Weight

A buddy and I have been having a discussion on how a persons weight affects their riding. He's a smaller guy and doesn't believe that weight should make a big difference. He's a thin guy weighing in at 155 pounds. I'm a little taller but weigh in at a hair over 200. Do you guys have any opinions on this?

I like to think that it doesn't matter. But i'm the guy weighing in at 155 pounds.

...the only thing I could think of if all else is equal meaning strength....is that riding would be harder for the heavier guy and harder on joints etc....and more prone to an injury because of increased momentum.......riding at my age I try to make sure I am not carrying any extra weight....so as to make boarding easier on my body. And if the guy is 200 pounds of raw muscle......well the same goes plus he may not be as quick and agile.

I also am the light guy and my fully muscled 220 friend......rides like a tracter and handles his body like a beached whale. Me on the other hand light as a feather sting like a bee (or something like that)

(Message edited by absoluteboarder on February 29, 2008)

No, weight does not matter. I weigh 210 and I don't think it's affecting or holding me back, although I've never ridin' at a lighter weight. The only difference would be what type of weight you are talking about (if it's flabby/out of shape fat or if it's a fairly muscular and in shape person). You take any # of athletes and do a bunch of tests (vertical, 40, standing broad jump, bench, squat, etc...) there really won't be a difference in the stats that are due to a difference in weight. i know many guys that are in the 200-250 range that are faster/quicker & have a higher vertical than those guys that weight 150-170 pounds. When it comes to wakeboarding we are of course assuming that the heavier people are riding the appropriate sized boards.

I do agree that it may be harder on the joints for bigger people.

I will gain like 30/40 lbs...and let you know...just give me like 2 months

one name... Rusty

......anomaly!-an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc.



(Message edited by absoluteboarder on February 29, 2008)

i can tell you from experience that weight makes a difference, in probably more than one area.

i rode for a summer when i was a little on the heavier side at around like 230 or so and i could tell a huge difference between then and when i weigh ab 205-210, and i wasnt a fat 230 either i had just got done playing in college and i was the biggest, strongest and fastest i had ever been in my career....

the two main things i noticed were that it was a lot harder on my body when i was heavier and #2 i had to ride faster cuz of the added weight. i actually think heighth plays a larger role in what a person can and cannot do behind the boat...but thats my opinion.

I think it matters. There are a few "anamolies" as Michael put it like Rusty, but look at the size of most of the riders on the pro tour, they're pretty small. I don't think it's a coincidence.

I was just thinking that there would be pure physics involved. One would think that there would be more force needed to launch 200 pounds in the air versus 150 pounds.

wasn't jeff here quite a large guy?

I give you exhibit A; Brandon George



BG defies physics and should pretty much end this discussion.

Isn't Buffalo even bigger than BG? Jason B kills it so hes another example.

any of you guys ever meet Big spence Smith?? That dude defies gravity. does wrapped spins, it is cool to watch

just cuz there are big guys out there still throwin down doesnt mean that it wouldn't be easier for them if they were "lighter".

hell its simple...more weight means more force to move that weight like someone said before...cool topic non the less..

I think the point is these guys listed are the exception. For every one of them 10 smaller guys could be listed that rip. I love watching big guys throw down, just because it is so rare.

I think it more or less says that you can't use weight as an excuse for things like not getting enough pop or inability to do certain tricks.

to your point hoser it DOES inhibit ones ability to do certain tricks if one is bigger....

think ab it...if you had a nice big belly on ya do you think you could still grab the board INDY as easily as someone who's showin an 6pak? not likely...hell i can barely touch my toes after i eat a nice big meal...

off topic but...
Is BG using 2 different bindings?

buffalow does kill it and is bigger than BG. but im willing to bet that if he got on here he would tell you that the weight does affect your riding.

JR good point I agree.

There are two different issues here; height and weight. Generally, after 6 foot tall, more height = a disadvantage. Same thing for weight once you are "big" for your height. Not that guys can't over those parameters can't be good, but they have to compensate by overcoming those physical deficiencies in other areas (e.g., strength (Rusty), technical ability, etc.)

Also not a coincidence that the phrases "defy physics", "rips...for a big guy", etc. almost always accompany descriptions of the plus 250 guys that can do basic inverts/spins. Just including phrases like that suggests that weight = a disadvantage for wakeboarding.

I also don't think it's a coincidence that wakeboarding is such a young man's sport. Not only because of injuries but because most men pack on 10-20 pounds (or more) from 22-32. That weight typically takes away from your pop. The young guns seem to just explode from the wake, even compared to some of the top older pro riders.

Weight per square inch of board space says how far the board sinks into the water. The only fix is higher speed to have the board sink into the water like a lighter area loaded board. Taller gives a higher polar moment of inertia so inverts are harder. More weight means more energy is required to launch them in the air the same height, and more energy to absorb on the landing.
In my case taller means my face travels more and has more energy when I plant it in the water to look for fish.

So wait, you're saying that me being 6'5" and 230 lbs makes wakeboarding tougher? Really? =P

I noticed when I was trying backrolls that my feet where around nine feet in the air, but my head was only 3 or so feet away from the water...

Art, so true. Looking for fish is so much fun too!

And how tall/big is Rusty? I don't know these things...