Help a newby

[mmandley]

I just learned to wake board last summer. Self taught and used the Sean Murrey DVDs.

I am able to get up pretty easy, i can cut in my wake back and forth. I can go heel side out of my wake really well and cut back to the middle. I was able to toe side across my wake and cut back in a few times on my last couple runs last least season.

What im wondering for starters is, when you are in the middle of the wake your board is straight and your leaning back.

When you go toe side or heel side are you actually twisting or moving your back foot so the nose of the board points the direction you want to go? I have been trying to just lean on my heels or my toes to cut.

When i watch videos though it always looks like they are kicking there back foot in or out respectively to the direction they want to go.

I know i have a lot of learning to do and im looking forward to getting out with some other boarders this summer to learn more.

[polar21]

The best advice I can give is to try and NOT turn the board the direction you want to go. Rather, use proper weight shift as well as proper handle position. On the toe side edge, keep the handle right at your front hip and lean against the boat. This shoot generate sufficient speed to get you outside the wake without doing too much work. On the heelside, simply squat against the heels of your feet, keeping the rope at the center of the hip. Handle position plays a huge part on getting on the right edges. Just my .02

[Jeff W]

Seems cliche but you could REALLY benefit from getting the DVD series "The Book"..

I bought a copy cheap off some guy selling on Craigslist..

When you are carving - it's a combination of using the edge of the board, loading tension on the line and using your hips to control where you are headed.

Say you are riding 2 feet outside of the wake, going straight. To cut very far out I lean back and load the line with a lot of tension, shift my hips and shoulders out towards the direction I want to go and shift my weight out on my toes or heels lightly to set the edge and after the edge is set use the line tension to continue.

[Jeff W]

The best advice I can give is to try and NOT turn the board the direction you want to go. Rather, use proper weight shift as well as proper handle position. On the toe side edge, keep the handle right at your front hip and lean against the boat. This shoot generate sufficient speed to get you outside the wake without doing too much work. On the heelside, simply squat against the heels of your feet, keeping the rope at the center of the hip. Handle position plays a huge part on getting on the right edges. Just my .02

great advice. you are never steering the board itself. that is the recipe for catching an edge and for not learning how to use line tension and edging.

[mmandley]

Seems cliche but you could REALLY benefit from getting the DVD series "The Book"..

.

I got Detention 2012 i think its called. I was under the impression this is just as good as The Book.

The problem is when i watch this sort of thing it leaves those critical parts out.

Like when you start in deep water, boat pulls tension on the line, you bring the board under the water and brings your heels of your feet to you butt. Then you ride up and out of the water.

That so doesn't work for me. I try and try that and all i do is get pulled over my board or drag out and lose my handle.

I ended up turning the board as the boat pulls me up and i come up out of the water almost in regular position.

The video wants you to come up in a side slide basically. This would be great if i can learn this as it will help me get to a switch position as well.

Ridding switch is a big thing i want to learn this summer too.

[Jeff W]

I got Detention 2012 i think its called. I was under the impression this is just as good as The Book.

The problem is when i watch this sort of thing it leaves those critical parts out.

Like when you start in deep water, boat pulls tension on the line, you bring the board under the water and brings your heels of your feet to you butt. Then you ride up and out of the water.

That so doesn't work for me. I try and try that and all i do is get pulled over my board or drag out and lose my handle.

I ended up turning the board as the boat pulls me up and i come up out of the water almost in regular position.

The video wants you to come up in a side slide basically. This would be great if i can learn this as it will help me get to a switch position as well.

Ridding switch is a big thing i want to learn this summer too.

That IS the way that you get up - in a side slide. If you are turning the board as you get up - that means that you are fighting it and trying to "muscle" your way up (common for new riders)..

I literally start in a seated position with my hells touching my butt. My knees stay inside of my arms and my hands are just inside of my board. I literally do NOTHING. I just hang out. No pushing with the legs, no pulling with the arms. That is the problem no people have is that they try to push with their legs to get out of the water and pull with their arms to help them up.

The Book is FAR better than Detention in my PERSONAL opinion. It is very in depth...

Youtube is your friend. Another great instructional series is "Wake 101".. You can find a lot of their videos on Youtube and they also have a relationship with wakeworld.com that will allow you view their videos on ww. Open up youtube and watch instructionals. The Book doesn't leave out the minor details they way that most instructionals do. I highly advise it.

Like any sport - there is NO replacement for time on the water. Learning how to ride switch is a nice option to have but I'd honestly develop your edging, line tension and body/handle positions before I worked on riding switch. I just read an interview by pro rider Kyle Rattray and as a pro he does NONE of his tricks riding switch. The Book instructional advises that every time you get out - you take an entire set riding switch. Even if you're not jumping the wake, just getting comfortable with your stance and riding and handle positions. This summer when I'm just out with the wife on casual riding nights I'm going to take at least one set riding switch every time. When I'm out with the boys and we're loaded up with ballast and people I won't do that but when it's chill nights I'm all for it.

Good luck Mike.

[guinsha54]

I haven’t seen the new version of detention but I have seen the original versions, good instructional and keeps you entertained at the same time. But I agree the book can probably help you out some more for the basics. It goes into much more detail and you could just buy the disc one of the book getting started and use the detention for the more advanced stuff as you progress.

Polar is dead on with the carving, its all about the weight shift and handle position.

Also for getting up in what you where calling the side slide position, I would say try to point your toes up some more and it should keep you from being pulled over. But the more you ride the more you will get the feel for it and getting up in that position will more than likely just come to you.

[jmvotto]

I second "the Book" gets all the basics and then stuff maybe my kids will learn.... LOL

[JesseC]

ILike when you start in deep water, boat pulls tension on the line, you bring the board under the water and brings your heels of your feet to you butt. Then you ride up and out of the water.

That so doesn't work for me. I try and try that and all i do is get pulled over my board or drag out and lose my handle.

This may also be due to the drive taking off to hard. When I pull newer riders or some of my buddies that have shoulders that have hit their prime I pull them out really slow. If you have your board sideways in a slide position and they gun the throttle you are going to faceplant or lose the handle. Pay close attention to the videos, when they pull a rider out of the water notice how slow the boat is going. With the large surface area of the board it does not take a lot to get out of the water. Driving the boat properly is almost more important than the rider being in the correct position. When my rider begins to slide and I see them start to pop out of the water I apply a little more throttle. I DO NOT give more throttle until my rider starts to break the surface of the water.

[stretch55]

I got Detention 2012 i think its called. I was under the impression this is just as good as The Book.

The problem is when i watch this sort of thing it leaves those critical parts out.

Like when you start in deep water, boat pulls tension on the line, you bring the board under the water and brings your heels of your feet to you butt. Then you ride up and out of the water.

That so doesn't work for me. I try and try that and all i do is get pulled over my board or drag out and lose my handle.

I ended up turning the board as the boat pulls me up and i come up out of the water almost in regular position.

The video wants you to come up in a side slide basically. This would be great if i can learn this as it will help me get to a switch position as well.

Ridding switch is a big thing i want to learn this summer too.

The side to side works. you just want to stay leaned back. If you watched me last time we went out I get up side to side but all most as soon as I am up I almost always go straight into a heelside type movement to keep your self from toppeling over. Or as soon as you are up in that side to side position, pull on the rope with your arms but stay leaned back and turn your board. This will also prevent you from toppeling over.