New rider need some info

Hey guys I just started wakeboarding.. i've been out 2 times so far.. I can get up and stay up easily, but i dont have any background in surfing/snowboarding, I do water/snow skii though. I'm finding it real hard to get my board straight.. it seems to always be pointing a bit off to the right (I've been riding right foot forward) I'm also having a hell of a time going left (toe side)

I try to hold the rope low on my right hip.. but the only way i can seem to go straight is if i completely let go with my left hand and just ride facing away from the boat.

If anyone has any tips.. like maybe I set up the bindings wrong? I have a CWB SOL with torq bindings.. the left binding is pointing straight out (perpendicular to the board) the right one is facing forward as far as it will go.

I'd start with your stance, set it up something similar to how you stand on the ground, shoulder width apart slightly ducked (each foot pointing a few degrees outwards).

Work on standing up getting your hips underneath you, not poking your butt out and look in the direction you want to go, not at the boat or your feet.

Bro you need to get a video or get someone to go with you who knows what there doing. Its hard to explain on here. You definitely dont want to let go with your back hand thats a bad habit to start with. Get an instructional video bro.Good Luck and stay with it, its the most awesome sport man.

If by "forward" you mean that your right foot is pointing more toward the boat as you ride, you might be having the same problem I originally had. I ride goofy also, and had my right foot "opened up" a lot more than the left. What ended up happening is that then made my right hip more open. Since you lead with your hip, you've set up your stance to automatically want to go to your heelside. That's the problem I had. I normally stand a little duckfooted, so I adjusted my stance to be about equal on both feet (like Jeff suggests) and it fixed the problem for me. Also when trying hs or ts, maybe try thinking of it as "opening" and "closing" your hip. When you want to go heelside, you're "opening" your right hip more toward your right; for toeside you're "closing" your right hip - basically pointing it toward your left side and away from the boat, if that makes any sense. And welcome to wakeboarding!

Thanks for the info guys.. I'm guessing "stance" means how my bindings are set up? Yeah i'll definetly try setting them up so they are equal to eachother... pointing a bit outward.

Kylie, it definetly sounds like you know what i'm going through hehe, just cant figure out what you mean by opening/closing my hip..

I'll be going out again this weekend and try some different stuff see if i can make the board go to the damn left :P i'm sick of right!

what she means by opening and closing ur hip is, when u edge out heelside, you open your hips and turn your board, as you do that you want to lean back to cut into the water... then on toeside you closy your hip, kind of like your turning your body away from the boat and then lean over so your chest is heading towards the water. You cant be scared of leaning because otherwise you wont e able to get your board to cut through the water. And watch as many vids as possible of people riding and youll see what i mean about all the leaning stuff. And about ur stance, dont adjust ur bindings, leave them like that, i had the same problem when i started off with that board, and just like you, i couldnt really keep the board straight and i think thats because we both havea a skiing backround and are used to that, but once you ride more often it will become more natural and it will straighten out.

Thats a good choice of a board to start of with....

BTW welcome to an amazing sport, and good luck with all of this, it all just takes time so be patient

Hey guys went out again today... wow what a difference, the thing that did it was the suggestion to look where I was going instead of the boat. It was night and day, i felt really comfortable on the board and was able to start cutting both ways, even drank a metric ton of lake water trying to learn how to switch my lead foot mid ride lol.

I can get the board sideways easily.. it just feels too unatural with my left foot forward.. Maybe its time i set my bindings up to be equal to eachother? right now my left is perpendicular, right is open toward the boat.

(Message edited by dantastic on August 19, 2006)

Daniel - I think it probably feels weird with your left foot in front because goofy is how you naturally ride, so it takes time to learn to ride switch. Kind of like if you're right-handed, it's awkward writing with your left hand and you don't do it nearly as well. You just need to practice. I'm trying to perfect surface 180's also and the thing I do is bend my knees a little more and kind of lean back away from the boat (almost like I'm going to go heelside, but not that severe), then I shift my weight more to the leg I want to be in back and the leg I want in front then kind of "swings" around, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if that's how people teach it to be done, but it's working for me (most of the time). As for the lake water - I drink lots of it too and I'm fine (well, kind of)! If you remember to always look where you want to go and remember that your body will go whatever direction your lead hip is pointing in, then it sounds like you'll have it ... congrats on a good day today!!

I'd recommend ordering The Book instructional DVD set or at least the first DVD. It will help you out a lot as you want to learn new things as well as keep you from learning bad habits or trying things before you're ready. I'm just a novice rider and picked up the DVD because my 8 yr old son is starting to ride and I didn't want him to have the habits I do (slalomed for many years). The DVDs are great and will help me as much as my son. The few $ they cost are worth it to minimize unnecessary falls.

Hold the handle on (almost literally ON) your lead hip. This will keep your hips from rotating forward. It will feel as if you are keeping the handle too far back. That is fine. Also, bend your knees and relax. Your weight should be about 60/40 back foot/front foot. Make sure your grip is not an over/under grip. You should have both hands facing down. Also, concentrate on keeping your chest pointing straight at the shore. You don't want your shoulders or chest to open up to the boat.

Good luck

I agree that you should buy "the book" It's a really good instructional video.
I don't know were you live but if you live near Orlando i can recomend you to go to orlando wakeboard academy. They are supernice and very tolerant with new beginners www.orlandowake.com
Good luck!!!