Help on jumps...

I would really like to add grabs to my heelside jumps but don't have enough time in the air to do any more than just tap the edge of my board. Does anyone have any tips on getting higher/longer in the air?

Video clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdXY_j6tt34

you need to learn to pop the board higher. extend your legs at the top of the wake to get maximum air. Also, practice your ollies out in the flats, a good ollie can help you learn how to maximize your pop. It probably shouldn't take you too long to be able to do a grab because it really does not take very much time in the air at all to do a basic grab

Hey Dave I would be more than happy to come out with you sometime after my back heals up and give you a crash course

I've got just about everything from stales to crails down on lock

hey dude, looks like you could bend your knees a little more when approaching the wake, and like was mentioned stand tall at the top of that wake and keep that handle in close to your hips, then push it down south, hope that helps!!

David,
Check out this article. It should help you figure what you can do to alter your jump.

http://wakeworld.com/getarticle.asp?articleid=2258

Thanks - I've been thinking I have to extend more fully at the top of the wake. That timing seems hard, and I think I am really trying to "jump" rather than "extend" - what goes through your mind to make sure you get this right? Is it like making your whole body rigid at the wake? Or is it really subtle, literally like standing up from a crouch, and no more energy than that? A lot of people (and the murray article from wakeboarding mag) say to work less hard at the liftoff point. Trying to figure out what that means, exactly, and how to translate it into action on the water.

Josh, what happened to your back?

The article Torrey refers to is excellent.

David, the Murray article is a great piece. It's main point is that you don't need to come in all crouched down and try to explode off the top. It's far easier and a better use of the physics of wakeboarding if you come in on a nice solid edge and stand tall at the top in a strong position.

Looking at the video, it seems that you have a pretty decent progressive edge so you've accomplished the most difficult part. Now focus on really building a strong edge and extending off the top of the wake. It's not a jump or a quick push, it's part of your edge. You need to ride up the wake in a good position to allow yourself to extend off the top (I know I'm repeating myself).

Last thing I'll say is this, you need to build more line tension. Pop is generated by creating this tension and releasing off the wake, work on really building a strong edge. If all that fails just put a retarded amount of weight in your boat and rail at it!! Post video!

I am at about the same point as David and want to add grabs to my HS W2W jumps. Once you get to the point of getting enough air, what is the best way to start doing grabs without ruining the form of your jump? Is there any type of progression or way to think about it? Thanks

If all that fails just put a retarded amount of weight in your boat and rail at it!! Post video!

This +1. A big wake will definitely help deficiency in technique.

David, in the video I agree your edge looks good thru the top of the wake. You also seem to have a pretty good position and you do extend and make a nice jump. Looking at it several times I would say you probably extended just a tad early. You definitely don't need to jump to get pop. Like jumping on a tramp, just stand tall and resist the compression of the wake (or tramp) with your legs and you will go higher. That is a pretty small wake, but still plenty to get you across as the video proves. Railing at the wake, or getting a huge wake "may" get you more pop, but until you have the technique down it will probably just make it more difficult to be consistent. As far as getting grabs goes, you do have time already. Once you are in the air, pull your knees up, let go with your back hand and grab the board indy (toeside between your feet). That's the easiest grab for most people. Just make sure you don't pull your knees up until you are in the air, otherwise you'll just be giving up all your pop. Good luck.

I would add some rope length when i went from 70ft to 75ft grabs became a 1000x easier.

Dave, Fell off the stage down into the orchestra pit (about a 5ft drop) on my back.

Bruised spine WOOHOO !

day before i graduated too !

jump first then grab. Focus on doing a big jump...not focusing solely grabbing makes it easier because some people try to get lazy on their jumps when learning to grab

you could grab that for sure, we went to the lake on a friends boa this weekend, and they took this other kid also, he was jumping less then a foot off the water and jumping like a third of the wake and was able to indy grab, didnt look good at all. but he was able to

Once you can grab, you really dont need much air at all. I can grab my ollies, which are less than impressive. As stated before, just do a normal wake jump, and once in the air try for a grab.

i forgot to mention that ben, i can get about a 2 1/2 foot ollie, and i learned to indie grab my ollie before my wake jump.
i wanted to try and learn how to do it on an ollie so that i got the movement of it down and where to grab before i went wake to wake with it. now i grab ollie's all the time just for kicks,