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Recruit
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2011
- Messages
- 4
By Raimi Merritt
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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]It doesn't matter if you just started riding for fun on the weekends or you want to make it as a pro rider -- understanding and implementing the three keys will set your learning on a continuous upward path. [/FONT]
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Wake jumps, spins, and inverts are at the core to getting good and becoming a great rider. It's just not about doing a spin or an invert; it's about how well you do these basics. For example, you will go a lot further by doing a perfect 180 turn than a sloppy 360. The same is true with inverts. If you are just barely landing a back roll, and you end up in squatted position with eyes closed, your progress will be inconsistent and limited. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]In this issue, let's go over the first of those key moves; Wake Jumps. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Key 1. Wake Jumps [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Wakeboarding is about getting air. At the top of the pyramid, the most important basic move for any rider is the wake jump. The more time you can spend in the air, the more time you will have to do a spin or invert. You'll also have plenty of time to spot your landing and to land upright, standing over the board.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Because of the sideways stance of wakeboarding, the heel-side jump is easier than the toe-side jump.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]If you favor the heel side too much or if you're just learning to ride, make it a point to ride your toe-side jumps as much as your heel side. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Rope length matters when you're learning. I use a low-stretch line with handle that in total is 85'. But to make clearing both wakes easier, you might attach the line on a take-off loop to make it 5 feet shorter. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]You can do plenty of little drills to get stronger, especially on your toe side. For example, make carving turns inside the wake and then go way outside the wake and cut in, both on toe side and heel side toward the wake. Then stop before you hit the wake. Another example: start inside the wake and cut either heel side or toe side. Then pop the wake from in-to-out and then do out-to-in. Remember, the goal is to be able to clear both wakes easily from either heel side or toe side. Start your turn-in slowly and keep your edge consistent through the top of the wake. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]These little drills will get your more comfortable with your heel side as well as your toe side. But it's just not just your regular stance that you should practice. Be versatile and expand your fun by turning the board around and riding switch stance. Try your heel-side and toe-side jumps in this direction, too. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Honing your wake-jumping skills should be an integral part of your sets. Challenge yourself on heel side and toe side as well as regular stance and switch stance -- equally. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]It will take time to get comfortable in both regular stance and switch stance. But when you challenge yourself to go out and make gradual improvements, you can get to the point where you won't even think about what direction you are riding. Once you achieve that, you can then start any trick from any direction or land any trick in any direction: it's a great place to be. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Next Month we'll go through spins. See you then. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Raimi [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif][EDITOR'S NOTE] Check out the great summer savings on wakeboards and other essential watersports gear at iboats.com [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Raimi Merritt, 8-time World Cup champion, is sponsored by MonaVie, Nautique, Hyperlite, Smith Optics, Breathe Boardwear and Fly High. Raimi also offers personalized coaching in Orlando, Florida. Email raimi@stevemerritt.com to schedule a lesson. For all the latest news, check out www.raimimerritt.com or on facebook[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]It doesn't matter if you just started riding for fun on the weekends or you want to make it as a pro rider -- understanding and implementing the three keys will set your learning on a continuous upward path. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
Wake jumps, spins, and inverts are at the core to getting good and becoming a great rider. It's just not about doing a spin or an invert; it's about how well you do these basics. For example, you will go a lot further by doing a perfect 180 turn than a sloppy 360. The same is true with inverts. If you are just barely landing a back roll, and you end up in squatted position with eyes closed, your progress will be inconsistent and limited. [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]In this issue, let's go over the first of those key moves; Wake Jumps. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Key 1. Wake Jumps [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Wakeboarding is about getting air. At the top of the pyramid, the most important basic move for any rider is the wake jump. The more time you can spend in the air, the more time you will have to do a spin or invert. You'll also have plenty of time to spot your landing and to land upright, standing over the board.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Because of the sideways stance of wakeboarding, the heel-side jump is easier than the toe-side jump.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]If you favor the heel side too much or if you're just learning to ride, make it a point to ride your toe-side jumps as much as your heel side. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Rope length matters when you're learning. I use a low-stretch line with handle that in total is 85'. But to make clearing both wakes easier, you might attach the line on a take-off loop to make it 5 feet shorter. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]You can do plenty of little drills to get stronger, especially on your toe side. For example, make carving turns inside the wake and then go way outside the wake and cut in, both on toe side and heel side toward the wake. Then stop before you hit the wake. Another example: start inside the wake and cut either heel side or toe side. Then pop the wake from in-to-out and then do out-to-in. Remember, the goal is to be able to clear both wakes easily from either heel side or toe side. Start your turn-in slowly and keep your edge consistent through the top of the wake. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]These little drills will get your more comfortable with your heel side as well as your toe side. But it's just not just your regular stance that you should practice. Be versatile and expand your fun by turning the board around and riding switch stance. Try your heel-side and toe-side jumps in this direction, too. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Honing your wake-jumping skills should be an integral part of your sets. Challenge yourself on heel side and toe side as well as regular stance and switch stance -- equally. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]It will take time to get comfortable in both regular stance and switch stance. But when you challenge yourself to go out and make gradual improvements, you can get to the point where you won't even think about what direction you are riding. Once you achieve that, you can then start any trick from any direction or land any trick in any direction: it's a great place to be. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Next Month we'll go through spins. See you then. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Raimi [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif][EDITOR'S NOTE] Check out the great summer savings on wakeboards and other essential watersports gear at iboats.com [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Raimi Merritt, 8-time World Cup champion, is sponsored by MonaVie, Nautique, Hyperlite, Smith Optics, Breathe Boardwear and Fly High. Raimi also offers personalized coaching in Orlando, Florida. Email raimi@stevemerritt.com to schedule a lesson. For all the latest news, check out www.raimimerritt.com or on facebook[/FONT]