Learning inverts at 40

So, I'm a very intermediate rider that got out of wakeboarding for a while. I've got good fundamentals, but I never learned an invert.

Did any of you guys or gals learn your first invert after 40? How much punishment did it take?

My dad's 52 and trying to learn backrolls, has gotten extremely close, most likely will land one this summer barring injury lol In otherwords, you got no excuses.

I was 40 when I learned the backroll. I was using a unweighted boat with a small wake and probably crashed 200 (no exaggeration) times before I actually landed it behind a weighted boat. No punishment at all. I just landed on my butt a bunch.

you're lucky ^^ i probably tried around 100 times.. landing nose first on over half of them..

Yeah there was no chance of me going nose over. I just needed another ~30 degrees of rotation to get on my feet and I couldn't get enough height to make it. The bigger wake was the key for me. When I got behind the other boat I stuck 3 in a row.

i wasn't in my 40s but in my mid 30s when i landed my first backroll...behind an old school air nautique w/ no ballast. took me about 6-7 tries. if you have your fundamentals down, it shouldn't take you too long to land your first invert.

man this thread really makes me HAVE to try the backroll now. I'm 32 and it drives me insane that I don't try them, I always fake myself out. I'm a head case. But if you guys are trying them 40+ then I have "no marbles" (sweet 16 anyone?)..damn it, I just need to do it!!

You guys have me inspired. I'm 51 and I'm going to land one this summer!

Look out Andy I am 52 and I'm going land mine before you

everyone always goes for the backroll first, but I think the tantrum is probably the easiest first invert

So I never had to kill myself on my first invert, but I've taught wakeboarding for a long time and I HIGHLY reccomend learning whichever invert you wanna learn on a trampoline first. If you have really good wake jumps, wake to wake 180s and grabs dialed and you put in the tramp time... Garunteed you land in under 10 tries

I used to use the excuse that I'm too old (35) to be trying new tricks. Then at the end of last summer I met a new friend that is 42 and stuck his first scarecrow behind my boat. I can't do one, but it made me get back on the horse so-to-speak and start trying new tricks again. After riding with him I am now confidently landing my backroll and I am trying to learn the tantrum...40 is the new 20

Originally Posted by cheesydog

everyone always goes for the backroll first, but I think the tantrum is probably the easiest first invert

i respectfully disagree. a backroll needs a progressive edge. a tantrum needs a good edge, then an edge change at the wake.

At 40, spend some time on the tramp like the previous user posted. your body is gonna hate you if you try and practice it all on the water.....ur not 20 anymore, lol. U have the resources to find/buy a trampoline......work smarter not harder

Take some "before" pictures of yourself prior to getting on the trampoline. Just so we have something to compare. Don't need to be wakeboarding pictures, any pictures will do.

Originally Posted by rmotoxxx711

So I never had to kill myself on my first invert, but I've taught wakeboarding for a long time and I HIGHLY reccomend learning whichever invert you wanna learn on a trampoline first. If you have really good wake jumps, wake to wake 180s and grabs dialed and you put in the tramp time... Garunteed you land in under 10 tries

thanks for all of the feedback.

Can you talk me through the trampoline progression? Got any drills?

I gotta agree w Joe. A backroll is way easier than a tantrum. Mainly because of the edge change. On the tramp though I would say the tantrum is easier. I've seen quite a few people land backrolls that still don't have their fundamentals down.

Originally Posted by flapjack

thanks for all of the feedback.

Can you talk me through the trampoline progression? Got any drills?

Learnwake.com has all the drills you are looking for. They are a great resource for learning anything you want to attempt. You can even post videos up and have the coaches review them and point out exactly what you need to work on or change.

I'm not 40 yet (almost 37) but I've learned more tricks in the past two years than the last 15. Most of them are inverts.

My riding buddy who is 1 year younger only picked the sport up seriously 2 years ago now has a bunch of spins and about 10 inverts on lock.

I've found the cable park to be a great place to work on tricks. The kickers are the same every time and the falls are generally a lot softer.

