Getting a newbie up on the first pull

I am sure that a lot of you know this method, but I'll bet most do not.

Cool tip. I have never thought of teaching that way, but you are correct. It will be the way I do it from now on. Thanks for sharing.

That's great! Thanks for sharing!

i've used this since greg taught me at WTW last year. works very well. b/c you can actually feel what the person is doing wrong ... most try to pull back against you

Pretty simple. I have always told people to act like they're sitting down and to hold their arms kinda in kinda like if they're pretending to be a bunny and stay like that until the board is flat on the water then turn your hips towards the boat and stand up. It works everytime for the first session out as long as they aren't scared of the water in the first place.

Greg thanks for posting this. Just to add another option for teaching someone to get up.

IMO the fastest way to get anyone up is to get in the water with them and help them get in the position in the instruction. This does 2 things first it calms the person down that is learning to have someone else with them, and 2 it allows you to help get them in the correct position and hold it. I hold them in the position Greg is teaching above until the line comes tight and the boat starts to slowly pull them up. When your in the water with them you can fix the couple of things like going out the front and not getting their toes up.
I realize not everyone can have someone in the water while teaching but if you can give it a try. Once they get the feel for it once or twice you will never have to do it again.

I used to get in the water. But ever since discovering this method ( 10 years ago) there has not been a need. The wakeboard naturally floats up so being out of position doesn't really become a factor. I still get in the water for water skis and the kneeboard. We get people up on the very first pull way more than half of the time and 90% by the second. We also are able to get more than half to ride switch and do 180s on the very first day!

I have also learned that most girls learn faster than boys on the first day. After they have the basics, boys are usually more brave and harder chargers.

Mark- Have you been involved with Wake the World yet? If not, you need to. A person that is willing to jump in the water and help someone learn has a great deal of love in their heart. Knowing that much about you, I would say that you would fall in love with a Wake the World event. www.waketheworld.org

Greg

It is something I have wanted to do. The closest one that I know of was in East Tx.last year and I just could not get out there to do it. It is something that I want to do in the future.

thats awesome. if i have an experienced driver with me i get in the water with the rider and help with form, drag with them a bit and help turn the board as they start to come on plain. The thing that i see most beginners have a hard time with isn't getting up, its turning the board towards the boat. Has anyone tried this technique with an adult? I'd imagine pulling on the rope and standing on the board would be pretty hard with someone weighing closer to the teachers weight or more..

Detox- with a heavier person I put one hand in the "V" of the handle and hold the ski pylon with the other. If they weigh more than I can handle, I pull them slowly through the water until they can get the board under them, then I slowly accelerate. That way the board acts like a wing rather than a plow.