beginner wakeboarder-need some assistance

hi i just started wakeboarding this year. i have a few questions about the sport and i would like to know can someone help me out? i can get huge air and land in to the flats on some jumps but hardly any air on others, why? i just started to do grabs and trying hs 180's but i cant keep my balance when landing, can anyone help me out? is there any videos for beginners? what tricks should i attempt next? what rope length should i be using? i currently ride a LF search 35 with multi suction bindings, should i get a different board? do i really need a high pole or extra weight in the boat, because when i ride with my mate his dad wont let us. and one more question can anyone give me a better instuctional on ts jumps. if anyone could help me it would be really appreciated!!!

Get Detention Volume I. It will answer all your questions. For hs 180's when you land put your weight on your toes. Toeside jumps just take practice. Work on a progressive edge from both sides for consistant jumps.

Ok, you have a lot of questions, let me take them one at a time.
The reason you are getting huge air and landing in the flats is probably because you are taking a huge cut at the wake. I see this many times with beginners, the will take the hardest cut they can at the wake, once they reach the wake, they have no more momentum, thus, sometimes they hit the wake really great and go huge, other times they slide like a slalom skier right over the wake. The reason for this is because you aren't edging all the way up the wake. Start slowly about 5-7 feet from the wake, get harder as you get closer to the wake. Your hardest cut should be at the top of the wake. When your board digs into the top of the wake, it will spring you up when the board releases, this is called pop.
Heelside 180s are tricky, its because you are landing switch toeside, and that's not a normal position for your body to be in. Be sure that you are semi-comfy riding switch. Be sure that when you land you are over your toes, don't reach out with your feet to land, your body should be straight up and down, as if there was a rod going down through your body.
The Detention Series is good like Mike said.
Tricks are up to you. Check out wakeworlds trick list and see if there are any that interest you. I would get the basics dialed first, air(hs and ts), grabs, 180s, grab 180s, etc. Then move on to 360s and inverts.
Board is also another thing that only you can decide. If you like the board, ride it.
A pole and weight will make the wake bigger and allow you to get a bit more air, they aren't necessary.
A toeside wake jump is basically all or nothing. Take a strong progressive edge at the wake, be sure to lean from your hips and not your shoulders, leaning over will do nothing but throw you off balance and hurt your back. Lean in with your whole body and lay your board on edge. Hold that edge through the wake and when you feel the pop, just stand up tall and spot your landing. Don't reach out for the water with your heels, or you will slide out on your butt. You can take it slow and work up to crossing both wakes, but I find it easier to go all out, the landings are much softer.
If I have confused you, feel free to email me and I will answer any other questions.
Later
Tiffanator
LadyBoarder http://www.hometown.aol.com/jetskierxp/index.html
www.WakeDivas.com
TheLandroid@yahoo.com

thanks for the help. i am going to buy that detention video. theres 3 copies my friend told me. volumes 1 & 2 and a best of one. should i just get vol 1? thanks for the advice on jumping. i landed a 180 on the weekend. thanks.

Get Vol. 1 & 2 together. You'll save a couple bucks.

http://communities.msn.com/XXXSTARSWorldofWakeboarding

Great tips from Ladyboarder. I had the same problems when starting out. Try the ollie 180 and ride switch as often as you can. Toeside jumps is such a bitch.

although volume 1 and 2 together is cheaper. it probobly isnt a good idea because volume 1 is funny and teaches u a great deal whereas volume 2 teaches u advanced harder tricks such as whirlybirds and mobes and it isnt funny.
i would stick to volume 1 for begginner tricks!

thanks for the info on the detention vids. i think i have almost got my h/s jumps dialed. i am still having a bit of trouble with the t/s jumps. i cant get the 180's landed but i can almost land 360's. its really weird.what speed do most people ride at. we do bout 19-20mph. should i get some water bags for our boat, or a high tower because we can only get about 1-1.5 metres of our wake. oh one last Q. how come in heaps instructionals they say to flatten off before the wake, coz everyone says to come in with ur knees bent cut right to the top of the wake whilst straightening ur legs on the way up.

Hey, what they mean by straitening out is before you approaching the wake you want to be edging into the water as hard as you can. And then right before you get to the wake flatten out your board and go from your crouched position and straiten out, kinda stand up.DON' TRY TO JUMP ON THE WAKE! Often,beginners make this mistake. By doing what I Have just explained(above) this should give you the "pop" off the wake. And the harder you edge into the water before approching the wake, the higher your pop will be. Of course it takes a little while to get the timing right. Hope this helps!

You don't want to come off your edge when you get to the wake, I have seen many people do that and shoot slalom style across the wake. What the instructionals probably mean is stand tall, it only seems like you are coming off your edge. What you do is start with a progressive edge, you want your hardest edge to be at the top of the wake. If you think about, a hard edge into the wake will release with more tension than will a flat board, you really only want to come off edge if you are doing a tantrum. As for getting some good air, stay on edge all the way through the wake. The edge of the board acts like you jumping on a trampoline, you get much more air jumping on your feet than your back. The wake will spring the board off the wake.
Ok, now I'm confused, anyway, just relate it to a trampoline....more edge, more height....more surface area, less height.
Feel free to email me if you are confused.
Later
Tiffanator
LadyBoarder http://www.hometown.aol.com/jetskierxp/index.html
AIM Suprachickchick
Thelandroid@yahoo.com

Try to do a HS 180 they seem to be easier than the ts 180s I need to buy the detention videos to learn all of the jargon!!

Booker:I suggest going about 15mph-19mph for beginers,But For big air, go 20mph-25mph.The ts jumps get eaiser&eaiser.Air towers and water bags both help.As for the "flatten out"part,I don't get it eiether.

thanks. i landed a h/s 180 last weekend. too bad its the last weekend before the season kinda ends and it gets really cold over here in melbourne australia.time to start snowboarding (i wish, its sooo expensive. thanks for the help on everything. anyway i landed the 180 and am doing side slides to get used to riding switch. whats easier to learn and what should i do first t/s wake jumps or Switch h/s wake jumps. i must buy those detention videos soon as well, does anyone want to get rid of their old copies for free? ok have a great season over there in the US. and ill keep posting messages. cya