My problem is I have never learned the fundamentals, and have pretty much taught myself since I started. So I can blame my teacher
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In your 2009 videos "wakeboard help" the thing I notice is that you aren't really "popping". I think you are clearing the wake using little more than raw speed. Watch the level of your head/torso as you come off of the wake. It doesn't actually move up very much, mostly it looks like you are moving across the wakes while picking your feet up. In a way, you are almost absorbing the ramp, it's especially noticeable on your 180.
Fast-forward to your more recent video, and you are definitely getting pop but I see some of the left-over habits from the earlier videos. Also, you look a little bent at the waist. Think about where your hips are in relation to the board; get them over your feet (more upright upper body). Then think tall right at the top of the wake, stand up, push your feet down, jump, whatever.
Like tnbrooks01 said, it's all about the front foot. When I'm getting good pop, I feel like I'm doing it all off of my front foot - the reality is that I'm probably less than 50/50. It has taken me a long time to get comfortable putting so much (any) weight on the front foot.
If it were me, I would experiment with some of the things above, but try doing it without pulling in with so much speed. Don't worry about clearing the wake. Go slow and give yourself time to find the feeling then train that into muscle memory. (Of course you'll want to figure out the right combo of speed/height so that you're not landing into the face of the next wake - ouch. Or maybe go with a shorter rope while you are practicing so that you can easily clear the wake without needing much speed.)
Another thing that always limits me is my eyes. Your body goes where your eyes are looking. Look down at the wake or landing and you get small air, look up high and you get bigger air. Sometimes I'm amazed at how much air I get when I just pick my eyes up and look out at the horizon when jumping. So simple yet easy to neglect. I can't really tell where your vision is at, this is just a tip that I always give.
Overall, you have improved a ton in a few years. Keep up the good work and you will be flying.
That is some good advise from Gregski, "look where you go!" I have been to two ski schools when i was younger.. (much younger) and that was the one thing that every coach would say, keep your head up... look where you want to go. this was paramount when i was Trick skiing... esp doing spins etc.
Damn i can't wait to get back on the water... I want to practice all of this with wakeboarding!!!
Good points. We teach "Look up, stay up look down fall down".
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Thanks for the advice, I do find myself looking at the wake while I'm edging in. I look back at those out videos and think, man I sucked,, but that was before my own boat and could start going boating whenever. Going out first time this weekend and pretty exciting. Should I remove my engine plugs and hoses just in case air tempeature gets close to freezing again?
I'm self taught as well and now trying to unlearn/break habits, you should look into taking a few private lessons, they can be expensive but well worth the money. I think my instructor would say you're using speed to clear the wake and not edging and building line tension...At least that's what he's always telling me... :)
I thought that this was a GREAT article that makes you think about what you're really trying to accomplish as you jump:
http://www.wakeworld.com/news/feature/what-is-pop.html
Good article and tips! And it's true from what I've witnessed. Saw a dude pulling inverts, making it look easy, behind a little 15ft smokercraft with a 40hp outboard on it 2 summers ago on the river. Clearly he knew what he was doing and had the right form/timing/experience.
I don't know if I've ever had the right form or fundamentals. Something about teaching an old dog new tricks...
Just when I think I'm "getting it" I see pictures/video of some dude getting much bigger air out in the flats. I suck.
Tried more of my front foot this weekend. Feels different but I think it will help out a lot if I keep working on it