Need help jumping

I started wakeboarding this season, and am feeling good on the board except when it comes to jumping. I started trying to jump off one wake, but all my buddies said that I should just charge the wake and go big, as thats the best way to learn. But everytime I try w2w, I go head first into the water, or even rotate a flip and land on my back. I get plent of air, just cant get balanced. But if I am in the center of the wake and cut out, I can jump off the wake balanced and get decent air. What is it I am doing wrong? I now its hard to say without seeing what I am doing, but hopefully this sounds familiar to someone. Thanks in advance for the help!

If your falling forward it sounds like you are actually trying to jump like on a snowboard. when jumping a wake you edge right through the wake and it will pop you. Try straightening your legs more with only a slight bend. If you bend to much you tend to jump the wake as you have to straighten out....however if your legs are almost straight then do your progressive edge by leaning back keep your legs stiff as you hit the wake and keep the handle down somewhere below your chest to waist. when you are falling back you are cutting up the wake and leaning back too much and too much weight on your back foot. Try edging up to the wake a little more balanced as you will land in the same position as you were in when you left the wake. Hope some of this helps.....keep trying and don't go big when you don't know how...thats a sure way to get injured...just progress from smaller jumps and add to them as you feel comfortable. Read some of the articles on these websites for progressive edging.

I agree with Michael. Dude dont worry about what your friends think I bet they didnt try to go big when they were learning how. Just take it slow. I'm having trouble getting w2w too, and I dont know everything about it in act I cant even do it,but I do know that tryin to go big when you first start out isnt the answer. Keep tryin.

yeah i agree with them too. IT just takes time before u clear the wake. keep trying.

i want to get a wake jump too, but when i try i only get a few inches off the wake. I think its my surff dog fins or my aproach. What do you think, because iv tried cutting hard and trying to hit the wake with a good stance but it all doesant want to work for me.


(Message edited by boardergirl128 on August 20, 2002)

Define 'Big'. I've helped numerous newbies go wake to wake, and going small never helped anyone go wake to wake. Once you have a decent cut you need to start going or attempting w2w. Shorten the rope to 55 or 60 feet and start gunning for the 'big' air. Going small leads to the classic face plant. When a newbie goes small they make it about 3/4 across the wake, the board skips off the propwash turns sideways and then the front edge catches - and everyone in the boat go's 'Ouch' and start laughing for 5 minutes while the newbie clears the sinuses and straps in again only to repeat the little jump.

What not to do: Don't go barreling into the wake full speed and then shock the wake with your knees - this is classic, and a hard habbit to break.

Instead take a medium to fast cut and force yourself to use the wake as a ramp. Don't worry about getting pop off the wake just make sure you don't absorb the wake with your knees. Once you get comfortable with w2w, then try to get a little pop off the wake and take it to the flats.

WORD OF ADVICE 2 hands on the handle and keep the rope in at your hip!!! Worry about cutting hard once you get balanced out try that all the other tipps are great, but you got to crawl before you walk.

thanks a lot ill try that if i go out this next weekend

Here is a small training tip that will lead to big air with practice. Take a shallow cut about 10 feet outside the wake. Start your cut towards the wake and try to build as much speed as you can in the short distance and jump the wake. This exercise will build a good habits for a few reasons. 1) With such a small distance you will be forced to stay on your edge through the top of the wake. 2) It will also disprove the idea that you need to take a huge cut to get get good air. Going wake to wake and getting good air is about acceleration and line tension. If you get the point where you can get wake to wake with a small cut start working your way out wider with the same principles. Good luck!

what does it mean if you can get good air...even grabs...but you are not going wake to wake? i seem to have this problem.. Is is the whole progressive edge thing that i am doing wrong?

get a life and i like your mom i need a bath

i need some help on some tricks, ive been a pretty constant wakeboarder, and the other day for christmas i got a hyperlite belmont 131 with spin bindings, i just need a good suggestion on some tricks over than jumping the wake, i get good air but i need some tricks. tombo

Tom, work on grabs and 180's to start. Learn to ride switch too and work on surface tricks like ollies, 180's and 360's.

Thank Bill man, i just needed some guidelines, if you have anymore just holler at me.