As one of the most popular watersports and extreme sports globally, many people relish the opportunity to learn how to wakeboard over their summer vacations. However, there are some crucial tips beginners should know about wakeboarding.
Beginner wakeboarders are advised to prepare themselves with various drills before beginning their first wakeboarding session. In their first sessions, the focus is to stand up slowly, keep your feet crouched, head facing forward, and allow the boat to pull you up.
Although the above advice may seem easy to employ at face value, implementing these practice drills and wakeboarding advice requires a deeper explanation of these tips. Let’s explore them in greater detail below:
How To Prepare Yourself For Wakeboarding As A Beginner?
Like any new venture, it is vital to mentally, physically, and financially prepare yourself before starting your newfound hobby.
Here are three essential preparation tips for beginner wakeboarders:
- Prepare for failure
- Rent the correct wakeboarding equipment
- Do some practice drills
1. Prepare For Failure
Firstly, while seasoned wakeboarders may make the sport look effortless, it takes a lot of time and patience to become proficient. Therefore, part of the learning process will involve failure and falling off your board multiple times.
However, each failure or fall is an opportunity to learn and improve your wakeboarding. So make sure to go into wakeboarding with a positive attitude, a hunger to learn, and not get disheartened! (Although, you may walk away with a few bruises after your initial sessions!)
2. Rent The Correct Wakeboarding Equipment
Because wakeboarding equipment can be expensive, beginner wakeboarders are advised to borrow or rent equipment. Essential wakeboarding equipment includes a beginner wakeboard, wakeboarding boots, a tow rope, and a lifejacket.
Key features of a beginner wakeboard include longer boards with continuous rockers. These features allow you to navigate the wave with improved control and stability.
Wakeboarding boots or bindings allow you to hook your feet to your wakeboard. Beginner wakeboarders are advised to rent stiff wakeboarding boots, as this will enable you to balance and steer the wakeboard without losing your balance due to weak/loose ankles.
Finally, when purchasing/renting a tow row, beginner wakeboarders are advised to use a short rope between 30 and 50 feet in length, making it easier to stand up.
3. Do Some Practice Drills
Beginner wakeboarders should practice some practice drills before they attempt their first few wakeboarding sessions.
To perform wakeboard practice drills on land:
- Begin the drill on the floor with your knees bent to your chest and your feet flat
- Stretch your arms ahead of you and your knees in between them as if you were grasping a tow rope
- Have someone pull you up to simulate the feeling of letting a boat pull you up to a standing position
To perform wakeboard practice drills in the water:
- Enter a body of water with your feet strapped into your wakeboard
- Have someone stand on the swim platform of a boat and pull you up to a standing position
Once again, this drill aims to teach beginner wakeboarders not to pull on the rope but to allow the boat to lift them to a standing position.
How To Stand Up On A Wakeboard?
Once preparations and training have been complete, beginner wakeboarders can follow these six steps to stand up and ride a wakeboard:
- Position your feet correctly,
- Line up with the boat,
- Keep your knees bent,
- Stand up slowly,
- Bring the tow handle to your side,
- Use your heels and toes to ride the wake.
1. Position Your Feet Correctly
Position your feet about shoulder-width apart and decide which foot will act as your back foot when you are lifted from the water. Also, make sure to have your feet slightly turned out, giving you improved stability.
2. Line Up With The Boat
Relax your body and grasp the tow rope. Keep your eyes on the boat and continue to do so once you are pulled up to a standing position. Do not look down at your wakeboard, as this will cause you to subconsciously put weight on your forward-facing foot, resulting in an imbalance of weight.
3. Keep Your Knees Bent
While keeping your back straight and your eyes facing forward, bend your knees and allow them to touch your chest. At the same time, make sure to position your wakeboard perpendicular to the tow rope and just above the water’s surface.
4. Stand Up Slowly
Once the boat starts moving, do not pull on the tow rope to pull yourself up; rather, let the boat pull you up out of the water as you practiced in your drills. Keep your knees bent the entire time and allow yourself to slowly maneuver to a standing potion.
Do not rush the process and try to stand up too quickly, as this will result in you putting excessive weight on the board and throwing yourself off balance.
5. Bring The Tow Handle To Your Side
Once you have positioned yourself into a standing position, with your knees slightly bent to maintain stability, you must bring the tow rope to your leading hip and turn your head to look over your leading shoulder toward the boat.
Maintain the tow rope in line with your hip, not raising the handle, dropping the handle, or pulling the handle toward your chest.
6. Use Your Heels And Toes To Ride The Wake
Once you get into the rhythm of standing on your wakeboard, you must not fight for control with your arms and legs; instead, allow the boat and the wake to direct your body. To assist in the control of your wakeboard, you want to use your heel and toes to steer the wakeboard.
However, you must avoid the urge to steer the wakeboard with your ankles or by shifting your weight; instead, apply pressure to the front edge of the board with your toes or the rear edge of the board with your heel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, although it can be challenging to stand up on a wakeboard during your first few sessions, investing in practice drills, the correct gear, and remaining positive will all assist you in your future wakeboarding endeavors!
