backroll trouble

Over the summer i have been trying to land a back roll. i took one hard fall and then i just gave up on it. i think thats y now i just close my eyes and hope for the best. i need some advice on helping me land or some what close to landing so i don't bite it hard again. i have been starting to think that i cant do it but i need advice. if u could help it would be great! thanks

Ive never tried it, but Ive seen my boyfriend do it and seen explanations on how to do it thousands of times. What I know is to pop first, then point your chin to your lead shoulder (left for regular, right for goofy) because thats how you start your rotation. How fast or slow you rotate is dictated by pulling in the handle. If you pull it in you´ll rotate faster, if you let it out youll rotate slower. You should spot your landing and land edging. Some people find it easier to land by letting go with your back hand. I think what would work best is rotate faster at the beginning and then let out the handle to rotate slower at the landing until you have it figured it out. Maybe Ill try it myself this weekend! I just want to get more air first. Got any advice for that? I can clear the wake but what I want is to go higher! Oh, one more thing, start trying the trick by not edging too much, just get a lot of pop, and if you can, slow down the boat a bit until you have it down so if you fall, you dont get hit too hard. Hope I could help you!

P.S. forget about those hard falls you had and just start over again!

thank you so much for the help. i will try as soon as we get some nice weather to ride again. If you want to get bigger air when u cut out of the wake wait there for about 2 or 3 sec, so all the slack is out of the rope. don't go super fast at the wake b/c its just going to throw u into the flats. before u even hit the wake make sure your knees are bent and your arms are strait. slowly turn in towards the wake and start to make your board parallel. Start getting a progressive edge and when u get to the top of the wake push with your knees and bring your handle to your hips. Most people forget about the handle and that is really what is going to pull u higher instead out into the flats. then when u land just bend your knees like u normally would. hopefully this will help you out a little bit. Also what kind of boat do u ride behind? thanks for the help again and hope this info helps.

Keep you elbows attatched to your sides through out the entire rotation.
The more you try the trick the more apt you are to land it. Thats my theory. Try something 100 times and your bound to land it.

Laura... the quick and easy way to learn a backroll is to cut your edge in half. Most people want to edge waaay out into the flats and come screaming into the wake, thinking that more speed will magically make them land the trick. Start about 5-6 feet outside the trough of the wake and make a really short, quick edge at the wake, with your hardest edge right at the top of the wake. Stand tall off the top of the wake and push your shoulders and hips up to the sky. Look over your lead shoulder and OPEN YOUR EYES! Try hard to hold on with both hands and keep them close to your hips like Xgirl suggested, this will speed up your rotation. A backroll is nothing more than a really, really progressive edge if you do it right. People say the same thing about a raley, but with a backroll you throw your chest and hips up and on a raley you don't. What the hard edge at the top of the wake does is actually whip your feet up and over. You may feel a little bit of a "snap" at the crest of the trick, that means you have the perfect edge. Just remember to hold on to the rope tight, cause if you don't it will pop when it yanks.
You probably want to try a few wake to wake jumps with the new edging method at first. Just don't edge quite as hard at the top of the wake. This will get you comfortable with the quick edge and will also help you trial and error how hard you need to edge to make it wake to wake. Let me see if I can throw together a quick sequence and I'll post it..
Be right back....
Tiff

Ok... couldn't find a good backroll sequence... the only sequence I have is a switch backroll.
My form sucks, but it is all in how your body comes off the wake.
The sequence is here:
http://photobucket.com/albums/a144/Tiffanator/Tiffany%20Wakeboarding/?action=view&current=Tiffswbrsm.jpg


And a few closer up photos...
Right off the top of the wake. Notice how my hands are in close to my body. That gives me plenty of play in the line when it comes tight.

Landing. I know, I let go with one hand.. bad, bad habit! I've gotten used to it though and don't get the handle yanked as much as I used to, but it still happens. Anyway, notice how I'm spotting my landing and have the board out to meet the water. Also, bent knees to absorb the impact of the landing. Striaght knees = BAD!


I'll leave you alone now... Don't make fun of my form!

Tiff, thank you so much for all the help. i hope this will get me over the fear and help me land now i really am determined to do it b/c i already made my parents by me a new boat. I do get frustrated riding with all guys most of the time b/c they just tell me to go out there and have a go at it. there really isn't any girls where i ride at that have been riding in the sport for very long. Thank you again. it is nice knowing that there is other girls that are willing to help me out.
Laura
Ps-if u ride at any tournaments maybe i could watch you to pick up a few pointers if im in the area.

thanks for your help on the pop, Im going out tomorrow, so Ill try it, and I already told my boyfriend that if I got good pop I would try the backroll, so Ill let you know how it goes! I usually ride behind a 2005 Air Nautique Team Edition, which has a super nice wake, or behind a Mastercraft Prostar which has got a terrible wake. But tomorrow is Air Nautique day, so I hope I improve my riding in any aspect!

yes the air Nautique is a nice boat i have rode behind one many of times but i think the one i like the best was Shaun Murray's but we also weigh them down to get a huge wake. glad to here that u have nice weather b/c i know in michigan its horrible. get some good air for me and hope u have fun.