Teaching newbies

I've found two common problems when teaching newbies. The first is when they standup too soon and wind up on top of the table. We just instruct them to stay crouched until they are out in the flats before standing up.

The second is when they do that see-saw motion, they fall back to the back of the pocket and then once they climb the wake come rushing forward. TYPICALLY, it's either they are too far back on the board, or they have that wakeboarder stance. This before-and-after set of Garrett exemplifies this:

What sort of issues are most common when you teach folks and what instruction do you give to assist these folks achieve proper form?

Close proximity to the boat is a problem for some to overcome; a fear factor thing.

Managing the board in the water before getting pulled is a problem for those that are also new to wake boarding. Students need to learn to use their free arm to manage position. Teenagers don’t seem to know what perpendicular is. I stopped using geometry instructions like “keep the board perpendicular to the boat”.

Boards that are too buoyant are a problem. New riders have trouble kicking the board in to place when the line gets tight. We tell riders to tell us to put the boat in gear or out of gear to tighten the line. We watch new riders closely and predict what they need. We also tell the riders when we're putting the boat in gear and taking the boat out of gear.

New riders don't steer the board in to the wake and tend to stay out in the flats. Then they lose the wake or the line doesn't go lose.

The position of the boat relative to the rider can be important. We start new riders in a slight arc to a harder arc so the rider doesn’t have to cross the wake. This is very helpful for some one learning to ride their off wake too.

We have new riders move toes closer to the edge of the board.

I was out this weekend trying to teach me 14 year old neices how to wake surf. Neither could stay up. There problem seems to be that once they get up they fall forward. How can I help them with this??

I find a big problem is that newbies try to ride the board like a wakeboard and they have to much weight on the heel side.

A couple reasons for falling forward are leaning too far forward instead of staying straight up, the board is too small or their feet are too far forward. If they are falling forward while still holding the rope, try slowing the boat down.

They are falling right after getting up. Like they are pulling there upper body forward and there legs are standing still.

My guess is they are standing up to soon. Similar to wakeboarding, almost like the leading rail is digging in. We've had that same situation, and just having them stay crouched a little longer - until the board is planing, did the trick.

Tough to tell without a picture, though.

one common prob is they can't figure out how to push their heels down to get the board to pop up semi vertical before attempting to stand up.

I don't know if i have an video of them. But I was in the water with them to help them into position and flip the board. Since I was in the water I could not see them well once they stood up.

Its a lot harder to teach kids then adults.

I will check the video tonight and see what they captured in the boat.

Great tips guys.... Finally got an opportunity to try my Red Tide last weekend. Got up no prob got into the wake no prob but I could not keep any slack in the rope but for 4-5 seconds.

Overall I was happy for the first time out but I will take a few of these tips with me next time out!

Thats interesting, Micheal. I've had much better results with kids, they pop right up and get the hang quick. Adults seem very stiff and akward, (unless they've surfed ocean before)

1) They are trying to get up on a wakesurf board before a wakeboard

2) Once they get up they can't get over the wake and into the flats

3) They cannot find the sweetspot in the wave

4) Their board is pointing away from the wake

... and thats just a few

i can do everything fine, no problem actually buttttt i cant let go of the rope/get riding in the wave without it. i ride a 07 supra 22ssv limited with front and right stock bags full. with 2-3 extra people most of the time. throws a good wake, i just cant find the spot. and also we drive about 10-11mph, i think its too fast, but it feels way easier, i guess im just used to wakeboarding. and were just attempting to use a skimboard before i guess we can actually do it.