Living in SoCal I've met a bunch of gnarly 50-60 year olds in various "extreme sports".
If you keep fit and healthy there is no reason not to keep pushing and progressing.

I was about 31 when I landed my first Tantrum. I rarely try them becuase I always seem to hurt my ankles and knees. Now, I am 41 & stick to spinning 3's for my one trick pony rides.

Age is just a number. Youth is a state of mind. I'm 36. Just started riding a couple years ago. I've got about 4 inverts on lock. Landed my first raley last summer. Working on the spins this summer. I plan on rocking this sport till I'm old and gray.

Don't let your age slow you down.

got the basic inverts and spins in my 30's , but the raley was my first "invert" and will always be my favorite trick ! here's one at 45 years young.

That's badass!!

Your never to old to learn,just keep trying and most off all have fun riding!

That is very impressive Nedge.

I'll be 49 later this month and am working on my first invert.

^^^going HUGE!!! sick!

I am in this group with ya'll at 42. I have tried plenty of backrolls and tantrums through the years but didn't even try an invert last year behind the boat... although I did try a few air backrolls at the cable park. I'd like nothing more than to land a backroll!! I have good edging skills so it is just a matter of nutting it up and trying a few. I just need to force myself to try new things on the water and stop being a wuss. I am more brave at the cable park- throw 180s off the kicker, almost landed a FS3 off the kicker, ride the rails, etc... I almost landed a tantrum off the kicker. I have never got hurt trying an invert so I see no need to stop trying them.

Rob, IMO the easiest invert off a kicker is the scarecrow. So if you have a kicker on your toeside at the park I would go for that first. The cable wants to spin you around to switch, so it's easier than a toeside frontroll.

John- I have seen you do that trick on video and it does definitely look doable. I just neeed to nut it up and try that first one! Thanks for the feedback.

Some folks find the tantrum easier than the backroll for some reason. Way back when, I learned the tantrum first and now would say a backroll is 100x easier.

One thing I will comment on is the use of a trampoline. While generally a very good idea for air awareness, it can be misleading. For example, a trampoline backroll is absolutely nothing like a wake backroll.

As for learning them after 40, no clue. I sure hope to shred in another 10 years.

Question for all you older guys. I'm 26 and while I'm not 40s, i do notice some differences from when i was 18 and riding. I'm curious are most of you athletic active people? Do you all stretch a bunch after riding? Lift weights? I would expect most of you do since being in shape is very important for riding. My dad will be 60 and he still slalom skiis the course. He's always prone to some heavy bruising but has been in shape his whole life. Kudos to you guys!

I should also mention that there is a gentleman that is north of 70 that rides at Hydrous in Dallas.
When I was last there he stacked hard trying a BS 1 off the kicker. I asked him if he was o.k. and he replied that I should have seen him stack while he was trying his tantrums I was impressed to say the least. He hits many of the rails too.

Originally Posted by Kerry

Question for all you older guys. I'm 26 and while I'm not 40s, i do notice some differences from when i was 18 and riding. I'm curious are most of you athletic active people? Do you all stretch a bunch after riding? Lift weights? I would expect most of you do since being in shape is very important for riding. My dad will be 60 and he still slalom skiis the course. He's always prone to some heavy bruising but has been in shape his whole life. Kudos to you guys!

No exercise of any kind other than riding. I've been dragging behind the boat since college in the mid 70's. Eating right and a couple of trips to the cable park each week will keep you in great shape.

Slalom skiing is one of the best exercises I know of. Don't do it anymore, but wakeboarding is a pretty good replacement. I know you young whippersnappers want to kill it out there. But IMO there is no shame in taking it easy and not getting hurt. Just getting out there and riding on a regular basis will build your core muscles and will pay off when you get old. You'll have a strong back and knees if you don't bust them up when you are young.

