Walk before You Run

Ok, here are my feelings:

I have been riding since the days of the Skurfer, and I have ridden with riders of every skill level from first time riders to professionals. Over the years, I have seen many riders progress too quickly and hurt themselves both physically and there ability to truly progress. So here is a list of tricks in an order that I feel they should be learned so that you can help avoid injuring yourself. This list starts by addressing the most simple wakeboarding techniques and advances from there. Keep in mind that this is a condensed version (It explains more of what you should do and not how you should do it
as I see fit) and there is more to it than I am leading on but I am
just trying to keep it simple like it should be:

1. Get up, carve around, and cross both wakes. You should do this so
that
you can get used to the way the board rides on the water. (Edging,
lossness,
etc.)
2. Jump from the inside to the outside of the wake both heelside and
toeside.
3. Jump from the outside of the wake to the inside, but jump only into
the
middle of the wake. Do this both heelside and toeside.
4. Once you are comfortable jumping one of the wakes, try clearing the
wakes
both heelside and toeside by coming into the wake a little faster each
time.
5. Try to grab your board as you clear the wakes once you feel
comfortable
in the air.
6. Try to land a 180, both toeside and heelside.
7. Once you are comfortable, try to grab your 180s.
8. Next try some 360s, both toeside and heelside.
9. Once you are comfortable, try to grab your 360s, both toeside and
heelside

Once you have learned all of this and feel comfortable, try it all
switch, and in the same order as you learned them riding regular. This will make you more of a well rounded rider, and your body will be used to riding,taking off, and landing in both switch and regular stances.
After you learn how to land a backroll, other inverts will come quickly
due to the fact you will know how to cut (and control your cut). Each
trick takes a different cut and sometimes a different edge.

If you agree with me that is cool, if not fire away, I am open to
criticism. It has helped me and other rides progress as quickly as possible and become a more rounded rider. Mostly what I am trying to say, is take your time, have fun.

Sounds good. From around step 2 I try to get riders to spin the board around on the surface and get comfortable riding switch. (different for different people, but generally 2nd or 3rd time out) The earlier you learn and feel comfortable that way, the easier it will be. I started riding about the same time as you, but didn't learn to really ride switch until twin tip boards became popular. It was like learning to ride all over again. If you can learn right off the start, you are way ahead of the game.

Sounds good chiefe! Excellent point, I like the emphasis on having fun, I think sometimes people try to sprint before they can even walk, helll there's no shame in walking. As long as you're having fun, thats all that matters.

I have to give you credit, dude. That's a real quality post from an experienced rider.
That's the order that my first instructional (Freeride w/ Bill McCaffray) used. The information on practicing switch may be a little outdated, though because boards are built for switch more as opposed to the sort of ski or surfboard shape they used to be, so there's not as much of a difference between normal and switch.

Wait you mean you're not supposed to learn a raley, roll to revert and a crow before you learn a toeside wake jump? Dang, I had it all wrong!

I'm seeing more and more people these days show more of a variety. It's kind of nice.

Good advice, but I wouldn’t wait that long to ride switch because you wont be able to ride away from your 180 without being able to ride switch.

I would go like this (my adds are in CAPS):

1. Get up, carve around, and cross both wakes. You should do this so that you can get used to the way the board rides on the water. (Edging, lossness, etc.) THEN DO IT SWITCH.

2. Jump from the inside to the outside of the wake both heelside and toeside. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

3. Jump from the outside of the wake to the inside, but jump only into the middle of the wake. Do this both heelside and toeside. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

4. Once you are comfortable jumping one of the wakes, try clearing the wakes both heelside and toeside by coming into the wake a little faster each time. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

5. Try to grab your board as you clear the wakes once you feel comfortable in the air. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

6. Try to land a 180, both toeside and heelside. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

7. Once you are comfortable, try to grab your 180s. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

8. Next try some 360s, both toeside and heelside. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

9. Once you are comfortable, try to grab your 360s, both toeside and heelside . THEN DO IT SWITCH.

Plus...

2.5) Surface 180s from heading out to in on heals and toes. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

3.5) Surface 180s from heading in to out on heals and toes. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

4.5) Once you are jumping both wakes, try taking it more vert with a short approach. THEN DO IT SWITCH.

All are good, but I like adding the DO IT SWITCHes, and the mention of surface 180s and especially 4.5 (short approach).

I learned an air 180 (TS FS W2W) before learning the surface 1's or one wake 1's. Now I'm stuck cuz I can't trust that moving the handle will make me rotate. And when I do get the rotation going I have problems staying on-axis.

Waaaah!!! I'm just jealous that you all are still riding and my boat's growing roots in the driveway ;-(

yes, you guys are right on the switch riding. I have just been out on the lake and seen people killing themselves trying inverts. When they can't even get across the wake toeside. I just wanted to give something to others and help progress there riding levels a little easier.

The biggest thing I would like to see more people doing in the beginning, is to never charge the wake. I would like to figure a good way to mentally challenge them to take a 5 to 10 foot cut and see how high they can go straight up. Take the speed element out of it and teach them to edge and pop. Kind of like learning a guitar, learn how to hit the notes then the speed will come. Speed kills a beginner. I am not talking boat speed. Sometimes people are done a disservice by being pulled too slow. I mean no big cuts at the wake.

It's so funny when they charge the wake though.

I couldn't agree with you more Rod. Watching Peter start his cuts from right outside the trough and still go flying...you'd think I'd learn. Edge, edge, edge...not speed.

It is kind of funny seeing some of your more deserving friends get their ego tore down a bit sometimes On the other hand, I prefer to have the people that come out with us want to come out again and be able to go to work the next week.

I am with you Susie, I wish I could ride like Peter too. Hopefully I will get in control one of these days. I can see what people should do and help them get there, but, I have trouble getting there myself. Ironic at best.....