Wakeboarding is one of the fastestgrowing water sports in the past 20 years. This sport is getting more popular by the day because of different factors that can make it more advanced or simple depending on age and experience of the wakeboarder. Regardless of your experience or skill level, there are a few basics that should always be followed to have fun and get the most out of your wakeboarding experience.
Here are five practical tips for getting up and staying up on a wakeboard:
This doesn’t always coincide with being left or right handed. Being goofy footed means you rely mostly on your left foot for balance while regular relies mostly on the right. In wakeboarding, the foot you rely on goes in front. If you use a wakeboard set up for someone with different footing than yourself, you will feel like you can’t keep your balance and will most likely fall. To find out which foot is your dominant one, think about the foot you use to kick a ball or the one that catches you when you lose your balance.
While it might seem counterintuitive, the physical act of standing up is something you want to avoid at first on a wakeboard. Before the boat takes off, position your lower body as if you are sitting in a chair. At this point, the board is perpendicular to the rope. As you feel the machine move forward and start to decrease the amount of slack on your rope, get ready and let the boat start to pull you. When you feel ready, push into the board and slowly straighten your legs. This is a different sensation to simply standing up since it’s more like pushing the board against the water.
On a wakeboard, any sudden movement can cause you to lose your balance and fall. The key to staying on the board is to make slow, gentle movements at first while you get your bearings. Once you start going, keep your knees softened, slightly bent and gently guide the front of the board to point towards the back of the boat.
Leaning back on the wakeboard will prevent the front end from going underwater and will help you stay up. It’s also recommended that beginners place the back binding close to the back of the board to position it over the back fin. This puts the user’s weight on the back fin when they lean back and helps make the wakeboard a little easier to control.
Having clear communication with the operator of the boat or machine will make staying on the board much easier. Letting them know through hand signals like a thumbsup or thumbsdown will let the boater know everything is going fine or if you need assistance. By always being present and keeping these tips in mind when wakeboarding, you’ll be able to spend more time riding the waves this summer and less time bobbing around in the water wondering what went wrong.
Feeling confident enough to try? Check out our selection of Liquid Force wakeboards perfect for Lake Bomoseen!