This is an awesome Thread, I love to hear about guys still out there pushing themselves. I am about to hit 37 and I can tell you that it is still possible to keep riding and trying new stuff. Really impressed guys so I want to give you a little help. I have an old instructional DVD that I'll send out to David @ WW....all I ask for you guys to keep trying new stuff and get a few buddies to join you in the quest to get inverted. My vid is a little old so don't laugh but I think it helps teach in a way that can eliminate some of the hard falls.

Best of luck guys!

Originally Posted by zaneschwenk

This is an awesome Thread, I love to hear about guys still out there pushing themselves. I am about to hit 37 and I can tell you that it is still possible to keep riding and trying new stuff. Really impressed guys so I want to give you a little help. I have an old instructional DVD that I'll send out to David @ WW....all I ask for you guys to keep trying new stuff and get a few buddies to join you in the quest to get inverted. My vid is a little old so don't laugh but I think it helps teach in a way that can eliminate some of the hard falls.

Best of luck guys!

That would be awesome Zane, Thanks from an old guy!

Originally Posted by Kerry

Question for all you older guys. I'm 26 and while I'm not 40s, i do notice some differences from when i was 18 and riding. I'm curious are most of you athletic active people? Do you all stretch a bunch after riding? Lift weights? I would expect most of you do since being in shape is very important for riding. My dad will be 60 and he still slalom skiis the course. He's always prone to some heavy bruising but has been in shape his whole life. Kudos to you guys!

I do what I can to stay in shape. I hit the gym 3-5 days a week. If I know I'm going to ride over the weekend, I may only hit the gym 3 days. In the gym I typically do some type of crossfit routine, so that I get strength and endurance. I'll also run a little. I'm a big guy, 6'2 and 210 but even my doctor says that I'm not overweight. I could still eat a little better though...

Zane is awesome. I enjoyed watching him ride Friday in Fort Worth! The Slurpee / Slurp, back to back was cool to see in person.

I used to do Tantrums- then broke my ankle- so I gave them up for years. Then last June tried one again- first try, came up way short on the rotation and landed on my right ear- blowing my eardrum- NEVER again will I try that trick. The roll in my opinion is way easier - now I strive to lay them way out and do what looks like a spinning Raley- really fun. BTW- I am 45. I like spins too. My sole objective anymore is to have fun, get wet and stay healthy!

The comment about the scarecrow makes a lot of sense too. a buddy of mine was trying front rolls and everyone seemed to want to open up to the boat , I kept saying, let it happen- go revert and you got a crow- I love that trick when they are really big.

Yea my ear hurt the other day from a big double up that i landed on my side doing. I think I'm gonna breakout the helmet with the ear flaps. Seriously awesome to hear about you 40+ guys still ripping it! I hope I am still wakeboarding once I'm up there! It is reassuring seeing the wakeboard pioneers (Zane, Murray, Byerly, and Gerry Nunn and others) still out there when they've ridden so much more than the average wakeboarder!

^^^i ruptured my eardrum back in 2010 just like that. Needless to say that thought sticks with me till this day anytime Im trying something new.

Almost 51... and was never even IN a boat 'til I was 49. Gonna work on inverts HARD this summer!

Jack, I got mine at 45

The learning curve was pretty painful for me. I never learned a second one

keep at it! good luck

I tried my first backroll of the year last weekend. I made it around to the board but had a slack line for some reason and didn't ride it out.

Zane-great you are giving up the instructional, one our main guys rode with you years back and speaks well of the time he spent with you.
As far as old guys go...I was over 50 when I landed my first invert, now 55 and trying to get the 3's down.

Generally there is not alot of pain on inverts, compared to the head snappers on 3's. But along the way have 4-5 ruptured ear drums, 2 acl tears, musc pulls, one concussion, sprained ankles, tendonitis.

well not sure after 40 but like alot here i started wakeboarding at 28 and now 42 i landed 5 inverts and a varirety of spins in my 30s..

I now have lost all the spins and the more abusive inverts but have beenable to hold onto 3 real consistent of the easier inverts the Backroll, Crow, and front roll. I occasionally can land an elephant and am attempting to get back the TS BR 2r but really at this age and the toll wakeboarding takes on my body i am trying to keep it fun and simple to maintain what i have..

