Getting Frustrated with the Backroll

Hi, this is my first post on here some of you guys on PN may recognize my dad's account Perry386. I am 16 years old and have been wakeboarding a for a little while now and started attempting my first flips. Ive gotten to where I can rotate all the way around every time but I either dont go big enough and cap on the wake, or I go out into the flats and over-rotate. Can you guys point me in the right direction to landing this trick? I'm thinking I may need to stop throwing it so hard and focus on spotting my landing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSD03K0GGCA

video is private

Video is Private

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSD03K0GGCA

Whoops. Should work now.

Way too much edge too early. Do everything the same, but start narrower or drift longer. The 180 actually shows that you are edging up and away properly. To land the bankroll, really pin both hands on the handle to your front hip.

Honestly, do those things and you will land it in a few tries.

can tell you this much you coming in from too far out, you should start your cut from about two foot outside the spray line of the wake. use a progressive edge. and its going to be really hard to land and edge away if you keep letting go with your lead hand that's why you almost went to revert. you came in on edge and flattened off before you hit the wake according to the spray off your board.

Do less, hold on more and you got it

Like the other guys said, your edge in is the problem. If you have to "throw" a backroll you are doing it wrong. The backroll is all about loading the line at the wake. You are unloading it at the wake. Make a very progressive edge into the wake, you should be on edge the hardest at the wake. If you do that all you have to do is look over your shoulder and the rest happens. You will feel like your feet got punted backwards. Lastly, if you let go with one hand, let go with your back hand. You are close enough that you will get it soon.

^beat me to suggesting line load. Good practice is to cut out all the way on your heelside edge, and practice trying to make the boat lean with a hard cut. Do it over and over, practicing trying to tip the boat and stretching the line. Once you've done that, take it back to the other side of the wake and come in with a smooth, progressive edge into the wake, loading the line more as you get in. Keep both hands on the handle, and you'll be good to go!

Thanks for the help guys, this weekend I will focus more on the progressive edge.

why isn't you lead hand (right hand) on the handle?
you're 50% on the way to R2R

What's up Trey?!
If you are casing the wake, then you are hucking your rotation too hard and too early off the wake. Wait until you have left the wake before you initiate your rotation. A trick to do this is to count "1" when you think you should initiate your rotation, then do it.

If you are going into the flats and feel out of control, that is a sign you are pushing your handle away towards the boat and straightening your arms. You need to have your handle closer through the trick. A way I do this is by "super gluing" my elbows to my stomach on my approach to the wake. As long as you hold your elbows to your stomach, you won't be able to let your handle away.

Hope it helps!
Dean

Originally Posted by DeanSmith

What's up Trey?!
If you are casing the wake, then you are hucking your rotation too hard and too early off the wake. Wait until you have left the wake before you initiate your rotation. A trick to do this is to count "1" when you think you should initiate your rotation, then do it.

If you are going into the flats and feel out of control, that is a sign you are pushing your handle away towards the boat and straightening your arms. You need to have your handle closer through the trick. A way I do this is by "super gluing" my elbows to my stomach on my approach to the wake. As long as you hold your elbows to your stomach, you won't be able to let your handle away.

Hope it helps!
Dean

Dude, thanks. I'm a huge fan of yours! Hopefully I can get this roll down this weekend and then I'll link a vid to it in this thread. Now I just have to wait till saturday.

Just as you start initiating your cut, have the driver turn the boat a little to the side you are landing the trick on. This is how Phil, Bob, and Jason all landed their first backroll. After a couple of times, you'll get the feel and won't need the boat to turn.

^^^ Well Trey, I hope that blows your mind right there. Dean Smith just gave you some tips on sticking your backroll. Go watch one of his video sets, his roll to revert is absolutely insane. Watch his first hit in this video http://tv.ronixwake.com/?mid=47000&rand=345219 for reference.

wow, Dean, Sovens Dad..... I'm waiting for Murray to chime it.

Hopefully you get it soon, once you stick the first one it will be almost automatic. The day I stuck my first I popped three in a row and pretty much had it dailed, rarely fall on a backroll in the 16 years I've been doing them. I've the same thing in a lot of people I've taught the trick.

Well I gave it a go yesterday and sadly did not get it. I focused too much on the handle thing and ended up casing the wake again. What's worse is I only got 2 attempts because on the second one I re-injured a pulled muscle in my calf that I hurt on the trampoline. Going back out sunday might just take a couple ibuprofen and tough it out. I think this time I need to focus on combining the two things Dean said becaue yesterday I forgot about the early rotation and cased both times.

Keep trying man! It easily took me over 100 tries before I landed my first backroll.

You'll get it!

Dean Smith is a hard act to follow on this one. But I think I need to chime in.

This may sound obvious but in watching the video and having taught tons of people this trick I have to ask, Are you keeping your eyes open all the way thru the trick? The reason I ask is it looks like your over rotating the trick. IN the backroll there is this point that happens quick right as your head passes the midpoint in the rotation where you can see everything clearly. Typically when people close there eyes in anticipation of crashing they over rotate and open up early, which is what I see you doing. If your eyes are open you and spot your landing early and slow the rotation down so you can set the landing gear down and absorb the landing.

Plus everything Dean said!

this trick can definitely be frustrating, I learned my first one in 1999 but it took a summer trying to learn on my own but only one session with a better rider to help me finally land it.. Its also the one trick that can come and go at times when things are off for me, I lose it here and there on a set or two and than it comes back.. the dang cable park kicker Backroll has had an effect on my Boat backroll..I find myself going early and doing mexi rolls due to the relearning them on a kicker and now back on the boat the muscle memory fights each other as they are different technique..

point being it will come sometimes its an unnatural trick and in time you will get it.. my best advice is if you don't hit it after 3-5 tries that particular day put it up and go out and have fun and focus on something else and than try them again next time.. if you get frustrated on the water you will try to hard and it effects your mindset.. have fun first than work on a trick when you are feeling good..

Bill Montanye has a really valid point. I've tried tricks just to try them... only try it when you are feeling good and having fun. Wakeboarding is about having fun, I find when i go out and have my mind set that ill only work on one trick i never land it that day. Then the next ill go out the next day to screw around and stomp the crap out of it. Just have fun, relax and know that if you keep trying eventually you WILL get it.

I used to have the same exact problem. Honestly....Just start about 10-15 feet outside the wake, cut in using a progressive edge and about half way through your rotation, let go of the handle with your backhand (your left hand). You should get it. Good luck!