Need some advice

[mxfever]

I?m in need of some advice. I?m on my second summer of riding and would consider myself an intermediate rider. I can clear wake to wake, ollie a couple of feet, carve hard, surface 360?? all with my left foot forward. When I switch to my right forward, I bobble around and look like I?ve never been on a board before. I?ve tried and tried thinking practice would make all better but I just can?t seem to get it. Anyone ever had this problem before and how did you overcome it?

 

[bowler]

Re: Need some advice

Concentration on body position, weight distribution and handle position. That helped me. Still feels a little foreign though but way way way better than the beginning. I'm only starting to work on my wake to wake switch but am fairly comfortable edging switch etc.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Need some advice

I'm progressing in that way as well. Trying to spend lots of time goofy stance instead of regular just to get the feel for it. Still feels uncomfortable, but I think that just means I need to spend more time.

I've noticed that when right foot forward, my stance is FAR more comfortable when I hold the rope in one hand (my right). It allows my body to relax a bit. However, when I grab the handle with both hands, it's not as comfortable. It seems I can make that slight twist more easily with left foot forward than with right foot forward.

 

[tgell001]

Re: Need some advice

Yep, I use to have this problem but I practiced A LOT (I go twice a week) and now I'm landing 180's switch and taking off switch and going wake to wake 180 front side both ways (now backside is the next step). Its all about handle position really, you have to be bias with the handle and pull predominently with your front hand (which ever that may be) and that will keep your direction of travel toward the boat. Also, you have to remember that you still have to drive with your rear foot. So like if your switch footed you have to shift your weight to your rear foot or you have no edge. Its a weird feeling but be lucky youre learning this on water and not on snow (broken bones hurt haha)

 

[Rinker97]

Re: Need some advice

I have the same problem i can only ride left foot forward. My friend and brother can ride boths ways no practice at all 1st time they wakeboarded they could get up and ride either way.

 

[Gettin' It Wet]

Re: Need some advice

Also the way your bindings are set up may make it more uncomfortable for you to ride switch. If your left foot is forward (regular stance) look at where your right foot binding is set at...if its around 90 then angle it towards the rear of the board. I find that when the rear binding is almost a mirror image of the front (degree of angle) it is much easier to ride switch. If both your bindings are set at around 90 (or exactly perpendicular to the board then angle the front more towards the nose of the board and the rear binding towards the tail of the board

Hope it helps some!!

 

[SeanT]

Re: Need some advice

Also, you have to remember that you still have to drive with your rear foot.

That's so key. I didn't realize it right away. Only really clued in a few weeks ago.


Another thing about riding switch is your bindings. Your feet should probably be pretty neutral on the board. When I first started I did not use a neutral stance on the board. After a while I centered the bindings and they both sit at the same angle out so it's the same either switch or regular. That helped a lot.

EDIT: Gettin It Wet said it better!

 

[Gettin' It Wet]

Re: Need some advice

"Its a weird feeling but be lucky youre learning this on water and not on snow (broken bones hurt haha) "

Agreed!!!!

 

[mxfever]

Re: Need some advice

I started right from the beginning with my feet at the same position so I'm good there. This weekend I'm going to pay attention to which foot I'm trying to steer with. From what I can recall I'm still trying to steer with the same foot when I'm riding switch. This would make sense why I'm having so much trouble with it. Thanks for the tips everyone!

 

[glengold]

Re: Need some advice

I use a larger fin on the front for this reason. Prior to using the larger fin I'd slide out every time I cut hard.

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Need some advice

I hop on my longboard and cruise the hills switch, it helps with weight distro issues. Other than that, it's super awkward. You essentially have to break your body of its natural or developed stance. The reason newcomers dont have as much trouble is they havn't taught their body how to ride, so it's not super uncomfortable right away.
Me, I skateboarded for years and snowboard, so my body freaks out when I go switch, but i just have to force myself to get in the stance.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Need some advice

Try slowing the boat down and just do it. The only way you are going to get there is to do it and get used to it.