I call it self preservation as i need to walk to work ;P but wakeboardingh ios a passion and a way of life for me so i dont see me giving up anytime soon.

BTW i just started enjoying the cable parks and just started to learn spins off kickers and initiated(yes just initiated , didnt land it), a crow off a kicker.. So now i am learning to slide and do inverts at 42 on the cables so i guess thats new ? ;P

Ah Bill, I saw you post on here and I figure I ought to also in case you guys all thought I was dead or something.

I'm 50 years old this year, still wakeboard year 'round. Tantrum yes, still can't get backroll although haven't really tried yet with new boat. Learned lots of switch stuff, spins and blind landings. Nothing too huge, try to keep the boat speed 21 or less. (E=MVsquared!). I remember you riding, oh I guess 10 years ago now, you had a great backroll, scarecrow and front roll.

We ride twice a week in the summers and when we lose daylight savings time shift over to one ride a week and pick up the gym time. I am not going to lie to the younger guys and say it's not tough to keep up as your body ages, but never stop and try to avoid catastrophic injuries. I call mondays at the gym "damage assessment day" lol. If you get an injury, work hard at rehab and get going again as soon as you can. I guess we will all be experiments to see how long we can keep it up.

This is a very inspiring thread. I look forward to seeing Zane's video.

Good topic. Just dislocated a rib 3 weeks ago on a roll ro revert. Out for another 3 weeks or so. Fundamentals are key. Since training with Nick Heaney my riding, after 10 years, has finally progressed. At 43, almost 44, I'm riding stronger than I ever have both HS and TS. You're only as old as you think you are.

Originally Posted by sledgehammer

If you get an injury, work hard at rehab and get going again as soon as you can.

My rehab is pushing the lawnmower.

If i get out 3 times a week I have tons of energy. If I get out only once a week, I poop out pretty fast.

i agree with Joe BTW I could never seem to visualize and figure out the tantrum but the br was my first invert and i still have it after all these yrs.. its different for everybody dpends on how you ride and what makes sense too you as arider, if you can picture it in your mind and its not intimidating then thats what you will more then likely land first..

I am 56 years old and started wakeboarding about 4 years ago. The season here is usually May through September. It takes me a month of riding to get my muscles back to the point were they were from the year before at the end of the season. This year it has been one thing after another(although mostly wind, I hate wind) keeping me from getting many good sessions in. So at this point I am not back up to riding at last years end of season level. In spite of that my goal for this year is to get back rolls down by the end of the season. It does seem like after 50 it gets harder to keep the muscles in tune. If I get the backroll down will post video, probably be in September, we will see......

I am 38 with a wife and 2 kids. I started riding last year and always been amazed by how smooth spins and inverts look. Last year I did not have the ability to attempt anything other than wake to wake attempts. After a season of hard crashes learning about edge control and board control I now have the ability level to start attempting some other things. The problem is that being 38 and supporting my family I have been held back by the fear of being injuried and not being able to support my family. Today I threw caution to the wind and started to work on Tantrums. Man I did not know what I was missing. They are so much FUN!!! I tried 5 or 6 times and failed stick one before my day got cut short by a trashed prop. Even the crashes we a blast. I am committed to to stomping it as soon as my boat is lake worthy again. I don't know if I would have tried if not for this thread.

I think my wife would sometimes like me to reign it in a bit and "act my age", but I just can't do it. I took a gnarly fall two weeks ago on a Raley (normally no prob) and ended up with broken ribs, a fractured scapula and a collapsed lung. It was the first time that I thought for a brief moment about my age, but it was only briefly. I was out again on Friday and hit a few inverts. Still too sore for the Raley. That, and the Dr. telling me to take 6 weeks off. Yeah right!
I do stay active...at the gym 5-6 days a week. Recovery isn't as quick as when I was 25, but I have no intention of slowing down. Way to rock it all you old men! ;-)

Originally Posted by solo

Good topic. Just dislocated a rib 3 weeks ago on a roll ro revert. Out for another 3 weeks or so. Fundamentals are key. Since training with Nick Heaney my riding, after 10 years, has finally progressed. At 43, almost 44, I'm riding stronger than I ever have both HS and TS. You're only as old as you think you are.

