle, The clip isn't the highest quality and I by no means have the greatest whirly but take what you can from it

To me it looks like you over rotate the flip (tantrum) You actually complete the whirly, and your continued flipping momentum sends you onto your back after you land on the board. It looks to me like you need to tame down the tantrum a little bit and think about under-rating it a little bit. I think you're over flipping

So If I am understanding this right I have two problems going on here. First, my tantrum kind of sucks. I am throwing the tantrum rather than letting the wake trip me. Thus I have lots of line tension. Second, I am trying to initiate the rotation with my arm only. I need to be twisting my entire upper body in order to start the spin and to help get that handle back to the point where the boat will pull me through the 360.