I got better by riding on a surfboard behind my buddie's pontoon boat that only has a 50hp motor. So going about 15mph, nothing really hurts when you fall so you have abit more confidence to carve around and the ride is a bit more forgiving because it slow.

Like I said, I used a surfboard and a wakeboard rope to do this on and it helped.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Need some advice

Good tip, Kyle. I've found that speed is key when you're learning to go wrong foot forward. Slower makes it SOOO much easier. And especially makes it easier to do surface 180's. So if you normally ride 22 mph, slow it down to about 17 or 18 and try it again. I think you'll be surprised.

I have a few buddies who are still learning all this and we developed a system to help them complete their surface 180's with less crashes. They ride with normal foot forward at normal speed. Then they give the thumbs down signal. We slow the boat down about 5 mph. They do their surface 180. Then they give the thumbs up signal and we speed it back up again so they can ride wrong foot forward for a while. When they're ready to switch back they give the signal again and we temporarily slow the boat again to allow them another 180 to switch back. After we began using this method, it drastically reduced the number of times they faceplanted...

And sometimes instead of their normal 20 to 22 speed, they just choose ride around at 17 or 18 mph for a whole session. At these speeds they switch back and forth, back and forth, and practice practice practice getting comfortable with all the surface 180's and wrong foot forward stuff.

And if you haven't learned to surface 180 yet, it might be easier to just start out with the wrong foot forward and force yourself to ride it from the beginning. IMO, everyone simply must learn to ride goofy foot, and get comfortable with it. If you don't, you will be greatly limited on doing any tricks at all. And practicing it is the only way.

 

[tgell001]

Re: Need some advice

I use a larger fin on the front for this reason. Prior to using the larger fin I'd slide out every time I cut hard.

I had a harder time with fins then without, and i've heard the same from my buddies that share my equipment. I guess everyone different

 

[glengold]

Re: Need some advice

my board has only one fin on each side, and came with 2 inch fins. After a standard backside jump, I'll cut out backside on my heals, ollie 180, then cut backside for a switch jump or switch 180.

When out wide cutting on your heals, the transfer to your toes after the 180 can be very tricky, as the pull of the boat will try and twist you back.

Without a larger fin the pull of the boat could pull me back to normal stance, sometimes resulting in face plant if I didn't keep my weight on my heels.

I'd suggest having some fins to mess around with, I found the larger fin helped my board track properly switch, partially because I'm not as good controlling the board with the edges when i ride switch.

Basically, I compensated my lack of skill riding switch with better tracking offered by the larger fin.

I've rode without fins and found that it will drastically improve your riding skills because you are forced to edge to keep control.

 

[tgell001]

Re: Need some advice

....and you can slide around incase you only make it 170 haha.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Need some advice

I had a harder time with fins then without, and i've heard the same from my buddies that share my equipment. I guess everyone different

Mainly its because each piece of equipment is different. I hav ehad boards I couldn't stand having the center fins in on, and some that rode better with them and would slide just fine, when you wanted or needed it to, with them in. Its really based on design.

My current board, Byerly Monarch, has the center fin on. However, due to the shaping of the board, its actually shorter than the molded in fins. So, when you push it sideways, its like its not even there until it starts to come around and water starts flowing through the cupped tail.

 

[mxfever]

Re: Need some advice

I normally ride at 22mph but great idea on slowing the boat down! I removed my center fins not long after I started riding. The bad news is when I removed them I put them in my brothers boat, which he has since sold. After reading everyones advice I think my issue is weight distribution. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this weekend and we'll be able to get on the lake. I need to get this figured out because we're quickly running out of summer and if I don't it will bug me all winter!

 

[tgell001]

Re: Need some advice

I need to get this figured out because we're quickly running out of summer and if I don't it will bug me all winter!

Speak for yourself..... Southeast FTW (sorry I just had to brag)

 

[mxfever]

Re: Need some advice

Speak for yourself..... Southeast FTW (sorry I just had to brag)

Yeah thanks for rubbing it in They are calling for a high of 63 this weekend! Go figure.......... I could get the wetsuit out but fat chance on convincing my wife to get the kids on the boat at that temp