Wake Longevity

I was just curious to see if many of you have changed your riding styles over the years, either because of an injury, or maybe you've seen others go through some hardships. Lets face it - wakeboarding is an impact sport. I would say a pretty high intensity impact sport at that. Just look at all the threads talking about soreness at the beginning of the season.

When I really got into wakeboarding and started pushing myself, I used to pride myself on going big and trying to take everything as big and far out into the flats as I could. I never got hurt for the longest time, ironically, in the years I saw the most water time. The first time I got a serious injury wakeboarding was in september of 2004. I snapped my fibula in two places and had to be taken to the hospital. Luckily this was toward the end of the season. A year and a half later, I believe around April 2006 I severely dislocated my shoulder and once again had to be taken to the hospital. The timing this time was horrible. I missed almost all of the 2006 season and when I did end up riding I was very apprehensive about my shoulder. 90% of my friends who are serious about their riding (IE can do and are learning advanced moves) have had a serious knee injury. This is one bridge I havn't, and do not want to cross. Rehabbing any injury sucks, and it's even worse when you gank yourself up at the start of the season. I did the math - I'm 24, I've had two serious injuries, most all of my wakeboard friends have had a serious injury (mostly knees). I want to be doing this 10 years from now and if I keep up this pace I don't know if I'll be walking by then.

My conclusion?

I go wake to wake a lot more often. I still do all the same tricks - but I use that cushy landing ramp on the other side to come down on. I still want to learn technical tricks, but now I focus more on the fluidity of my riding more so than charging the wake and flying out in the flats as far as I can. Don't get me wrong, I'll still mach out a big shifty tail grab into the flats every now and then but most everything else is now done wake-to-wake for me, because I still want to be doing this when I'm 40 . Have any of you all experienced this?


Maybe the phrase should be revised from "Go Big or Go Home" to "Go Big (and you might) be Staying Home"....for the rest of the Summer.

Good point

I've been scaling back my riding, in terms of pushing myself, for the last 5 years. In 2002 I tore my PCL, which is still torn to this day, and I had to miss the entire 2002 season. I was 34 at the time, and didn't really have anything in my bag trick wise, as I was just getting into wakeboarding at the time.

The last five years have been a challenge. I have a huge mental block with the fear of getting hurt again. Not only because I don't want to miss out on a season of riding, but because I have a family to support and really can't afford to miss work because of a serious injury. It's a double edged sword, because on one hand my cautioned riding has kept me safe for the past 5 years and on the other hand it has held me back in my progression.

I still struggle with it today. I get bored doing the same crap that I know how to do, but at the same time I just don't want to push myself to try things beyond my skill level and my age. I'm 40 now and would like to continue riding into my 50's. I ride with a couple of guys my age; one has a few inverts and 3's and 5's. However, he has paid the price for pushing himself with back surgeries as well as a long list of other injuries that will make getting around in his 50’s and 60's pretty tough. Another guy I ride with is in his mid-thirties and just tore his ACL trying to learn a back roll. He tried the back roll last season and hurt his back and had to sit out for a month.

To each their own, but the important thing is to have fun at the sport you love. I tend to have more fun when I'm learning something new. I may not be throwing inverts, but there are plenty of basic moves to work on that still offer the same excitement when you master them. For example, how many people do you know who have an invert down but can't even jump toe side? I realize that I can just as easily get hurt doing a shifty as I could learning a back roll, but I just feel more confident trying to learn things within my comfort level. And by doing so, hopefully I'll still be riding 10 years from now when I turn 50

Consider altering your off-water habits before you mix up your riding.

At 24, after riding about 10 years, I had to completely change my approach to the sport. After every ride I ached. I tried changing my equipment and my riding style, but nothing easy worked.

I had to hit the gym. I'm not a body-builder and I can't say I enjoy it, but I'm riding harder/bigger than ever get injured less. I'm 27 now and wake up at 5am 3-4 days a week to run and lift.

Just as a note: age 15-24 I tore my ACL, rotator cuff and had a variety of nagging back, neck and elbow injuries. I currently ride 4-5 days a week year-round have no aches and have been injury free since I started working off the water (Knock-on-wood).

(Message edited by justinh on May 23, 2008)

I broke my left leg in 04 and my right in 05. I've taken it easy the last 2 years, havent tried many new tricks but I went out for my 2nd time of the year wednesday and I am more consistant and comfortable than I have ever been on the water, I am somewhat comfortable taking stuff in the flats and Im charging the wakes harder than ever! I figured I would push it like I used to this year, If I get seriously injured I will know better next year but as of right now Im ready to rip it up!!

I started when I was almost 35 and wa in decent shape. I am almost 40 now and in not so great shape as I have had broken ankles, ruptured disks, ect.... and the whole key is strength & stretching if you can find the time.

I'm 52 now and contribute my longevity to not going big, and being conservative. I'd rather get the exercise than end up in a rocker. I find that the cable is easier on my body than the boat. Although my knee is still sore from jamming it on a stiff legged landing off the A frame last year.

Hats off to John Anderson, an inspiration to keep going. At 47, I'm not that much younger than he is and I have no intention of being done anytime soon.

I've been wakeboarding only the last couple of years and face the fear often when trying most new things behind the boat, especially those involving bigger air. Sprained the same ankle twice taking me out for a month at a time, and even just that I'm not eager to repeat.

For me, it's just about continuing to do what I love to do. I grew up on a boat on the lakes waterskiing and barefooting. Wakeboarding is just an extension of that. I stay in shape with running, marathoning and triathlons. Don't get me wrong, I'm out there to progress and learn new things but at this age, I'd rather ease into new tricks and still be doing this in 10-15 years than risk anything that would put me in the driver's seat only. There's a lot of dads that are either voluntarily or involuntarily already only spectators to their kids' activities. I have no desire to join them.

Old guys may not rule, but I rule among most of the "old guys".

Im in the same boat as you guys.

Im conservative, but more so for the fact that if Im injured im out of work so no income doesn't go over well for me. I don't have the privelage to go hard, have an injury and take as much time as I want to get better and go back out there.

I still have fun though

Thanks Andy, and right back at ya. Tweaking my ankle seems to be my most common injury as well.

That's awesome guys. I hope I'm still riding when I hit 50 and beyond. I've always stayed in pretty good shape as far as going to the gym goes. Now the stretching - I could definitely work on that. My stretching consists of about 20 seconds while standing on the swim platform getting ready to wakeboard, that's it, ever.

Both of my serious injuries I got from riding someone elses equipment (that didn't fit me). And both times I didn't take the time to get used to the feel of the boards, and just went straight in charging. I guess it took breaking a leg and blowing a shoulder to learn to ride equip. my size.

I am curious. Are there many older guys (40+) landing mobes or the equivelant in difficulty?