Toeside help

So this summer im really dedicating myself to getting down toeside and switch, cuz i cant clear either way. I went out yesterday and worked ts, but most of the time when I'd pop, my back foot always comes around. Am i doing something wrong or is it just a matter of focusing on not letting it happen and repetition? Any tips?

If you spin or rotate at all, you're either turning your head, or pulling the handle across your body, or both. Keep that handle in your back pocket, and make sure that your back hand isn't pulling the handle toward the front of your body.

If all else fails...I'd roll with it! Pull the handle across your body, spot the boat, and do a TS 180.

I'd rather throw scarecrow or ts 180 than jump toeside...toesdie sucks.

My keys are: strong toe edge all the way thru the wake, chest up, handle low and in back pocket.

(Message edited by wake1823 on June 04, 2009)

Ah, just learned this yesterday with Dave Brisco!
You need to push your lead hip out toward the direction you are wanting to go, if you let it open up you will automatically turn your board.

Your opening your shoulder up to the boat. You need to roll your shoulder over and look your head towards the shoreline, not the boat. And don't learn the toeside 180 first. That's too easy and you'll never go back to jumping toeside because it feels awkward. Keep riding and having fun!

When you leave the wake drop your backhand...since your backhand is off the handle go ahead and throw a grab in! An indy grab will get your weight over the front of the board which will help in landing...

sounds like golf swing advice

Dropping your back hand is a bad way to learn IMO.

Learn with both hands on the handle.

You can "cheat" and learn bad form dropping your back hand.

"Dropping your back hand is a bad way to learn IMO. "

I agree. You'll end up letting the handle out when you drop the back hand. Learn control with both hands. Or, just wait and drop the back hand just before you land. This will help square you up as Greg is suggesting.

Handle low, close, and at lead hip, shoulders over the handle and eyes focussed on wake / opposite shore. Not sure I understand back pocket handle placement? Anyway, NEVER let off your edge. Most people that have been riding a while that have not jumped TS have developed poor muscle memory where they let off their edge as they approach the wake TS to slow them down so they do not case the wake. After you cross the wake 100s of times with little 1 wake TS jumps, you have to retrain yourself keep the board on edge all the way through the wake.

"Not sure I understand back pocket handle placement?"

That's funny! I was just having a hard time picturing how I would have my shoulders over the handle on a ts edge. lol

Different strokes for different folks.

Thanks for all the advice! I'm hoping to get out tomorrow after work and give it a shot some more. I went out for a little bit today but didn't really work on anything, it was pretty windy and I'm sore from yesterday haha. I'll be back if i'm still having problems, i appreciate the advice!

mainly, just keep practicing and dont give up and settle for being a heelside hero, it will feel less and less awkward every time, and so will riding switch.

try this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqAheageD9c


personally though, my favorite thing that helps me and seems to help everyone i teach personally is to pretend you are playing "tug o war" with the boat and using the position that is gona give you the best leverage and tension

I learned the whole one handed way (naturally I had no advice, learned on my own) and it screwed me up for spins. I couldn't hold on with my back hand to do spins whenever I'd try. It took a long time to get used to holding on with my backhand.

Do NOT take the easy approach and just do toe 180's it will screw you up for everything else down the line. If your rear foot is coming around you are probably not controlling the handle. keep it low, and push it down by your BUTT with both hands... and try to land both hands. You really have to force the handle down and extend your arms like a tricep extension. Only let go if you have to on your landings... Keep it up and use some video to help critique what you're doing or post it up so people can help ya, it does wonders.

Yeah im gonna try that for sure if im still struggling. I wish i lived somewhere where i could ride with people better, theres just no one around here that i know that wakeboard! What do you guys think on The Book vs Detention 2012? Detention is a litle cheaper, but if its not as good id probably pay the extra.

just keep practicing and dont give up and settle for being a heelside hero
Yeah, a good TS makes wakeboarding twice as fun. Also for the people in the boat.

Detention vs. Book: I haven't seen the Book, but I do have Detention. It definitely is OK, but I had expected it to be better, somehow. From fragments of the Book, and from what I've seen of their makers at Learnwake, I have high expectations of it. Want to get it as well.

I was always pretty decent at toeside, but recently I just been going huge with it and I have been getting more air than heelside.

Definitely work on it man.

Yeah your opening that shoulder up... dont let your chest see the boat

I do not have Detention 2012, but I have the older Detention... and the Book... I would go with the Book between those 2, but the Book Mobile is really nice for loading on your Ipod and taking your instruction out on the boat... The mobile is a little more jerky since it breaks every instructional into several shorter clips, but definitely nice for inspiration when in the boat, and it is cheaper than the 5 disk set...