Damn Hahn, been wondering where you've been. That blows. Me and Nick just killed it at sunset tonight. Had my girl shooting, but she's no pro photog! Get well soon.

There was a good article a few years back in WBM, written by Rusty. There was a graph showing what your output should be throughout the season. It started off slow and progressed throughout the season to heavier, riskier riding. I agree with this, especially with age creeping up on me every season. One thing that I like to base my "I'm ready to try new tricks" part of the season is when I feel like "I am crashing through the water" (my body is more physically fit) as opposed to "the water will mangle my body."
Riding at a bit slower speed with a shorter rope may also prevent some unnecessary high impact falls.

And remember...
There is nothing wrong with soul carves and poked out grabs.

I love the inspiration from everyone on this thread. Seeing guys still doing what they love at 50-60 years old is what drives me to stay in shape. My pops is now 57 and he and my mom started doing P90X late last year. He has dropped about 45lbs and my mom is in great shape as well. They live a lot closer to rivers and lakes than I do and they get out about 4 times a week. Not only are they boarding a lot, but my Dad is slalom skiing a bunch this year. He says he has never felt so great. I am excited to see their progression when we visit them over the Labor Day weekend.

I am 40. I was on a lesson with Josh Palmer and was getting bored not trying anything new. He had me landing TS back rolls in about ten minutes. The falls are super soft when you come up short compared to a HS backroll and you start them 1 wake

My name is Jack and I'm 48! Tried my first tantrum at the end of last summer, got 1/2 way in the rotation landing on my head. I crashed my MTB in November which exploded my shoulder and required surgery. I'm just now getting back to my wakeboarding form from last summer. One of my riding crew is 35 and is doing tantrums and backrolls and is pushing me to go for the tantrum again, so I saying it here, gonna land it this summer!

Thanks for all the "old guys" rockin' it!

I am almost at the point where I am gonna start losing tricks because I have lost the stoke. Although in the few times out this year I have claimed the switch 5 which has given me a bump in confidence.

I basically started riding at about 36 and progressed quickly but after 2 ACL's, broken ankles, eardrums, disc ruptures and a cervical fusion in 7 years I am rethinking my balls to the wall approach.
The tricks that claimed the injuries rarely get thrown at all.
I want to go push but just am at the point where the rehab is not worth it anymore.

Hey guys, Zane Schwenk was reading this thread and (considering he just turned 84) was stoked to see the old guys killing it. He offered up five of his The Rider's Edge instructional wakeboarding DVDs to the first five guys over 40 that message me with their address and the year they were born. Brought to you by CWB, MasterCraft and old man Schwenk!!

That was fast! We got all the winners. Thanks for playing!!

I blew out a knee trying backrolls 10 yrs ago when I was 45. Tried to get back into boarding, but my miniscus was shot and just couldnt take the punishment any more. At 55, I still board a little but when I do inverts now its on a hydrofoil...

Much easier on the knees....

A big thank you to David for distributing the videos that Zane provided! I received mine Saturday, can't wait to watch it!

A second Big Thanks, to David & Zane! Already watched mine and have a few things to work on next weekend.

And another big thank you to David and Zane. My copy arrived as well.

+1! ^^ Thanks so much Zane and Dave!! Just got it today at work. I will do my best to get these bones going so by summers end I will be riding my best. And will pay it forward to my "old" friends so this thing wont collect dust! Thanks again guys.

missed out on it but thanks to Amazon my wife and I are watching now ;-)

Thanks guys. I needed some new inspiration as well as the many newbies that I constantly promote the sport to.

Gene you're too busted up to continue wakeboarding
Grab a few Bud Lites and enjoy your old age :^) JK

Fair enough. although you are no spring chicken stallion.